Urban Meyer and general manager Trent Baalke made the Jaguars' most pivotal draft selection in their history official on Thursday night.
At last, they got their franchise quarterback in Trevor Lawrence, a generational talent, with the first overall pick in the NFL Draft. Since the Jaguars clinched the No. 1 pick in December after finishing with the worst record in the league at 1-15, there was no doubt that Lawrence would be their choice.
Lawrence, who went 34-2 in three years as a starter at Clemson, is widely considered the best quarterback prospect since Andrew Luck was taken No. 1 overall by the Indianapolis Colts in 2012.
Lawrence wasn't in attendance for the 2021 NFL Draft in Cleveland but instead watched the draft on television in South Carolina with family and friends.
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The hope for Meyer is to put more talent around Lawrence. Overall, the Jaguars have 10 draft picks, including two in the first round, and five among the top 65 selections in the three-day draft that resumes on Friday.
''It's a special day and we're going to enjoy it,'' Lawrence said Thursday night in a televised interview with ESPN before the start of the draft. ''I'm confident in my work ethic and what I've done to get to this point and what I'm going to continue to do. That's not going to change. I think actions are always more important than words.''
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In a draft highlighted by a strong quarterback class that included BYU's Zach Wilson, Ohio State's Justin Fields, North Dakota State's Trey Lance, and Alabama's Mac Jones, a Jacksonville native, the Jaguars are betting on Lawrence.
He is expected to step in and start immediately for Meyer, who came out of a two-year retirement for a chance to coach a tremendous talent like Lawrence.
There's hope from Jaguars owner Shad Khan to their enthusiastic fan base, which suffered through nine losing seasons in 10 years, that Lawrence will finally stabilize the quarterback position that's been problematic for a decade.
The Jaguars had about 6,000 fans attend their draft party Thursday night at TIAA Bank Field and they appeared jubilant more than two hours before Lawrence was selected.
By all means, the Jaguars were desperate for a big-time franchise quarterback. In their past, they turned backups into starters - like Blaine Gabbert and Blake Bortles - that didn't work out. They hit the free agency market in 2019, signing former Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles to a four, $88 million contract, but he played only four games before the plug was pulled with a trade to Chicago.
There was Minshew Magic in 2019, but it became clear last season after going 1-7 that Gardner Minshew was not the long-term answer. Last season, former head coach Doug Marrone made a change at quarterback five times last season.
The Jaguars, though, are now a franchise that doesn't look back. They see a bright future ahead after ushering in a new era with the selection of Lawrence.
He is the complete package, with great size at 6-foot-6 and the ability to make all the throws. He's a pocket passer but also mobile enough to outrun linebackers.
Lawrence, who led Clemson to a national championship as a freshman, passed for 10,098 yards and 90 touchdowns in three seasons with the Tigers. He finished second in the Heisman Trophy last season to Alabama wide receiver DeVonta Smith.
Lawrence has been in the spotlight since he was a 14-year-old freshman who beat out a senior for the starting quarterback job at Carterville (Ga.) High School. Used to being prominently in the spotlight, Lawrence has heard since the ninth grade that he would become a No. 1 overall pick in the NFL.
Socially distanced fans on the field and in the stands as head coach Urban Meyer addresses the fans ahead of the start of the NFL Draft Thursday, April 29, 2021. The Jacksonville Jaguars held a draft night party at TIAA Bank Field in anticipation of taking former Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence with the first pick of the first round of the NFL draft overseen by the Jaguars' new head coach Urban Meyer. [Bob Self/Florida Times-Union]
A four-year starter at Cartersville High School, he went 52-2, and led his team to two state titles and four regional appearances to become a five-star recruit before signing with Clemson.
Now, Lawrence, 21, appears to be destined for rock star status in Jacksonville, especially if he lives up to expectations and helps turn the Jaguars into a consistent playoff-contending team.
Expected to arrive in Jacksonville on Friday for his introductory news conference, Lawrence's next order of business is getting fully recovered from surgery in February for a torn labrum in his left (non-throwing) shoulder.
He has done a significant portion of his rehab work in California with respected quarterbacks coach Jordan Palmer, the younger brother of former NFL quarterback Carson Palmer.
