Midseason AFC South quarterback rankings: Jaguars and Trevor Lawrence lead the pack

Midseason AFC South Ranking QB No. 1: Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jacksonville Jaguars are tied with the Kansas City Chiefs for the best record in the NFL right now. While they were certainly expected to pick off where they left off last year, you will be hard-pressed to find an analyst — besides Colin Cowherd and Nick Wright — who legitimately thought the Jags would be at the top of the standing at the midpoint of the season.

Having lots of talent at depth across the roster has certainly helped. However, Trevor Lawrence has been the Jaguars' most valuable player in 2023. Outside linebacker Josh Allen most definitely has a strong case for the distinction but he doesn't have nearly as much impact as Lawrence, who touches the ball on every offensive play.

Lawrence has mostly made good decisions and spread the ball. This is why you won't see any of their receivers in the top 10 at the position. Then again, Evan Engram has been among the most productive tight ends in the league this season. Engram certainly deserves credit for putting in the work to enjoy a career surge in Jacksonville but he might not have been able to get there if Lawrence weren't his quarterback.

In eight starts, Lawrence has completed 68.3 percent of his passes for nine touchdowns and four interceptions. While those numbers won't pop off of the statsheet, they've been good enough to help the Jags ride a five-game winning streak and post their best record to start the season since 1999. Moreover, he's shown toughness by playing the last two games through a knee injury. What else could you ask from a quarterback?

But as good as the Jacksonville Jaguars and Trevor Lawrence have been in 2023, they still have room for improvement. They've routinely left points on the field and missed opportunities throughout the year. The good news is that they're entering their BYE and they'll have a chance to work on and fix those issues they've encounter. Don't be surprised if they get much better in the second half of the season.

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