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5 NFL teams that should draft Lamar Jackson in 2018

By Rob Wolkenbrod

Nov 26, 2016; Louisville, KY, USA; Louisville Cardinals quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) looks to pass against the Kentucky Wildcats during the first quarter at Papa John
Nov 26, 2016; Louisville, KY, USA; Louisville Cardinals quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) looks to pass against the Kentucky Wildcats during the first quarter at Papa John /
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Which NFL teams may be the best fits for Lamar Jackson in the 2018 draft?

Lamar Jackson is arguably the favorite to win the 2016 Heisman Trophy. His dynamic play throughout the college football season has landed him with a great opportunity of winning this, including putting up over 5,000 total yards and 51 touchdowns. It didn’t quite lead Louisville to a College Football Playoff spot, but for the majority of the year, he looked like the best player on one of the nation’s best teams.

NFL teams have probably already started scouting the Cardinals quarterback. However, he cannot enter the draft until 2018 since he’s a sophomore. That means there’s one more year left to see how much further Jackson develops and if he’s worthy of a top pick.

There’s still about a year-and-a-half left of football to play before the 2018 NFL Draft, but it’s never too early to look at who Jackson could be selected by. Which franchises could be in play?

Nov 27, 2016; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; San Francisco 49ers head coach Chip Kelly walks the sideline during the second half against Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium. The Dolphins won 31-24. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 27, 2016; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; San Francisco 49ers head coach Chip Kelly walks the sideline during the second half against Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium. The Dolphins won 31-24. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports /

5. San Francisco 49ers

Remember when the 49ers traded Alex Smith so Colin Kaepernick could become their quarterback for years to come? That wasn’t even four years ago. Two coaching changes, declining play from Kaepernick and one horrible Blaine Gabbert experiment later, and it looks like the 49ers will have to address the quarterback position.

Given all the talent that San Francisco lost as well, they’ll probably continue into the 2017 season as a below-average team. This is especially if they decide to bring back Kaepernick as their quarterback. If they sign him or someone else to simply stabilize the position for a year or two, then Lamar Jackson could be an option for the 49ers brass in 2018.

Jackson would bring similar elements to the 49ers that Kaepernick brought. As of his sophomore season, he’s not the most polished passer and relies on his legs more than anything to get the offense going. However, the explosiveness of the potential Heisman Trophy winner resembles a player greater than Kaepernick. He could be the more dynamic of the two and breathe some much-needed life into the 49ers offense.

However, it would be difficult to think that the 49ers are going to pass up a quarterback in the 2017 draft. DeShone Kizer, Mitch Trubisky, Deshaun Watson, Brad Kaaya, and Mason Rudolph make up a deep signal caller class. Kizer, Trubisky, and Watson all have the potential to be top 10 picks too. So, if SF decides to choose one of them, then they would probably be out of the Lamar Jackson sweepstakes.

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