JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – “Wow!”
“Oh, my!”
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“All right, then.
Those were some of the exclamations that Trevor Lawrence’s throws elicited from observers on the first day of Jaguars’ training camp.
Lawrence worked predominantly with the second team as Gardner Minshew worked mostly with the first team. Head coach Urban Meyer said that it’s part of his plan. Still, it was clear that Lawrence — at least physically — is as advertised.
“It was pretty cool. I got a few reps with him. We connected a few times,” wide receiver DJ Chark said. “The times that I did notice, it was pretty good spirals, good passes. I saw him throw a deep post at the end for a touchdown — that was a nice ball, too.”
Now, let’s put this in perspective.
It was in no pads, only helmets, Lawrence wasn’t going to get hit and the receivers weren’t either. Plus, the defensive backs were told to play off, not in press coverage on the first day of camp (a product of the offseason fines drawn by the team and Meyer for too much contact during the offseason practices).
But Lawrence just makes you say, “Wow!” when he throws the ball. There’s more to quarterbacking than arm talent, but the arm talent of the top pick stood out on the first day of camp.
Among the impressive passes thrown by Lawrence, a pair of deep balls, including one that would have gone for a touchdown during the 11-on-11 period to undrafted rookie Josh Imatorbhebhe.
Chark spent time working with Lawrence in the offseason and the start of training camp is serving as a continuation of that offseason work that included several other Jaguars receivers.
“It was a great time. First off, just building a relationship,” Chark said. “But also getting used to his passes, him getting used to the way that we run routes, because everybody runs routes differently, working on timing, seeing the routes that we like the best, the passes that he likes the best, seeing what he needs to work on, what we need to work on. So, it’s pretty good. Plus, in the offseason, you need to just run and stay in shape. So, it was good for a lot of different reasons.”
The Jaguars defensive backs have seen Lawrence throughout the offseason and as camp begins, they’ll be the ones providing the litmus test for the former Clemson star. If you want to know where a rookie quarterback stands before the games begin, ask a cornerback.
“It shows how important it is for him. Everybody can say [whatever they want] about Trevor when he first got drafted. Is he going to be the guy that’s going to let this fame and stuff get to him? It doesn’t matter what it is, this man loves ball, and it shows,” said cornerback Shaquill Griffin.
“That’s the reason he got his receivers out there to work on time. It shows today and that’s something that we have to build off of. We’re putting the team on his back and we’re going to be right there with him and to fully support. So, whatever it is, I know he’s going to continue to work. I know he has the passion, the love for the game and we’re right behind him 110%.”
Any thought that there is a quarterback battle is likely to be short lived. While Minshew’s performance on Day 1 wasn’t a disaster, but there is not question who has the advantage as far as physical skills. It’s the same guy who has the big contract and the expectations.
Trevor Lawrence is the real deal.