Even though Trevor Lawrence had shown the capability to play at a top-10 level in prior years, there were doubts about his future with the Jacksonville Jaguars to start the 2025 season. The fact that he got off to an inconsistent start only increased the noise. But once the former Clemson Tiger hit his stride, he left no doubt that he's their long-term answer behind center.
The Jaguars' strong end to the season coincided with Lawrence's surge. Although they ended up coming up short in the playoff loss to the Buffalo Bills, he showed that he can put the team on his shoulders. To nobody's surprise, his improvement was reflected in a recent quarterback ranking.
Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence popped up in the top 10 of an NFL Power Ranking
Nick Shook of NFL Media ranked all starting quarterbacks in the league after the 2025 season and placed Trevor Lawrence at No. 7, noting that the fifth-year passer played the best football of his career to finish the year.
"Trevor Lawrence finished 2025 by playing the best football of his career, freely flinging the football all over the field with great success," Shook wrote. "He's throwing it better than ever, but what truly elevated his game to the next level is his mobility."
Shook continued, "Lawrence is a legitimate threat as a play-extending passer and as a scrambler, setting career-high marks in rushing yards (359) and rushing touchdowns (nine), adding another element to a Jacksonville offense that is proving to be increasingly difficult to stop."
Lawrence looked hesitant early in the season and didn't always make good decisions. It didn't help that his receivers were dropping passes at an alarming rate. However, he showed notable improvement once head coach Liam Coen told him to cut it loose. The trade for Jakobi Meyer was also huge, as the 2021 first overall pick now had the sure-handed target he was missing.
When you add it all up, Lawrence played at an MVP level to end the year, completing 63.6 percent of his throws for 1,371 yards with 13 touchdowns and just one interception. His uptick in production earned him the AFC Offensive Player of the Month in December.
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The Jaguars will get even better production from Trevor Lawrence in 2026
As impressive as Lawrence looked to end the season, he should be even better in 2026. This will be his second season in Liam Coen's system. Once he had a firmer grasp of the offense (the most complex of his career), he looked more confident. It's also worth noting that the Knoxville, Tennessee native was recovering from shoulder surgery last offseason. He's fully healthy now, so he doesn't have to worry about rehabbing and can instead turn his attention to honing his craft.
Moreover, Lawrence will have the same supporting cast, minus Dyami Brown (probably). His rapport with Jakobi Meyers should be even better with an offseason to work on their connection. Brian Thomas Jr., Travis Hunter, and Parker Washington are also back, so No. 16 can sharpen his connect.
Simply put, Lawrence will have no trouble picking up where he left off in 2025. The Jaguars will have to deal with several challenges in the offseason (most of them salary-cap related), but their quarterback isn't one of them. If anything, they may need to rely on him even more if the roster undergoes significant changes.
The good news is that Trevor Lawrence proved that he'll be up to the task.