Jacksonville Jaguars draft QB Trevor Lawrence with No. 1 pick

The inevitable has happened, the Jacksonville Jaguars have selected quarterback Trevor Lawrence with the No. 1 overall pick. Lawrence has long been the most sought after college quarterback and probably would have gone No. 1 over Joe Burrow if he had been eligible for the draft last season. He will quickly become the Jaguars starter and will help the offense from Day 1.

Scouting Report

Lawrence helped Clemson to a National Championship his freshman season, as he played like a four-year senior early on in his college career. His ability to manage the pocket and distribute in the short to medium range is stellar, while his athleticism, despite being 6’6” allows him to evade the rush and pick up yards on the ground.

There are points to nitpick about his game, but they aren’t points that come up often enough to believe he has a true problem moving forward with any aspect of the quarterback position. And he should become more consistent as he develops further in the NFL. In the end, his size, athleticism, arm strength, and football I.Q. set him apart from the crowd. His upside is Peyton Manning, but even if he doesn’t hit those lofty heights, he seems destined for a long and productive NFL career.

2020 Statistics

Passing

334-of-231 completions for 69.2%, 3153 yards, 9.4 ypa, 24 TDs, 5 INTs, 169.2 Rating

Rushing

68 attempts, 203 yards, 3.0 ypc, 8 TDs

Fantasy football impact

Rookie

As with any rookie quarterback, there will be an adjustment period in the NFL. We did just see everything click perfectly for Justin Herbert last season, but his rookie year was in no way the norm. We can look at the best quarterbacks and see plenty of painful statistics in their first NFL campaign. The good news is that it is easier for quarterbacks in 2021 than it was for the great players of the not-so-far past.

Probably the best thing going for Lawrence in his rookie year will be his ability to run. At 6’6”, 225 pounds, he will make for a big and enticing target for any defensive lineman, but he isn’t going to be statue. This isn’t Brock Osweiler we’re talking about.

The Jaguars aren’t flush with elite talent, but they have a good crop of draft picks and will use those to add to a good group of young prospects on offense. If the team gives him rushing work around the goal-line, he will easily boost his fantasy stats with juicy rushing touchdowns.

Long-term

The term “generational talent” has been thrown around early and often for Lawrence and all expectations are that he’ll be one of the best in the league. There is no doubt that he will be given every chance in the world to prove himself, even if he has a disastrous rookie year. If you have doubts about him becoming an elite quarterback, his ability still lends itself to putting up fantasy points. With the longest leash possible and strong ability as a runner, he will likely be a great fantasy play throughout his career.