The 2020 NFL draft is going to tell us a lot about Trevor Lawrence and Justin Fields

It could be all about the class of 2021.

As it is at every NFL draft, the quarterbacks will be the focus.

But this year, the focus should be on next year’s batch, not on Joe Burrow, Tua Tagovailoa, Justin Herbert and Jordan Love, a group of QBs that appear to be good but not totally elite.

It’s on the 2021 class. And that group could include two league-changing prospects: Trevor Lawrence — who already won a national title with Clemson and played in a second championship game earlier this year — and Justin Fields, who threw 41 touchdown passes for the Buckeyes last season and ran for 10 more.

They could end up going No. 1 and 2 next year if they declare. But we could see some moves made NOW to set up for that possibility next year.

What if a team like the Miami Dolphins decide they can Tank for Trevor (Lose for Lawrence?) or FUBAR for Fields? If they trade down — not up, we hope, for an offensive tackle in an OT-rich class — that may be a sign they’re jumping in for 2021.

I’ve seen some experts giving the Jacksonville Jaguars a QB in mock drafts, and I’m not buying it. The Jags are in rebuild mode after trading away Nick Foles, Jalen Ramsey, A.J. Bouye, Calais Campbell and Dante Fowler Jr., and they will end up either trading or cutting the disgruntled Yannick Ngakoue and/or running back Leonard Fournette. They have so many picks, and if they stink this year, the reward could be one of the future stars at quarterback.

Thomas J. Russo-USA TODAY Sports

You have to wonder if Bill Belichick is thinking about this very scenario after Tom Brady left for Tampa. I don’t think the Patriots will be bad enough to be in the running, but you just never know. The same goes for the Las Vegas Raiders — I imagine Jon Gruden and Matt Mayock have had that discussion about whether to take a QB this year or roll the dice with Derek Carr and Marcus Mariota for one more year.

Watch for teams who trade their picks and acquire first-rounders in 2021. That could end up being the kind of capital used to trade up if a team that already has a starting quarterback ends up with a top-two pick.

The reward? A quarterback that my colleague Steven Ruiz called the “best NFL prospect ever”, and that was BEFORE last season.

Or you get the chance to draft a QB in Fields who makes plays like this:

So read the tea leaves on Thursday night — you may see signs of teams punting on this draft class and hoping 2021 gives them their QB of the future.

[vertical-gallery id=911930]

[jwplayer l9cjMzxt-q2aasYxh]