Why Justin Fields Actually Deserves to Be 2021 No. 1 Pick Over Trevor Lawrence
By Jerry Trotta
With the 2020 NFL Draft officially in the books, folks have started looking ahead to next year's festivities, and understandably so. Unlike this time around, there figures to be a genuine competition for No. 1 pick honors.
The consensus understanding is that it will come down to Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence and Ohio State signal caller Justin Fields.
Following the 2019 season, it's easy to see why Lawrence is a peg ahead of Fields in the initial rankings, but we see it the other way around: the Buckeyes star actually deserves to hear his name called before the Clemson sensation.
Trevor Lawrence lit the college world on fire in 2018 and then played like a rec league flag football quarterback in 2019 while Justin Fields flourished. To say Lawrence stunk is an understatement. Now his path to the #1 overall pick is much less clear:
— Seth Galina (@pff_seth) April 28, 2020
https://t.co/Xbgqup3IbU
The first reason comes down to the fact that Fields put up better numbers than Lawrence last season despite playing in the Big Ten, which features some of college football's best defenses. In 2019, it was widely regarded as the sport's best conference. Clemson, of course, is a member of the ACC, which was a complete disaster last year. As good as Lawrence's numbers were, we didn't see enough progression from him in a sleepy Year 2 -- meanwhile, Fields' first season in the Big Ten was immaculate.
Fields had a better completion percentage, more yards per attempt, more total touchdowns and fewer interceptions in a FAR better conference. Clemson diehards can't hide from those stats, and they prove that Lawrence's decision-making is a step below that of the Buckeyes stud.
There's no denying that Lawrence flaunts the stronger arm. Saying otherwise would be a farce. However, Fields' hose is also criminally underrated. With Ohio State, he showed that it can carry him when he can't get into open field with his legs, where he's absolutely lethal. In terms of athleticism, this really isn't a contest. Fields' mobility and shiftiness are NFL-ready, whereas Lawrence is more of a downhill runner.
Justin Fields shows the arm talent, mobility, and decision-making to go first overall in 2021, but we collectively anointed Trevor Lawrence a long time ago and many don’t seem to be willing to acknowledge that possibility yet.
— Bryce Rossler (@btrossler) April 27, 2020
Here’s why we should be:https://t.co/SOmi0l9lvM
If Fields puts together a campaign similar to that of 2019, he should be tabbed the prohibitive favorite to be the No. 1 pick in next year's draft. Hopefully it doesn't take another superhuman season for people to hop on board.