Nine years ago, the New York Jets reached into Orange County, California -- via USC -- for their quarterback savior. He was a charismatic young talent, and his arrival infused the franchise and its fan base with hope. Mark Sanchez, drafted fifth overall in 2009, won four playoff games in his first two seasons before everything fizzled.

On Thursday night, the Jets did it again: same county, same college and almost the same draft position. Sam Darnold, who grew up 15 miles from Sanchez and played at a neighboring high school, was chosen third overall. With that, he was handed the same crown his fellow Trojan wore nearly a decade ago.

Franchise savior.

"It's going to be different than anything he's ever experienced, I can tell you that," Sanchez said with a laugh Thursday night in a phone interview with ESPN. "But he's ready for it, and he's got a great family. I felt very lucky to be able to share that with my family."

Playing quarterback for the Jets is one of the toughest jobs in sports. Joe Namath made it glamorous a half-century ago, but it has turned into a dead-end, career-killing job. After a promising start, Sanchez -- once dubbed Sanchize -- was released after the 2013 season and has been bouncing around ever since.

Now it's Darnold's turn in the hot seat. The fan base is ecstatic because the Factory of Sadness -- aka the Cleveland Browns -- passed on the best quarterback in the draft, but those giddy fans will soon turn into demanding customers, expecting greatness.

"I'm taking it head on," Darnold said of the team's star-crossed quarterback history. "I'm a pretty confident guy. I'm comfortable in my own skin. I'm going to go in there and do the things I do, what the coaches ask me to do and do it at the highest level. That's my plan."

Sanchez, 31, was putting his 17-month-old son to bed when he heard the news about Darnold and the Jets. He was thrilled for Darnold, a friend from the OC. Darnold is from the Pacific Coast town of San Clemente; Sanchez is up the road in Mission Viejo. Sanchez followed Darnold's career at USC, worked out with him a couple of times and attended his pro day. He knows Darnold's family.

"Any kid going to the NFL -- no matter where they play, but especially New York -- I impress upon them how different it is from college," Sanchez said. "It’s not just the speed of the game and the technical side, but it’s the emotional side for parents. It's the first time they’re going to see their child -- their little baby that they've cared for and nurtured all these years -- get booed. No matter where you play, especially in New York, it will happen at some point.

"I think the most important thing for him -- and this was big for me -- is to make sure football is your priority and working hard is your priority. There's nothing wrong with embracing the city and being part of the fabric that is New York, going to Broadway shows and using all those resources to connect with your teammates. You want to get those guys in a position where they're comfortable with you and they know you want to win."

And what about the Jets' so-called quarterback curse?

"Who cares?" Sanchez said. "That has nothing to do with him."

No former USC quarterback has ever played in a Super Bowl, so Darnold is trying to dispel two curses. The previous four ex-Trojans drafted in the first round -- Todd Marinovich, Carson Palmer, Matt Leinart and Sanchez -- were a combined 140-138-1 in the regular season and 5-6 in the playoffs. ESPN draft analyst Todd McShay said Leinart and Sanchez were "overrated [as prospects] because they had so much talent around them. ... With Darnold, it's different. I think you make a mistake if you just paint it with a broad brush, saying every USC quarterback is going to be a failure in the NFL."

Darnold won't succeed unless he can overcome his turnover issues, the same bugaboo that undermined Sanchez's pro career. Coach Todd Bowles downplayed Darnold's turnovers (he tied for the FBS lead with 22), saying they can be corrected. For his part, Darnold said he figured out his fumbling problem -- a tendency to hold the ball with only one hand in the pocket -- and has worked hard to eliminate what he called a "bad habit."

Sanchez believes Darnold has the physical skill and mental toughness to succeed.

"He's a natural leader," Sanchez said. "He's a different kind of leader. He's very stoic. Doesn't show too much emotion, which could bode well for the place he landed."

New York can be a killer. Sanchez knows better than most because he experienced extreme highs and lows. A starter from day one, he was surrounded by a talented cast, but still threw 20 interceptions as a rookie. The current Jets aren't nearly as talented as those Jets, so it could be a tough transition for Darnold.

"I loved playing right away, but you do go through some serious growing pains quickly," Sanchez said. "You have to learn a lot quickly."

Sanchez's time in New York didn't end well, but he loved the experience. Now it's up to Darnold to do what Sanchez and so many others before him couldn't -- deliver a championship.

"He's going to have the best time of his entire life, right now, these next few years," Sanchez said. "It's going to be so fun for him and so meaningful."