Trevor Lawrence will be far from an NFL bust.
Heading into the 2021 NFL draft, everyone has an opinion on Trevor Lawrence. The majority of people believe he is the best NFL prospect in this draft while a few outliers think he will fine but isn’t the best available quarterback.
That last opinion isn’t shared by many people, but there are a few. NFL front offices use a specific set of characteristics that make for great professional quarterbacks when drafting the guy that they hope will lead their franchise for the next decade or so.
Sure, there are examples of guys taken late that blossomed and guys that were taken early who were busts, but the fact remains those guys are exceptions to the rule, not the standard.
If you have watched Trevor over the last seven years, you understand why NFL general managers and coaches have wanted to draft this kid for years.
Why do some still not believe in Trevor Lawrence?
Going back to his freshman season and the 2019 NFL Draft, he would have been the first quarterback taken, an opinion shared across the league. However, this opinion is not shared by NFL writer and Crissy Froyd who enjoys interviewing quarterbacks, according to her Twitter bio. Ms. Froyd writes about the NFL for sites such as Pro Football Network and The Draft Network.
She believes that BYU quarterback Zach Wilson is the best prospect in this 2021 NFL draft.
When asked for her reasoning, Froyd stated “I think Zach is more talented and successful in the long-term than Trevor.”
Except that isn’t a reason, that is an opinion. A reason would have been something like “after watching their 2020 seasons, Wilson showed me X, Y, and Z while Trevor Lawrence did not”.
Something to that effect would have provided us an understanding of how she arrived at this conclusion, given it is the polar opposite of what most people believe.
Fact is, Trevor Lawrence is the best pro quarterback prospect since Andrew Luck because he has every intangible that NFL executives and coaches look for in a quarterback. Here are just a few characteristics that make Trevor Lawrence the best prospect in this draft. Yes, he does all of this better than any other quarterback prospect in this class.
- Better arm strength and touch
- Throws receivers open
- Understands how to study his opponents
- Leader
- Champion
- Stays calm under pressure
- Better athleticism
- Is able to read a defense
- Works through his reads quickly
When you are paid to provide an opinion in sports, you know that not everyone is going to agree and some will believe you are giving nothing but a hot take. In this case, it is hard to think otherwise given there was no actual reason stating why Wilson will be better than Lawrence.
Like many drafts debates prior to 2021, only time will tell who ends up on top. After watching Trevor Lawrence the last three seasons, my money is on Trevor Lawrence.