QB Trevor Lawrence poised to be Jaguars MVP candidate in 2021

The Jacksonville Jaguars have made several additions this offseason but quarterback Trevor Lawrence is arguably the most important one. Sure, head coach Urban Meyer will have a key role in the team’s rebuild but he won’t be able to pull it without the Clemson product. Lawrence is so talented that he’s the favorite to win the Offensive Rookie of the Year and even be the Jags’ most valuable player in 2021.

That’s right, Dan Hanzus of NFL Media recently drew up a list of potential MVP candidates for every AFC team and the former Tiger was the Jaguars’ pick. He says that Lawrence has had a solid offseason and notes that reports out of Jacksonville’s camp are “encouraging”. Hanzus acknowledges that the rookie quarterback will experience growing pains but he believes will put points on the scoreboard right away. Also, he thinks that Lawrence will benefit from having a talented group of skilled-positon at his disposal.

"Jacksonville will pair 2020 sleeper stud James Robinson with first-round pick Travis Etienne in the backfield and have — in D.J. Chark, Laviska Shenault Jr. and trusty newcomer Marvin Jones — a dynamic receiver group with high upside. The boy king will thrive."

Trevor Lawrence will have an immediate impact in Jacksonville.

Every now and team, NFL teams will hold the first overall draft pick in a year in which there is no consensus top prospect. That wasn’t the case in 2021. Lawrence was the best player in the selection meeting. Zach Wilson and Justin Fields are fine players and will most likely be difference-makers for their respective clubs. However, neither of them is as talented as the 2020 ACC Player of the Year.

Even Chris Simms of NBC Sports, who ranked Wilson ahead of Lawrence in his quarterback list, believes the latter is the safer pick. The Jaguars recognize they have a generational talent and are making sure he’s in a position to succeed right out of the gate. They made upgrades to most positional groups to make sure he doesn’t have to carry the team on his shoulders.

Moreover, the team’s brass hired offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell to oversee Lawrence’s development. Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson endorsed Bevell and credits him for helping him “get ready to perform at a high level” in his rookie campaign.

Lawrence suffered a hamstring injury that limited his participation during organized team activities, so the coaching staff took a cautionary approach and reduced his workload. Meyer is right, the Jags prefer to take it slow right now and avoid exposing him to further injury risk than losing the quarterback for the rest of the summer.

That’s doesn’t mean Trevor Lawrence is in the middle of a Netflix binge. He’s studying and doing off-field work. He said he wants to master the Jaguars’ playbook by training camp. Based on the drive he showed in college, he should have no trouble accomplishing his goal. The Jaguars are doing everything they can to make sure that happens. The offense will eventually run through him, and it wouldn’t be shocking to see him become the most valuable player in Jacksonville as early as this year.