The Jaguars became the team to lure Urban Meyer to the NFL. Their situation — two first-round picks and a projected league-high in cap space — helped lead to the former national championship-winning head coach making the college-to-pro jump.
Meyer, 56, described the Jags’ draft capital and cap situation as “huge” in convincing him to try his hand in the NFL. He will be the sixth head coach in franchise history and second to come directly out of the college ranks, following Tom Coughlin in 1995.
“I think Shad [Khan] and the organization is positioned, and it’s not by accident,” Meyer said Friday. “Shad got very involved in the entire roster, etc. And I think it’s primed. l think it’s primed to put together a good team. People that know me, I’m not going to jump into a situation where I don’t believe we can win. I won’t do that. I think everything is here.”
Jacksonville defeated Indianapolis in Week 1 but lost 15 straight games to secure the No. 1 overall pick in April’s draft. The team’s roster has numerous holes, but quarterback will become the franchise’s chief priority. Trevor Lawrence has long expected to be the first name called in the 2021 draft. Meyer has been high on the Clemson superstar, but he also invoked Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields — whom Buckeyes HC successor Ryan Day coached — and BYU passer Zach Wilson when asked about the top pick.
While the Jaguars have employed a three-time Pro Bowl quarterback (Mark Brunell) and used three first-round picks on passers (Byron Leftwich, Blaine Gabbert, Blake Bortles), the franchise’s highest-profile signal-caller will almost certainly arrive in April. Meyer’s comments make it extremely unlikely the Jaguars will do anything else with the pick than select a passer.
“You see Trevor, you see Justin, you see Zach, this is going to be, as Shad said, this is a monumental moment for this franchise,” Meyer said. “… Who we pick at that quarterback spot, that’s going to be one of the most important decisions I’ve made in my lifetime, along with the partnership of our owner and our general manager. And the ones that are out there, my initial study, because I have been studying a lot, I like to use the term elite, I see some elite quarterbacks out there right now.”
Khan caused a few waves earlier this month when he said he will maintain control over the Jaguars’ 53-man roster, rather than ceding it to a GM. The owner attempted to push back on that, insisting Meyer will run the show. It appears Jacksonville’s to-be-determined GM will be answering to the new head coach.
“The issue of roster control is more technical or symbolic,” Khan said. “My whole aspect, and this started really about 15 months ago, is that we need to be a coach-centric team and organization, where the head coach has to lead the kinds of players he wants, the kind of team we need to be. And the general manager and myself, we have to support that vision.”
If Myers is truly impressed with all three, it would make sense to move down a spot or two and flip picks. He would be guaranteed one of them while picking up another pick or two.
If Urban is truly high on all three he could move down to two or three and get one of them. Would then add a pick or two extra.
Can’t pass up the next Andrew Luck
Was Luck really that great? Playing devils advocate, here. I’d hope he’d be better than luck.
elscorcho the marlin Luck was very good, he just got unlucky being drafted by a GM like Ryan Grigson who gave him very little protection on the O Line and let his body be battered. Without all the injuries, he probably never retires and is still a Top QB right now. Most teams would sign up for a healthy version of Luck at QB.
Yep.
Facts
That would be the dumbest move of all time.
Really? The dumbest? Dumber than, say, picking Ryan Leaf 1st overall?
Stupidest thing he could would be to pass on TL.
No way they will unless someone blows them up with a ridiculous offer. This 8s just draft theatre.
He won’t seriously consider any player other than Lawrence at 1. It’s an absolute lock he goes 1 and there’s no way Jacksonville trades the pick. No way.
Pretty much sums it up. Trevor Lawrence will bring a huge market to the Jacksonville Jaguars. That type of splash needs to be made for this franchise. The fan popularity of the franchise is smaller then Lawrenceville.
If Meyer trades out of 1 or stays at 1 and doesn’t get Lawrence. He should be fired on the spot.
He’s just being diplomatic about the other 2 quarterbacks. The pick is staying in Jacksonville.
Lawrence to Jax, Wilson to either NYJ or maybe Detroit/Carolina if Saleh and Lafleur want to roll with Darnold and trade back, Fields to his hometown Falcons at 4
I think Penei will be the best pick out of the Top-10 drafted. But they’ll pick dirtstache.
Why would any general manager candidate want the Jacksonville job? You basically become a puppet for Meyer and Khan in one of the least attractive markets. Who’s to say you don’t become the scapegoat if the Jaguars continue to flop?
Sign me up as long as that check cashes I’ll take all the blame
I agree with wagner13. It’s almost a carbon copy of the situation the Raiders had and we all saw how Reggie McKenzie got thrown under the bus by Davis and Gruden.
Reggie McKenzie was a hometown pick due to his history as a player and his tutelage under Ron Wolf in green Bay. He took the job with the full understanding that Mark Davis was enamored with Jon Gruden and wanted him back as HC. Reggie knew full well he was going to go if Jon came back.
In Reggie’s 7 years as GM he had 4 hits in the draft and multiple reaches and bust. He cleaned up a salary cap hell to only create a slightly more talented cap hell.
If Reggie McKenzie was thrown under the bus, its because he bought the bus and built the road.
No, McKenzie was not that bad. He had an awful situation to clean up when he came in, and at first I disliked him as a GM as an outside observer. But he managed to build a good team that went 12-4 and likely could have won a playoff game against the Texans had they had a healthy Derek Carr.
When Reggie was hired, Gruden was not part of the picture and Gruden did not enter the discussion until McKenzie’s final two seasons. Jack Del Rio and McKenzie turned the team around after the Dennis Allen disaster, and got dropped because Davis got an itch. Gruden and Mayock appear to be building a successful team, but let’s not pretend that McKenzie was fired for cause here.
Good Points. But it’s a big bump in pay for a guy that’s a Director right now or an Advisor in a state with no income tax and the potential to win BIG. Plus, Urban will let that GM have more say than you’d realize. It requires buying into Urban’s philosophy. A GM candidate that pretends to be on the same page to secure the job will be miserable then isolated and fired. It’s similar to what Jon Gruden has with Mayock in Vegas. Original intention on building a partnership (like what Seahawks have) but just like Seahawks GM John Snyder initially in the Carroll era, there’s no misconception that Urban Meyer is in charge.
So in other words, if you do all the work getting the best players I’ll coach for you
Lawrence is the clear and obvious pick. You don’t debate it. You don’t over think it. You don’t trade the pick if someone offers you an entire draft worth of picks. Lawrence isn’t just a starting QB talent, he’s a generational type of talent.
It’s smart to posture……what would the Jets or Dolphins offer to move up?
Think the top 4 of the draft is locked up.
1. Jags- Trevor Lawrence
2. Jets- DeVonta Smith
3. Dolphins- Penei Sewell
4. Falcons- Justin Fields
These are all no brainers.
Jags get the best player, best QB and future centre piece. Jets get the Heisman winning WR who is an elite WR. Dolphins get some great protection. Falcons get the future after Matt Ryan who will be an elite QB one day.
The top 4 prospects in order going in the top 4 picks
Jets aren’t taking Smith. They’d grab Sewell before taking Smith.
Why their line is decent and they took Becton last year. Smith is a beast, he’s going to be the next top 5 reviver like Hopkins, Jones, Brown etc. not to mention the Jets actually need to improve their receivers and him and Mims would be a great young duo
Smith isn’t going 2nd to the Jets. This is a bad mock draft and you disappointed my Saturday.
No way do the Jets draft a WR at #2 overall. If they trade down, maybe. But if they stay put, they will draft Sewell.
This is a deep WR draft. They can grab a talented WR in the second round. It’s definitely a position of need, but Sewell is a better pick.
I would not leave Devonta Smith out of the Jets #2 pick yet. Until we see some numbers and take some tests, he could very well go there. I truly believe Darnold will stay with the Jets this season. That being said, getting Sewell or trade down would be my 2 choices for the Jets right now.
Urban Meyer has his system and the GM that is going to be hired will be on board with that. I wouldn’t be shocked if Khan did not hire a GM.
Wonder if the Jags will inquire about Watson. They have the draft capital to get a deal done. Not sure if Watson would waive his no trade to go to Jags though.
I heard he was going to sign Tebow as his QB…
chris leak is going to challenge for the backup spot.
#1 for Watson. Trade their 2nd for the 32nd overall and take whoever you wanted in the 2nd for the 5th yr option. Use cap space to shore up the OL and sign a WR. Fill in defensive gaps thru the draft. It’s harder to hit on OL and WR in the draft. You can find DBs, LB, S, DT in rounds 2-4 easier imo.
Watson is a 5th year option, right? Would it make any sense for a team in complete rebuild to trade for a guy with one pure control year left, and then a very expensive one year, and them lose the guy before they return to .500?
I think Watson should be traded, but it would have to be to a team in a win-now mode. Miami just makes too much sense to do anything else.
I could see Denver or Dallas as wildcard options, but I highly doubt that Watson gets traded. I don’t see Miami doing that trade this year. Gailey resigned for a reason, I doubt that it was all his idea. They want a new OC for Tu’a, at least to give him a chance for one year. After all, they only missed the playoffs by one game and ended with a winning record.
That’s part of my reason for liking Watson for Miami. Tua might still be a good QB, but Watson is proven. I think Sewell would be an excellent pick, but Watson is more likely to put them over the top.
Deshaun Watson and the Houston Texans agreed to terms on a four-year, $156 million contract extension, with guaranteed salary at signing through 2022.
Thank you for this, but that still means Watson is gone before Jacksonville is a .500 team, imho. I don’t see them, or any other rebuilding team, to have an interest.
Given the political aspirations of Shahid Khan — Lot J Deal, expansion overseas, campaign funding, ETC… Also the lack of NFL experience thus far by the staff..
I could see Bruce Allen as a fit, as long as Dan Snyder would allow it.
Lawrence is the pick, surely, but Meyer is going to run a system that is doubt to maximize his talents. Meyer also will need some good WRs, because his system relies almost completely on his individual players to simply out-talent defenders and being open with being thrown open. It’s a pretty wide open offense. Thing is, in the NFL, you can’t really just outmuscle or out-talent other teams like that. While Lawrence is mobile, which is required in this system, he’s not a run first quarterback. I really wouldn’t want him taking big hits over and over. Lawrence will likely be successful no matter who coaches him, at least to a degree, but I just don’t get the feeling that he’ll be as good with Meyer as he would be with someone else. Just my feeling.
If Meyer doesn’t tailor his system to Lawrence, Meyer is wrong for the job. When you get a generational talent, as a HC you adjust to them. Any HC that works the other way doesn’t get it.
I agree-which is why I think that he’s wrong for the job.
That’s what made Shula a great coach. He was always a conservative coach, with some excellent RBs. As soon as they drafted Marino, Shula re-wrote the playbook.