2021 NFL mock draft: Justin Fields heads to Jaguars

It’s never too early to look ahead to what may happen in the 2021 NFL Draft – and this time around, it’s all about offense.

The Jaguars are the least-competitive team in the NFL having nearly completed its mission to completely reset its roster.

After trading superstar cornerback Jalen Ramsey, the team has since traded quarterback Nick Foles and worked diligently this offseason to trade star defensive end Yannick Ngakoue and running back Leonard Fournette. As soon as those moves are complete, either this year or during the next offseason, the team will officially be starting all the way over.

In the interim, they must figure out if second-year quarterback Gardner Minshew is the future of the position for their franchise. Let’s save the Jags the trouble – he’s not.

So when they’re first on the clock in the 2021 NFL Draft, they’ll be looking for their next face of the franchise. Fortunately, they’ll have options. They settle on Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields after he wins the Davey O’Brien award as the nation’s top quarterback, among other accolades.

Some may say that after only three seasons as a starter, it would be too early for the Jets to give up onSam Darnold. And, while we agree in general, there are several warning signs which suggest  the Jets need to start considering an alternative.

This time next year, the team will have to make a decision whether or not to pick up Darnold’s fifth-year option. Whether or not they decide to do it, drafting Trevor Lawrence here is an excellent decision.

Through two seasons thus far, the former No. 3 overall pick in the 2018 draft has been bad. Not only has he been unable to stay healthy (missing six games through two seasons), but he’s also 11-15 with a 36 touchdowns and 28 interceptions.

Could the team have done more to support their potential franchise quarterback? Of course – but it has not mattered what they’ve done, Darnold has failed to meet the challenge.