Patrick Mahomes gives love to Justin Fields for toughing out Sugar Bowl

Justin Fields is doing his best Patrick Mahomes impression, and last year’s Super Bowl MVP took note.

Fields went down in the second quarter on a brutal hit by Clemson stud defender James Skalski, who after further review was ejected for targeting. While Fields took a nasty shot to the ribs, and would come out for one play, he returned shortly thereafter and delivered a strike of a touchdown pass on the drive to extend Ohio State’s lead.

The presumptive second quarterback selected in the 2021 NFL Draft is upstaging his counterpart, and the likely No. 1 pick in that same draft, Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence. Fields has been utilizing his tight ends to his advantage, an edge most college football fans didn’t expect Ohio State to have.

Just before the end of the half, Fields threw his fourth touchdown of the game to Jeremy Ruckert with just over ten seconds remaining. Mahomes gave Fields a shoutout with one simple emoji.

Fields hopes to be like Mahomes one day

Impressing the best in the game is a good start for a prospect who was slipping on some NFL Draft boards. BYU’s Zach Wilson, who declared for April’s showcase on Friday, is neck-and-neck with Fields for the No. 2 quarterback slot in this draft, behind only Lawrence. That debate surely won’t be settled until team workouts, but Fields balling out on a national stage against his counterpart can’t hurt matters.

Fields still has an entire second half of game tape to deliver upon, but he’s off to a great start in the 2020-21 College Football Playoff.

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