In Lawrence We Trust?
And with the Number 1 Pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, the Jacksonville Jaguars select... Trevor Lawrence from the University of Clemson! Clap, clap, clap, and high fives everywhere… Including the Front Offices of their AFC South rivalries. And no, I am not saying that as a fan of the Tennessee Titans (2020 AFC South Champs) but a student of the game of football. Is Lawrence a good QB? Yes, 110 % but is he the next Peyton Manning? Maybe, but does Lawrence bring the Jags a playoff appearance in the next 5 years by his lonesome? Or does the drafting of TL just guarantee another top 10 draft pick next year. Franchise Quarterbacks come once every 5 years but having a chance to flip the #1 pick in the NFL is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Coach Meyers and Mr. Khan, you are on the clock. So, what is next for Jags Nation?
Who is Next?
With the world thinking you will fail, what do you do? Coach Meyers and staff hold all the cards to not just this draft but drafts for the next 2 to 3 years. Do you trade the rights to the #1 pick and possibly the best college QB prospect the game has ever seen, or do you pick the dazzling stud and pray he develops into the 2nd coming of Peyton Manning. See, that’s the problem the Jags see so much when it comes to the options or decision the front office must make! In the past they have taken the red pill: Justin Blackmon, R. Jay Soward, Derrick Harvey and Blaine Gabbert. Can’t miss talent, that could not be passed up on. Guys that were thought to be locks for Pro Bowls and center pieces for title runs. Am I saying picking Trevor Lawrence #1 will produce the same results…. No, not whatsoever.
What is Next?
The worry is not with the player but with the development of that player. What happens if Ryan Leaf went #1 in that 1998 draft and Manning went #2? Is Leaf still thought to be the biggest bust in draft history? And is Manning still one of the greatest of all time? Unknown factors go into developing talent and developing a team. The Jags have not been able to figure that out lately and you can not blame that solely on the players. You can’t label them uncoachable or “bad apples”, without taking a deeper look into the development process they were drafted into. So now, WHAT IS NEXT? Will this new staff finally piece together the perfect puzzle and break the curse? Or will history repeat itself? Only time will tell, but we will all be here watching and waiting to see what is next…