Joe Schobert Assesses Trevor Lawrence's 'Once In A Generation Arm'
Jacksonville Jaguars middle linebacker Joe Schobert has been a part of a rebuild before. He’s seen the sweeping changes and attempted cultural shifts and next big thing at quarterback drafted No. 1 overall. He saw it all during his four years with the previously perpetual bottom tier Cleveland Browns.
While it took a couple of years, the Browns have started to ride the upward trajectory, seeing the fruits of their rebuild labor pay off, making the playoffs in 2020 for the first time in 18 years. Schobert, who signed with the Jaguars ahead of that 2020 season as a free agent, sees the foundation being laid in Jacksonville as well. But he also sees the pieces that could put the Jags ahead of the rebuild curve.
Speaking to NFL Radio SiriusXM, Schobert explained why the “win now” mantra Jaguars coaches and players have been preaching, is more than just lip service.
“We have a lot more of the older veteran guys who have been part, even some of the guys have been in Jacksonville for five, six years, they’ve been to the AFC championship game, they’ve been around, they've been part of winning teams and great defenses.
“And I think the guys that we brought in this offseason in terms of free agency, have all come from some pretty successful spots. So it's a little bit of a different situation; I think we're more built to turn things around a little bit faster here than we were when I first got there in Cleveland.”
It’s no secret or a stretch though to say the Jaguars success—or lack thereof—this season will depend largely on the ability of rookie quarterback Trevor Lawrence. The Heisman finalist is widely considered a generational quarterback, a potential franchise changer. Schobert—who played two years with another No. 1 overall pick, Baker Mayfield—sees not only potential but promise in the 6’6” gunslinger; specifically the arm.
“Trevor's got an arm, a once in a generation arm and if he can put it together upstairs mentally for the rookie season in the NFL—which is always, as the quarterback, the hardest thing to do—we’ll be very successful if we can get all that accomplished.”
Schobert and Lawrence aren’t poised to spend a ton of time working together this offseason. They play on separate sides of the ball and are six years apart in their NFL career. But the elder linebacker has watched his new QB. In doing so, he’s seen a talent that could justifiably get by doing his own thing, but one that seeks out the advice of those around him. The combination of that humbleness and confidence can make all the difference in world when it comes to adjusting to the NFL, as the veteran Schobert knows. And that will pay dividends for the Jaguars.
“He's a great guy, just talking to him briefly in between meetings and on the football field and the walk out there,” Schobert told Sirius XM. “He's impressed me with his poise and his confidence just coming in. I mean as a rookie, coming to the NFL, I know I definitely wasn't that confident. I was looking up to my veterans, just trying to soak in all the information—which he has been very respectful and asking questions.
“But he comes in with a certain poise, certain caliber, which I expect quarterbacks really should have to believe in themselves because they play in such a high stress environment and they're the ones who will get fatigued and judged the most on the football field.
“But I think if he's able to mentally put everything together, like I said like picking up a new playbook, understanding new schemes and going against different kinds of athletes on the defensive side of the ball, he can be an extremely good quarterback for the next 10, 15, 20 years for Jacksonville, It’s going to be exciting to see how he progresses, because he has all the tools and all the talent.”
