The Sam Darnold era hasn’t exactly gone as planned for the New York Jets so far, but would they pull the plug next offseason if given the chance to land Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence?
That’s what happens in the latest 2021 NFL mock draft from CBS Sports, which has the Jets landing Lawrence with the No. 2 overall pick.
It’s hard to imagine a team not trading up for Lawrence at No. 1, should that pick go to a team that wouldn’t spend it on a new quarterback. But if Lawrence does happen to go later than the top spot, any team would be silly not to consider whether or not he would be worth starting over at the game’s most important position.
Even a team like the Jets, who spent the No. 3 pick on Darnold just a few short years ago, would be wise to consider moving on if it meant getting Lawrence. Darnold hasn’t been the sole cause of the Jets’ woes since he joined the team, but Lawrence certainly provides more upside.
That’s not the only surprise pick at quarterback in this projection, as CBS Sports also has the Cleveland Browns admitting defeat on the Baker Mayfield pick at No. 1 overall back in 2018 by spending the No. 12 pick in next year’s draft on North Dakota State’s Trey Lance.
The only other quarterback to land in this first-round mock is Ohio State’s Justin Fields, who heads to the Carolina Panthers at No. 6 overall as the understudy to veteran Teddy Bridgewater.
To check out the full mock draft at CBS Sports, click here.
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