4 Jaguars-Related Draft Thoughts Following Conference Championship Weekend

While the talk of the town in Jacksonville is the Jaguars' current chances to take Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence with the top pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, the team's first pick is far from their only important decision facing them in next year's draft.

The Jaguars currently hold 11 picks, including four in the draft's first two rounds. The team needs a complete retooling of a roster that was blown up for cap reasons in 2020, and that means using the entirety of their draft resources to surround whoever their next quarterback is with the best team possible.

Luckily for the Jaguars, there were countless future NFL contributors making big plays all throughout the weekend as college football's conference championships took place. Who stood out the most, and what does the weekend of games mean for the 1-13 Jaguars? We breakdown our thoughts here.

Justin Fields came up small on a big stage, making his struggles against ranked opponents in 2020 officially concerning

While the Jaguars may currently hold the No. 1 overall pick, there are still two weeks left to play. The Jaguars will be doing everything they possibly can to win a game (as they should), and there is always the distinct possibility they upset both the Bears and the Colts in the next two weeks.

As a result, whoever the options are at No. 2 are still important. And as of today, the options at the pick look a bit less appealing than they did a few weeks ago -- primarily because Ohio State's Justin Fields took another step back in the Big 10 Championship.

Ohio State was shorthanded against a good Northwestern defense; Northwestern was ranked No. 14 in the nation entering the game largely because of their stout defense, and Ohio State missing their best receiver in Chris Olave certainly played a role. But that doesn't really excuse Fields having another poor showing against a ranked opponent this season. Fields finished the game 12 of 27 passing (44%) for 114 yards, a rough 4.2 yards per attempt. He also threw two interceptions, giving him an ESPN QBR rating of 34.6.

Fields did reveal after the game that he had a sprained thumb for portions of the contest, and he could be seen during the game as having some discomfort on his throwing hand. But Fields had similar issues on Saturday that he had when healthy against Indiana; he had a slow trigger in terms of making decisions and getting the ball out of his hands. He stared down targets and ultimately it looked like he was just reacting too slow to what he was seeing from the defense.

Fields had a terrific season in 2019 but has not looked as sharp against the two best opponents Ohio State has played this year in Northwestern and Indiana. Those have been, by far, his two worst games this season and likely of his college career.

This isn't to say Fields isn't still an exciting prospect. He has terrific physical tools and is a true dual-threat who can make game-changing plays with his feet. Plus, he will get a chance to redeem himself against Clemson in the College Football Playoff.

But as of now Fields hasn't performed in big games this year like expected. If he is going to establish himself as the No. 2 quarterback in the draft, and Jacksonville's best backup plan in the event they can't get Trevor Lawrence, he will need to rebound against Clemson.

Trevor Lawrence made it look easy vs. Notre Dame, showing why he is QB1

While Fields has struggled against his top competition in 2020, Trevor Lawrence has done the exact opposite. Lawrence went up against a good Notre Dame defense in the ACC Championship on Saturday and was a big reason why Clemson made quick work of Brian Kelly's team in a 34-10 rout of No. 2 Notre Dame.

This is the same Clemson team that lost to the Fighting Irish 47-40 in double-overtime earlier in the season, mind you. The only difference between now and then is the fact that Lawrence didn't play in the first matchup. Once he took the field in the rematch, the scales tipped all the way in Clemson's favor, and for a reason.

Lawrence threw an interception on a tipped pass early in the game, but he finished with 25 of 36 passes (69.4%) for 322 yards (8.9 yards per attempt), giving him an ESPN QBR rating of 88.4. He also ran 14 times for 90 yards, including a 34-yard touchdown run. His 67-yard touchdown pass to Amari Rodgers in the first quarter was a shining example of how his explosive skill set makes him a threat on every play.

Lawrence was the top-rated quarterback entering this season and is regarded by most as the best prospect at the position since Andrew Luck in 2012, so his success in 2020 is far from a surprise. He has widened the gap between him and Fields in recent weeks and Saturday was another example why.

Lawrence will see Ohio State in the semifinals. If Clemson wins, he will then see Notre Dame again or go up against an Alabama defense that struggled to stop the Gators. If/when he enters the draft, he will be the No. 1 pick for a reason. Saturday was just another piece of evidence for why this is true, and another reason why the Jaguars are much better off with the first pick than the second.

Need a skill player? Look no further than the SEC Championship

While the Jacksonville Jaguars have some good skill players under contract next season in DJ Chark, James Robinson, Laviska Shenault and Collin Johnson, they still likely need to add to their arsenal to ensure success for the offense and their future quarterback. More depth at receiver, where they have three impending free agents in Keelan Cole, Chris Conley, and Dede Westbrook, and running back is needed. Meanwhile, the tight end position is bare bones.

Well, the Jaguars could limit their search for new skill players to just the SEC Championship between the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Florida Gators and still have plenty of options to pick from. The two offenses picked up giant plays from start to finish in the 52-46 shootout, ending with 1,067 yards combined between the two teams. For an example, just look at some of the players and the performances from Atlanta.

Alabama running back Najee Harris broke a number of records Saturday, rushing 31 times for 178 yards (5.7 yards per carry) and two touchdowns, while also catching five passes for 67 yards and three touchdowns. His five touchdowns and 245 scrimmage yards on 36 touches are absolutely bonkers numbers. He was too shifty for Florida to bring down for negative gains on a consistent basis, while he was too explosive as a pass-catching threat to limit in the red-zone.
Alabama wide receiver Devonta Smith quietly dominated. The Heisman Trophy candidate has been the best wide receiver in college football this season and he continued that with a 15-catch, 184-yard performance that also featured two touchdown catches.
Florida had their own pair of skill plays have big days as well. They were led by Kadarius Toney, one of the most explosive playmakers in all of college football this season. Toney has game-changing speed and elusiveness in the open field and the dynamic athlete once again put on a show against Alabama, catching eight passes for 153 yards and a touchdown, including a 51-yard touchdown catch. Toney may not have the physical profile or track record of consistent production to go in the first round, but the Jaguars don't have his type of receiver currently on the roster. Taking him in the second round may be a bit too early as well, but it could unlock the offense's full potential in the horizontal passing game.
Kyle Pitts is the best tight end prospect entering this year's draft and he displayed why against Alabama. The debate between whether he is a tight end or receiver is truly meaningless when you consider the mismatch potential he provides to an offense. He has unreal balance, coordination, and quickness for a player of his size and this was evident against Alabama as he caught seven passes for 129 yards and a touchdown. For a Jaguars team that hasn't had a legitimate receiving threat at tight end in years, Pitts could be the most coveted offensive prospect for the team that isn't a quarterback.

Myjai Sanders is an exciting edge prospect who took another step on Saturday

K'Lavon Chaisson is playing his best football of the season right now, collecting 11 pressures over the last three games and making a good play in space to take down Lamar Jackson for a loss on Sunday. But even with him and Josh Allen being an intriguing pass-rushing duo moving forward, the Jaguars still should consider some edge defender depth in the 2021 NFL draft -- especially with Dawuane Smoot set to be a free agent.

It is unlikely the Jaguars would look to spend one of their first three picks on a pass-rusher, but what about beyond that? Well, there is one pass-rusher whose stock has steadily risen all season who had another terrific game on Saturday in Cincinnati's Myjai Sanders.

Sanders was a driving force behind the Bearcats advancing to the AAC Championship and his performance against Tulsa was a major reason Cincinnati won 27-24. Sanders has been on a tear all season, consistently beating offensive tackles with an explosive first step and quick and smooth work when bending the corner. He continued this against Tulsa, recording two sacks, two tackles for loss, and showing up on a number of other passing plays.

Sanders is one of the fastest-rising edge defenders in this year's draft class. His performance in the Bearcats' biggest game of the season was stupendous and one that likely continued to catch the eyes of scouts. If the Jaguars want another explosive option to bring off the edges but don't want to burn a first-round pick on one, could Sanders be that pick? He would certainly fit the bill.

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