Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence makes illustrious list of young NFL players

The Jacksonville Jaguars haven’t made many top lists in recent years and rightfully so. After all, they’ve won a combined 15 games over the last four years, so it’s hard to justify their inclusion among the cream of the crop in the NFL. On the bright side, things could take a positive turn in the upcoming years due to the presence of Trevor Lawrence, a promising young talent.

Trevor Sikkema of Pro Football Focus recently drew up a list of the top players under 25 and Lawrence appeared at No. 21. Sikkema acknowledges that the former Clemson Tiger’s rookie campaign wasn’t what was expected from the top pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. However, he points out that he wasn’t in a position to succeed and should make a huge leap under head coach Doug Pederson.

"Lawrence’s rookie season wasn’t the triumphant year many were hoping for from the No. 1 overall pick, with him tallying 3,600 passing yards, 12 touchdowns, and 17 interceptions. But let’s be real, there’s no chance it was going to be under Urban Meyer and the circus that was the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2021. Among the chaos, Lawrence still showed flashes of that special quarterback ability while navigating the typical NFL learning curve. With Doug Pederson now as his head coach, we’re expecting a huge leap from Lawrence in Year 2."

It’s rare to see any Jaguar make any top list, so it’s refreshing to see Lawrence for once make the cut. No other quarterback from the 2021 draft class made an appearance but tight end Kyle Pitts, offensive tackle Rayshawn Slater, and linebacker Micah Parsons did pop up.

The Jaguars spent the offseason helping Trevor Lawrence.

The Jaguars hadn’t had a quarterback of Lawrence’s caliber but he alone won’t be able to turn the franchise around. As a rookie, he didn’t really get support from the organization and the results were evident in the win/loss column. Fortunately, the Jags reversed course in the offseason and have made changes to both the coaching staff and the roster.

In addition to hiring Doug Pederson to oversee his development, the Jaguars have spent the offseason building around Lawrence, and his supporting cast should be significantly better than the one he had last year. Back in free agency, the team’s brass signed wide receivers Christian Kirk and Zay Jones. They also inked right guard Brandon Scherff and tight end Evan Engram. Not only that, but the defense also got a makeover and should also be better than its 2021 counterpart.

Lawrence showed flashes as a rookie but they were few and far between. Now that he’s in a more stable situation, he will show why he was drafted first overall last year. Also, there’s a chance that he will become one of the most exciting young quarterbacks in the NFL.