They made their NFL debut with immense hype and high hopes of being among the top talents at their position in NFL history. However, just three years later, the 2021 quarterback draft class appears to be a major disappointment.
As NFL teams assess another group of highly touted quarterbacks leading up to the upcoming draft, two of the five QBs selected in the first round of the 2021 draft (Justin Fields and Mac Jones) were recently traded for minimal returns. Another, Trey Lance, is entering his second year as a backup for his second team. Zach Wilson, the fourth QB, is facing uncertainty in his NFL future.
While Trevor Lawrence, the first overall pick, remains the starting quarterback for the Jacksonville Jaguars, the rest of the 2021 first-round quarterbacks have struggled to live up to expectations. Wilson is on his way out from the New York Jets, Lance is a backup for the Cowboys, Fields was recently traded from Chicago to Pittsburgh, and Jones was essentially given to the Jaguars as Lawrence’s backup.
Instead of being compared to the legendary 1983 draft class that produced Hall of Famers like John Elway, Jim Kelly, and Dan Marino, the 2021 QB class serves as a cautionary tale of how teams often miss the mark in evaluating talent, making projections, and developing players.
So, what went wrong? Why are these once highly-touted quarterbacks struggling to find success in the NFL?
Trevor Lawrence is still with the Jaguars but has had an up-and-down three seasons. (Steve Roberts / USA Today)
Lawrence and the Jaguars
While Lawrence has shown potential, he has yet to reach elite status. His rookie season was marred by dysfunction under Urban Meyer, and he struggled with consistency. With a new coach in Doug Pederson, Lawrence has shown promise but still needs to improve. Injuries and a lack of a quality receiving corps have hindered his development.