Jacksonville Jaguars officially clinch No. 1 pick in 2021 NFL Draft
The Jacksonville Jaguars are officially on the clock in the 2021 NFL Draft.
After losing to the Chicago Bears, the Jacksonville Jaguars turned their attention to East Rutherford for score updates on the Browns and the Jets. To the delight of everyone representing DUVAL, the New York Jets performed like they were expected to do and blow an opportunity. With New York pulling off the upset against Cleveland, it is officially time to celebrate in the Jaguars front office.
Regardless of what happens in Week 17, the Jacksonville Jaguars will have the #1 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft and will likely take Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence to be the savior of their franchise. Even when they lost, the Jaguars won and this prize has to be their greatest moment outside of the success they endured in their early years of expansion.
As for the Jets, Jacksonville will likely be sending a thank you card. Now, with the Colts expected to come in during Week 17 and fight for their playoff lives, Jacksonville has the flexibility to play the role of a spoiler or pack it in and protect their better players for the next season and future seasons.
The Jacksonville Jaguars can celebrate knowing that help is on the way
Throughout this season, the Jaguars showed that they have a number of players that can contribute to long-term success, notably running back James Robinson who ran for over 1,000 yards after being signed as an undrafted free agent. Additionally, wide receivers Laviska Shenault Jr and DJ Chark Jr are players who can make a difference provided they get a quarterback of competence i.e. Lawrence.
What does need addressing is the trenches. No quarterback can function on his back. Lawrence’s skills were proven to be at their best when his supporting cast played at a high level. He did not win all the games he won at Clemson without others to elevate his game. Additionally, in the loss to Notre Dame, the Tigers showed that without their signal-caller, they struggled. In other words, Trevor Lawrence is worth tanking for.
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The Jaguars needed a franchise quarterback. They had moments with Mark Brunnell guiding them to an AFC title game and surprisingly, another run to a conference title game under a strong defense and Blake Bortles. That was the past, and this is the future. Namely, the future lies with Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who can already pack his bags for Jacksonville.