At a time when the NFL is facing the unintended but expected consequences of a draft system that incentivizes poor play, the Jaguars may parlay their poor play from 2021 into a player who could help turn things around, dramatically.
A year after “earning” the top pick and using it on Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence, the Jaguars are poised to secure dibs — and they quite possibly will take Michigan defensive end Aidan Hutchinson.
Hutchinson, who made the rounds at the media center on Wednesday, was asked during a visit to PFT Live to assess his chances at the next level.
“To be honest with you, I think my game is going to flourish in the NFL because I watch a lot of NFL film and I see the differences in the game just the way those quarterbacks hold onto the ball longer,” Hutchinson said. “I look at that, I’m licking my chops because you go to college you get so many RPOs, balls out like that. And you get to the quarterback, no sack, no nothing. I think when I get to the NFL, I’m gonna to light it up. I’m going to do what I do and that’s rushing the passer, getting sacks.”
He’ll get a chance to do that. And there’s a good chance he’ll do it very well. The Jaguars could use it. Between Lawrence and Hutchinson, they could be laying the foundation for a team that becomes better than it has been, in a very long time.