Jaguars draft: Trevor Lawrence’s approach to football deserves praise

The Jacksonville Jaguars have been looking for a franchise quarterback for a while and their search may end in the 2021 NFL Draft, when they take Trevor Lawrence with the first overall pick, but is he really the building block that the franchise needs? A recent article on the Clemson standout revealed why he is the right man to lead the Jags for the foreseeable future.

Michael Rosenberg of Sports Illustrated recently sat with Lawrence and the quarterback talked about how he sees football. He says that he wants to be the best version of himself and wants to maximize his potential.

"I want to do it because I want to be the best I can be. I want to maximize my potential. Who wouldn’t want to? You kind of waste it if you don’t."

In a display of self-awareness, he also mentioned that he doesn’t have anything to prove the way other quarterbacks do, “I don’t have this huge chip on my shoulder, that everyone’s out to get me and I’m trying to prove everybody wrong”.  He adds that he can’t manufacture that nor he’s interested in doing it.

Trevor Lawrence knows who he is and what he wants.

When you think of the best NFL players, what comes to your mind? Someone who is practicing 24/7? How about someone whose diet is gluten-free and prefers to spend time at the team facility rather than at home with his family? That approach may benefit some but the truth is that everybody is different and what works for you might not work for others.

Lawrence has won everywhere he’s been, so he’s right when he says he doesn’t have anything to prove. While winning a Super Bowl ring would be great and is a goal to strive for, he’s aware there’s more to life than just football. He knows that will be his job and will have a professional approach to it, but he doesn’t want it to define him as that’s just one part of his life.

This doesn’t mean Lawrence will slack. He’s simply wired differently and there’s nothing wrong with that as John Shipley of Jaguar Report points out. If anything the Tennessee native should get more praise because it’s hard to find a 21-year old as mature and as focused as him. He knows what he wants in life and has his priorities straight.

Should this concern the Jacksonville Jaguars?

Not really. In fact, Jaguars head coach Urban Meyer has said Lawrence has the five traits every great quarterback possesses, leadership skills, ability to adapt, competitive spirit, intelligence, and toughness. They won’t get a gym rat nor someone who lives and breaths football but they won’t get someone who is careless either.

Lawrence recently got married and nobody batted an eye. He can do as he pleases with his free time. On the other hand, the Jags already gave him a playbook, and he’s already studying him, so it’s clear he can balance his life on and off the field.

When the game is on the line, who would you rather have? Someone who is mentally mature to handle the situation or someone who feels the pressure of the moment? Nobody is saying Lawrence doesn’t or won’t feel stress on the football field. He probably does but is equipped to cope with it.

Also, if the Jaguars’ brass weren’t comfortable with Lawrence, we would be talking about Justin Field or Zach Wilson as options with the first overall pick. Instead, this Jacksonville team already knows who their selection will be. That’s how comfortable they feel about Lawrence.