Urban Meyer could not be walking into a more ideal situation in Jacksonville. The Jaguars are reportedly finalizing a deal to bring the former Florida and Ohio State head coach as Doug Marrone's replacement.
Meyer will have plenty of work to do as he takes over a franchise fresh off a 1-15 season, but he is well-equipped for the challenge.
Before flying off the handle at this take, let's look at Meyer's pedigree. He has a 187-32 record as a collegiate head coach, including three national titles. His coaching track record dates all the way back to 1985, and he spent time under a number of legendary NCAA coaches before paving his own road at Bowling Green.
College coaches making the leap to the professional ranks do not always succeed. There are infamous examples like Nick Saban and Chip Kelly. Others, such as Kliff Kingsbury and Matt Rhule, still have plenty to prove in that regard.
But Meyer has a strong history in terms of building foundations and dominant defenses. More importantly, the Jaguars have the means to rapidly take strides towards being more competitive.
A generational quarterback?
Drafting a franchise quarterback is often imperative to a team's success. It is, after all, the single most important position in sports.
Well, the Jaguars have the opportunity to select one of the more heralded quarterback prospects in years. Jacksonville has the No. 1 pick in the 2021 NFL draft, and will almost certainly use that selection on Clemson star Trevor Lawrence.
Lawrence was arguably the best quarterback in college football as soon as he stepped on a field back in 2018. He finished his Tigers career with a 164.3 quarterback rating. Lawrence completed over 69 percent of his passes this past season, throwing for over 3,100 yards and 24 touchdowns while also recording a career-high 10.2 adjusted passing yards per attempt.
Beyond just the numbers, Lawrence has all the physical tools to be successful. He has tremendous arm strength and escapability in the pocket, with the ability to make off-timing throws on the run or use his legs to get significant yardage.
Having a potential future star like Lawrence under center makes it easier for Meyer to build.
Ample cap space
Of course, the Jaguars need to complement Lawrence in the trenches and at the skill positions. Fortunately, they have an excellent opportunity to do just that.
Jacksonville can add a ton of talent by way of high draft picks. Additionally, the Jags currently have the highest amount of projected cap space in the entire NFL.
This presents an opportunity for the Jags to be very aggressive adding on both sides of the ball. Plus, it is not as if the Jaguars don't have top talent.
James Robinson was a breakout star at the running back spot. Myles Jack and Joe Schobert are excellent at the second level, and the Jaguars will hope 2020 first-rounder C.J. Henderson only gets better after playing just eight games this past year.
Still, the Jags will spend heavily in order to rapidly accelerate the competitive timeline. That's good news for a winner like Meyer, who will instill a sense of culture in Jacksonville.
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