The time to draft is near.
Save for the two quarterbacks competing in the upcoming CFP National Championship game, the 2021 NFL Draft is the next major stepping-stone for collegiate signal-callers.
Year after year, NFL teams draft quarterbacks with the expectation that they will turn a franchise around. The results can only be described as “mixed.”
Even in a year featuring one of the most highly-regarded college quarterbacks of all-time in Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence, expectations need to be tempered.
No matter who teams feature under center, there are hardly any quick fixes; especially when it comes to the bottom-feeding teams that “earn” high draft picks. The jump from college football to NFL is a notoriously large leap. Very few find success right off the bat.
Still, I must admit, I am rooting for Trevor Lawrence, in addition to other top prospects Justin Fields, Zach Wilson, Trey Lance, and Kyle Trask. It is more enjoyable to witness a young athlete’s success than to watch them use up all of their chances and wither to irrelevancy.
It seems every year however, that a particular narrative detrimental to a fan bases’ psyche seems to play out: “Big-name college quarterback can’t translate success to the professional ranks and falls out of favor with the coaching staff, management, and soon enough, the fans.”
Recently, the Jacksonville Jaguars secured the number one pick. Trevor Lawrence, the presumptive first pick, will be asked to lead their franchise out of the ruins from the first day he is drafted. This is a tall order for even the wiliest of veterans.
This all isn’t to say that Trevor Lawrence is overrated. Rather, the expectations of first-year quarterbacks are too lofty to begin with.
Take Sam Darnold, for example. Some said that he was NFL-ready after completing just one season with the USC Trojans. It seemed as though he had single-handedly turned the program back into a nationally relevant contender.
Now, three seasons later, the New York Jets are back at square one. Head coach, Adam Gase, was fired after the season concluded, and Darnold’s job security will also be discussed this offseason. Last Sunday, he turned in a two interception performance, along with a 76.3 passer rating.
I will veer away from directly speaking for New York Jets fans, but the writing is on the wall. The last three years have amounted to nothing. And like I mentioned earlier, Darnold has fallen out of favor with the franchise.
Some might argue that this instance was circumstantial, and given adequate coaching and a better-fitting scheme, Darnold could have been more successful. But those things don’t come on silver platters. Teams that get to draft these uber-talented prospects are at the bottom of the league for a reason. Whether it be coaching, lack of depth, or otherwise. And the next round of high-end prospects are almost ready to head to their new teams, most of which won’t offer much support.
Ironically, many draft boards currently project Justin Fields, the second highest rated quarterback, to take over for Sam Darnold after being drafted by them at second overall. There will be a new coach in place, and hopefully, for Fields’ sake, a new scheme that will adhere to his playing style. But still, Fields outlook won’t be much brighter than Darnolds’ was if major changes to the roster aren’t made. And thus, we risk losing another talent to unreasonably lofty expectations for rookies.
Like I said, I hope these prospects change the narrative and have success as early as possible. The football world would love to see them compete against each other for a third time (and many more times). However, football is a team sport, one player will likely not be enough to entirely change an NFL team’s trajectory. Assuming growing pains are in store for these young quarterbacks, Jaguars and Jets fans alike should consider mitigating their expectations.
Keeping our expectations/demands in check, while acknowledging how much pressure these young athletes will be facing day in and day out, will bode well for the players in the short and long term. It will also allow for the quarterbacks, no matter how transcending they may be, to develop at a normal pace. And before we know it, Lawrence and Fields could again be going toe-to-toe on the biggest stage.
