The Jacksonville Jaguars have the first overall pick in the upcoming 2021 NFL Draft, which means they are likely to draft Clemson quarterback sensation, Trevor Lawrence. With that in mind, finding the right veteran QB to mentor him could be key to their success. One name being mentioned as the best possible option is Washington Football Team’s QB, Alex Smith.
Smith has a previous relationship with Jags new head coach Urban Meyer and GM Trent Baalke. He is also likely to leave Washington since they just re-signed QB Taylor Heinicke and will probably look to draft another quarterback.
If this were to happen, it would not be the first time that Alex Smith has served as a mentor for a young quarterback. Back in 2011, one of Smith’s old teams, the San Francisco 49ers, drafted Colin Kaepernick in the second round that year, who then went on to become the starter just a year later. After that, before the 2013 season, Smith was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs, where he was the starter for four seasons until the team traded up in the 2017 NFL Draft and took Patrick Mahomes 10th overall.
In his rookie season, Mahomes was Smith’s backup while learning everything he could from the veteran quarterback. For the Chiefs’ organization and their fans, this plan worked as Mahomes became the starter and led the team two years later in the 2019-20 season to their first Super Bowl title since 1970. However, if not for Alex Smith’s near career-ending injury back on November 18, 2018 in a game against the Houston Texans (where he suffered a spiral and compound fracture to his tibia and fibula in his right leg after being sacked by strong safety Kareem Jackson and defensive end J.J. Watt), none of this may have been possible had Smith remained the starter.
In 2020, Smith made his come back and returned to the NFL when many thought his career was over. Smith was able to perform at a high level, and if he decides that he does want to keep playing, Jacksonville could give him a nice final destination before choosing to retire. The Jaguars are a good fit for him since he likely wouldn’t be counted on to start many games unless the team chooses to sit Lawrence until they feel he’s ready to take over as the full-time starter. Lawrence could also relate to Smith since he was a No. 1 overall pick as well and, Smith would be reunited with his old college head coach, Urban Meyer, whom he built a personal relationship with while playing at the University of Utah.
This past season, Smith showed he’s still capable of being a starter in the NFL, despite his recent injury history. A move to Jacksonville could definitely prove beneficial for he and the Jaguars’ organization now and in the long run.
