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Projected first-round quarterback Justin Fields informed NFL teams this week he is battling epilepsy, a neurological disorder that often causes seizures, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports. Fields shattered several single-season program records with the Buckeyes over his two-year stint in the Big Ten and is widely-regarded as one of the top prospects available in next week's NFL Draft.
"It has not affected football and doctors believe he’ll outgrow it as his other family members have," Rapoport tweeted on Wednesday. "The prognosis from doctors is that Fields should be in the same situation. Fields’ symptoms have shorter and less frequent over the past few years."
ESPN NFL Draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. said this week he expects the New England Patriots to be one of the teams in the running for Fields, who has been slotted anywhere from No. 3 overall to just outside of the Top 10.
“They absolutely have to make the move up,” Kiper said to NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah. “This isn't the Tom Brady era. Tom Brady is now a Tampa Bay Buccaneer winning the Super Bowl. You have to get that quarterback, close that gap. DJ talked about Josh Allen’s emergence as a superstar in this league. Tua in Miami and (soon to be) Zach Wilson with the New York Jets. You gotta get out of that cellar in that quarterback situation. If it's Justin Fields, if he slides, go get him. If it's Trey Lance, go get him. Mac Jones, go get him. Whoever that third quarterback is you have a chance to go up and get. If that third quarterback becomes, say, (Mac) Jones, two of them are gonna land.
“You know three are gone, two are probably going to be there if Atlanta passes on one. I think DJ, you have to be aggressive. I projected a trade from 15 to seven with the Detroit Lions...if it's Justin Fields, you can go up to seven, or a Trey Lance or a Mac Jones. Figure out which one you love the most and go get him.”
In a recent interview with The Mercury News, Steve Mariucci, the 49ers’ fourth-winningest coach (57-39 from 1997-2002), said he thinks the 49ers should draft Fields with the No. 3 overall pick. Mariucci was also Fields’ coach during the 2018 Under Armour All-American Game.
“If you want to take a little chance and have a sensational athlete, it’s Justin Fields,” Mariucci said. “He’s a rare athletic quarterback, plus he’s a heck of a passer. He’s big enough, strong enough, terrific runner. He is more of a passing quarterback, that can run like crazy. He’s so strong in the pocket and played sensational games.
4COMMENTS
“He just doesn’t have the consistency of others. That’s OK. He transferred from Georgia, was going through the pandemic last year.
