No surprise here. With the No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, the Jaguars selected Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence.
Typically, teams like to manufacture some mystery with the top overall pick. That wasn’t the case here. New head coach Urban Meyer openly professed his love for Lawrence months ago, all but cementing his arrival in Jacksonville. Meyer said in March:
“I’d have to say that’s the direction we’re going. I’ll leave that up to the owner when we make that decision official. But I’m certainly not stepping out of line that that’s certainly the direction we’re headed. Trevor checks all the boxes, you know?”
“The number one common quality of every great player, not just quarterback, is competitive maniac. He’s 34-2. Won a national title as a true freshman. Is a winner. I’ve seen him up close and in person compete. And then character. I see him and I witness with my players, when the guys get drafted high, a lot of people get . . . They have influences in their live. Like, whether it be social media, whether it be other things that really don’t pertain to winning.”
Lawrence was predictably brilliant at his pro day, leaving no doubt for Meyer, offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell, passing-game coordinator Brian Schottenheimer and the rest of the Jaguars’ contingent.
In his final season at Clemson, Lawrence threw for 3,153 yards with 24 touchdowns and five interceptions. And, with 69.2% of his passes completed, he finished as the runner-up for the Heisman Trophy, despite losing time to injury.
More must-reads: