The question everyone wants to find the answer to is if Jets rookie QB Sam Darnold is truly the franchise quarterback everyone wants him to become. Well, Fox Sports' Colin Cowherd thinks he will be that and more over his career in New York.

Darnold is officially a Jet after signing his rookie contract on Monday, ending his mini holdout from training camp. Speaking on his FS1 show "The Herd," Cowherd went deep into his predictions of the top quarterbacks drafted in the first round.

The result? Darnold is going to be the best out of them all.

"Sam Darnold is going to be a special player. Within a year or two when Tom Brady retires, the Jets will own this division."

- @ColinCowherd pic.twitter.com/hC86Ak29Pv
- FOX Sports (@FOXSports) July 30, 2018

"Of the five quarterbacks drafted in the first round, one is going to be an absolute bust," Cowherd explained. "My is the kid at Buffalo [Josh Allen]. Two of them are going to be less than we thought. My guess is Lamar Jackson is not gonna own the league and Baker Mayfield is not a No. 1 pick. Two of them are going to work out pretty well, with the chance of one being a franchise guy for 15 years. My bet is on Darnold. Smart, hard-working, durable, tough, alpha male, great qualities without the ego."

Cowherd took it even further, saying that the Jets are going to "own" the AFC East after Patriots QB Tom Brady retires. And Darnold is going to be the one leading them.

"I think Darnold is going to be a special player." he said. "I think in a year or two when Tom Brady retires, the Jets will own this division and they've got their guy."

When the Jets drafted Darnold, he fell right into their lap at No. 3 overall. The Browns went with Mayfield, and the Giants decided to continue their win-now approach and draft RB Saquon Barkley. Darnold was highly touted coming out of USC, and many pegged him to be the first overall draft choice.

Cowherd related Darnold to Colts QB Andrew Luck, who got off to a hot start despite having a mediocre supporting cast around him. Darnold may not have been as big out of college as Luck was, but Cowherd believes there are similarities in their playing style and personality.

"I think Sam is one of those guys. He is tough, he is durable. Now, he had less than two years starting at USC. He is the youngest quarterback and the least experienced quarterback out of all these guys. Lamar Jackson's got more starts, Josh Rosen, Josh Allen, Baker Mayfield. He's going to have a choppy first year. He is not a refined project. He's not as good as Andrew Luck coming out."

But, Jets fans, I'm urging you to take caution on Cowherd's prediction. Darnold has not only played in an NFL game yet, but Cowherd has also had some bad takes in the past.

For example, during the NBA free agency period in 2016, Cowherd said there was no shot Kevin Durant would sign with the Warriors. There was also Cowherd saying the Jets would go 0-16 last season.

So, write it down that Cowherd is high on Darnold's chances to turn around the franchise very soon.

Here's Cowherd also predicting the Jets go 8-8 this season...

Popular in the Community