Jaguars’ HC Urban Meyer Gets Up Close and Personal Look at Trevor Lawrence’s Throwing Session
If the Jaguars wanted to get a close look at Trevor Lawrence in person, they did that and some on Friday. In fact, they got a closer look than any other NFL team.
Jaguars head coach Urban Meyer was one of three Jaguars coaches to make the trip to see Lawrence conduct a 52-throw workout in front of 16 other teams on Friday. For those 16 teams and 28 members of coaching staffs, front offices, and scouting departments, it was a chance to see Lawrence deliver the ball to his receiver in person.
But for Meyer, it was a chance to get the ultimate skinny on the projected No. 1 overall pick. Meyer stood just yards away from Lawrence at all times during the workout, seen standing hip-to-hip with Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney and monitoring every throw closely.
No other team had that much of a personal look at Lawrence, but no other team has the No. 1 overall pick and the chance to pick Lawrence in April. While most quarterback's Pro Days see NFL personnel stick to the sideline, Meyer got right into the thick of things and got a better point of view than any coach, scout, or general manager in the building.
If it looked a bit unorthodox, that is because it was. You don't often see head coaches get that close to the workout. But that didn't matter on Friday, with Meyer taking full advantage of the afternoon and soaking in all of the possible information about Lawrence that he could.
"And to me, this feels very much like somebody has already agreed to purchase a car but they are just taking it for a quick little test drive around the block. That is what it looks like to me with Urban Meyer taking in this workout," NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah said.
"You can watch him on tape and tell that he has a strong arm just by the way he is able to fit balls into tight quarters, but still you don't get an ultimate feel for the quarterback until you get out there and watch him live in person to see what it looks like."
NFL Network analyst Steve Smith agreed with Jeremiah's assessment, pointing out that while Lawrence impressed during his throwing session, one of the most interesting aspects was to see Meyer and Swinney standing together near Lawrence.
"You really think about it, how unique and cool is it that you have your former head coach of your college team and now possibly your new head coach right there watching you throw every single pass," Smith said.
Lawrence conducted the throwing session on Friday to give him a chance to throw in front of NFL teams before he has shoulder surgery on his left shoulder, his non-throwing arm, which Lawrence said he expects to get full clearance from in four to five months.
The Jaguars hold the No. 1 pick in April for the first time in franchise history and are expected to use the selection on Lawrence, who just wrapped up a record-breaking three-year career at Clemson.
Jacksonville needs a franchise quarterback arguably more than any other team in the NFL, and Meyer and two of his top assistants -- offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell and passing game coordinator Brian Schottenheimer -- got a good look on Friday at who that quarterback will likely be.
“You see Trevor, you see Justin, you see Zach," Meyer said on Jan. 15 when asked about his thoughts on the quarterback class.
"Who we pick at that quarterback spot, that’s going to be one of the most important decisions I’ve made in my lifetime, along with the partnership of our owner and general manager. The ones that are out there, my initial study, because I have been studying a lot, I like to use the term elite, I see some elite quarterbacks out there right now.”
