Jaguars must give gift basket to NY Jets for Trevor Lawrence in 2021 Draft

Near the end of the 2020  season, the New York Jets seemed like a lock to earn the first overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. But they ended up earning the No. 2 selection after beating the Los Angeles Rams and the Cleveland Browns in consecutive weeks while the Jacksonville Jaguars clinched the top pick, which they used on Trevor Lawrence. Looking back, this is one the NY Jets might have come to regret.

Hindsight is 20/20 but the Jets didn’t seem to mind getting the No. 2 pick, as they still ended up with one of the top quarterback prospects of the 2021 draft, BYU’s Zach Wilson. In fact, the Jags would’ve probably taken him if they hadn’t had the No. 1 pick. All things considered, it seems like they dodged a bullet.

Even though Trevor Lawrence hasn’t solidified his case as the Jaguars’ franchise quarterback, he’s steadily improved in Year 2 and has often flashed the talent that helped him earn the generational talent label coming out of college. Meanwhile, Wilson seems to have regressed in his sophomore campaign, completing 57.5 percent of his passes for 1,202 yards with four touchdowns and five interceptions.

The Jets are 6-4 in spite of Wilson this season and he had a big role in their 10-3 loss to the New England Patriots in Week 11. He went 9-of-22 for seven yards and New York’s offense ended up punting 10 ten times. Football is no doubt a team sport but quarterback is the position with the biggest impact and Wilson came crashing down against the Pats.

After the loss, he was asked if he felt he had let the defense down and his answer was simply no. However, those that watch the game seem to digress.

The Jaguars might be better set up for the future than the Jets

The Jets currently have the better record but there’s a good chance the Jaguars will have the last laugh. Lawrence is still developing but they seem to be set at quarterback for years to come. Meanwhile, New York will probably need to start looking for potential replacements for Wilson in free agency and the 2023 draft.

Maybe Wilson ends up turning the corner but he hasn’t shown enough to make the Jets’ brass believe he’s the long-term answer at quarterback. It is too early to give up on the former Cougar? Maybe but New York general manager Joe Douglas has put together a good team and they can’t afford to wait for Wilson.

With the exception of the 2021 class, the Jags haven’t been good at drafting in a while. That’s why they should feel fortunate that a prospect of Lawrence’s caliber fell into their lap and all they had to do was lose 15 straight games in 2020. Who says losing doesn’t pay off?