Nothing changes, New York Jets must still take a quarterback at No. 2
Even if Trevor Lawrence is out of reach, the New York Jets must make quarterback a priority in the 2021 NFL Draft.
The New York Jets came away with an improbable 23-20 victory over the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday, their first win of the 2020 season. It had to feel good to finally get a win, but that victory could end up hurting the Jets in the long term. The Jacksonville Jaguars are now in a position to land the first overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. This means that unless the Jags unexpectedly lose one of their last two games, no Trevor Lawrence for the New York Jets.
In reality, this changes nothing for the Jets. They are still going to be in a position to land a true franchise quarterback with the second overall pick. I understand the appeal of perhaps trading down and picking up a ton of extra draft capital or using their picks to surround Sam Darnold with talent instead of taking a new quarterback. However, Darnold simply has not proved enough for the Jets to feel good about him going forward. Starting fresh with a new quarterback is the best plan of attack.
Who they decide to bring in as their new franchise quarterback remains to be seen. Ohio State’s Justin Fields has been the leader in the clubhouse to be the second overall pick for a while now. Fields is a dynamic athlete at the quarterback position who also shows fantastic natural arm talent.
Fields is undoubtedly a fantastic quarterback prospect but he has struggled a bit down the stretch and it could have a negative impact on his 2021 NFL Draft stock. Fields should still be considered the second-best quarterback prospect in this class, but the gap between him and guys like Zach Wilson and Trey Lance has closed. The New York Jets may look at Wilson or Lance as a better fit for their team and they would not be crazy for making that decision.
Jets' 7-round 2021 NFL mock draft. dark. Next
Sam Darnold has had his chance to shine with the Jets and has consistently disappointed. The Jets do not know when they will be in a position like this to find a real franchise quarterback again. They must capitalize on this opportunity and make that early quarterback selection no matter where they end up picking. Obviously, getting Lawrence is the best-case scenario, but the other top quarterbacks in this class are also worth the investment.