Memphis quarterback Paxton Lynch has been moving up NFL draft boards as one of the top prospects at his position, and now his high school coach is getting calls from the Buffalo Bills, Houston Texans and Denver Broncos, according to Brian Linder of the Daytona Beach News-Journal.
Trinity Christian football coach Allen Johnson said that he talks with Lynch twice a week, but never about the NFL. "He's a team-first guy," said Johnson. "He only cares about helping Memphis rise up."
It's no surprise that NFL teams are calling his high school coach, as NFL teams likely want to find out every detail on the highly coveted prospect. Just this week, former Chicago Bears director of college scouting Greg Gabriel reported that four NFL evaluators had Lynch as the top quarterback prospect. Lynch has seen himself jump over Michigan State quarterback Connor Cook and California quarterback Jared Goff this season.
Lynch has reportedly shown scouts his potential as a franchise quarterback, and his continued success is only moving him up draft boards. He has thrown over 2,700 yards this season with 18 touchdowns to just one interception. The 6-foot-7, 245 pound quarterback sees the entire field and has led the Tigers to an undefeated 8-0 start this season.
The scouts know the talent that Lynch possesses, but they likely called his high school coach to find out more about him and his character. "The scouts that call me want to know about his character and what type of kid he was," said Johnson, via Daytona Beach News-Journal. "They're doing their due diligence."
While Lynch is only a junior this season, it is probable that he enters the draft, but Lynch isn't focused on his future as he is keeping his focus on this season. "His focus is always on Memphis," said Johnson. "He wants to get them into the (playoff)."
Memphis faces a 6-1 Navy team this weekend and still has Houston and Temple on their schedule. If Lynch can continue to perform and lead this team to the College Football Playoff, he will surely have proven himself as a top NFL quarterback prospect. It seems unlikely that Memphis will make the playoff, as the AAC is one of the weaker conferences in college football.
The Texans could have some serious interest in Lynch, as they are in need of a quarterback. Brian Hoyer is the starting quarterback this season, but Houston is still looking for a franchise quarterback.
The Broncos have Peyton Manning, but he will be retiring soon, and although they have Brock Osweiler, they may not be completely sold on him. Denver may want options, and transitioning from Manning to a young quarterback would be difficult for any team.
The Bills have Tyrod Taylor, who is having a solid year for Buffalo, but the team is clearly not sold on him as the future franchise quarterback. Lynch may need some time in an NFL system before he is ready to play, and Buffalo could present that opportunity.
It's unclear where the Tigers quarterback will end up next season, but it's clear that he is gaining a ton of interest from NFL teams.
