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Ever since Trevor Lawrence burst onto the scene at Clemson as a freshman in 2018 he’s been circled as the clear cut favorite to go No. 1 overall in the 2021 NFL Draft. ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. agrees with that as he has Lawrence No. 1 on his way too early Big Board, but the draft guru also believes Justin Fields could give him a run for his money.
Kiper joined First Take on Tuesday and explained that it’s certainly not set in stone that Lawrence will be the first quarterback taken at next year’s draft, he made it clear that Fields has a legitimate shot at taking that honor.
It’s been Fields vs. Lawrence ever since their high school playing days. They battled for the top spot in the recruiting ranks and now they’re doing the same in college with their NFL careers fast-approaching.
Kiper alludes to this during the segment, but what it could ultimately come down to is success from an entire team perspective. It’s rather unlikely, but if Ohio State or Clemson struggle next season and don’t battle for a spot in the College Football Playoff then one players’ stock is going to rise ahead of the others.
It’s also worth noting that Kiper isn’t the only one suggesting that Fields could leap Lawrence. Last month, an analyst at Pro Football Focus stated that Fields should already be ahead of Lawrence.
“Justin Fields should be ahead of Trevor Lawrence,” PFF said. “He’s graded better, he’s graded better in pro like situations. He’s six-foot-three, it’s not like he’s some shrimpy guy that no one’s ever heard of. Justin Fields ahead of Trevor Lawrence.
One thing is certain, this isn’t the last Fields vs. Lawrence debate we’ll hear between now and the 2021 NFL Draft. Both of these quarterbacks are uber-talented and will battle for that spot on the board throughout the college football season.