Are the Jacksonville Jaguars destined to draft a QB in 2021?

Will the fortunes or misfortunes of the Jacksonville Jaguars force them to rethink their NFL Draft strategy in 2021?

Gardner Minshew has been given the keys to the Jacksonville Jaguars offense,  rumors continue to swirl that the team may be interested in bringing in former Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton, and now, the organization is expected to be the one who brings in Trevor Lawrence or another quarterback next season through the 2021 NFL Draft.

It just seems like this franchise is stuck in neutral with no way of moving forward. While the front office did some major heavy lifting this offseason to reconstruct the roster, the national media still sees the Jaguars as a team that will once again reside at the top of the NFL Draft next season.

A story on ESPN.com by David Hale and Kevin Seifert talks about the potential quarterbacks who could be at the head of the 2021 NFL Draft class. And with the first pick, you guessed it. The Jacksonville Jaguars, a team that hasn’t completed the 2020 season, is already on the clock.

It figures.

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"“Minshew was a revelation as a rookie, but there is a big difference between delivering a bright spot during a lost season and establishing long-term bona fides,” they write. “The Jaguars will no doubt be tempted to capitalize on the financial advantages of his rookie contract. But if they’re near the top of the 2021 draft, they might also be tempted to pursue another quarterback altogether.”"

Minshew has fought through obstacles during his college career that evidently will carry over beyond his rookie season in the NFL. For a quarterback who threw for over 3,200 yards with 21 touchdowns and six interceptions last season, proving he was a better solution than Nick Foles, he still has an uphill climb as far as the national media is concerned.

Add the recent news of Dalton’s departure from Cincinnati and there are daggers being thrown from every angle. It is Lawrence who has become the “Chosen One” to lift the Jacksonville Jaguars from the ashes of the NFL abyss.

Lawrence has been a name the NFL scouts have been talking about since his freshman season at Clemson when he looked ready to take his game to the next level. There is a general feeling that if he continues to refine his skills in the ACC he will be another quarterback taken with the first pick in the Draft.

"“There’s a short list of truly can’t-miss QB prospects over the years, and Lawrence stacks up nicely with the John Elways and Andrew Lucks of the world,” the story continues. “His combination of size (6-foot-6), athleticism, accuracy and intelligence make him a near lock for success at the next level, and he has continued to refine his skill set despite immense early success.”"

Oh, and he has already tossed 66 touchdowns in two seasons at Clemson. There are others to consider like Justin Fields of Ohio State, who may leapfrog Lawrence with just the right season to sway a few voters over who should be the consensus No. 1 pick next April.

I still find it hard to look at the team this season, meaning what the Jaguars have added and subtracted and already anoint them with the first pick in the Draft. There are still 17 weeks of football to play out. It may look bleak, but nothing has been done yet. Minshew could just as easily dazzle the non-believers once again as he could fall from grace.

In the meantime, the Jacksonville Jaguars will walk into the 2020 season knowing they have already been given the green light to fail because Lawrence is expected to be their savior after this season.