Ask any national expert around the NFL and they will all say the same thing. Trevor Lawrence is the best quarterback out of the 2021 draft class. Their evidence is easy to pinpoint. The former #1 pick threw for 4,113 yards, 25 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. He also won a playoff game. This is an open-and-shut case when comparing him to anybody else in the class. Well, nobody seemed to tell the actual players in the league. According to their votes, Justin Fields is the better player.
The NFL Top 100 has begun releasing its annual rankings, driven by votes from the players themselves. Lawrence cracked the list at 96th overall, the first quarterback to hear his name. It must've been a hideous shock for the Fields doubters when they saw him show up ten slots later at 86th overall. The general consensus from players is the Bears quarterback is already special as a runner. He is a nightmare to defend in that regard. This is before getting into his still-vast potential as a passer.
Justin Fields is finally on a more level playing field.
Last year, Lawrence had some advantages in his favor. Jacksonville had spent a lot of resources that off-season to upgrade his supporting cast. They signed Pro Bowl guard Brandon Scherff, receivers Christian Kirk and Zay Jones, and drafted center Luke Fortner. He was much better positioned to take a step forward. Fields had to contend with the opposite. GM Ryan Poles, recognizing the Bears' roster was too old and expensive, decided to blow it up. While a smart decision for the long term, it left his young quarterback in an awkward spot.
His weapons were limited, forced to rely on Byron Pringle, Equanimeous St. Brown, and Dante Pettis for significant snaps. He was also protected by a rookie left tackle and a backup center for most of the season. Things seem to have improved a lot since then. D.J. Moore and Chase Claypool bolster the receiving corp. Robert Tonyan provides depth at tight end. Nate Davis and Darnell Wright fortify his protection. Justin Fields doesn't need to put up the same passing numbers as Lawrence—merely something in the same zip code. The players will be proven correct if he does this, coupled with the far superior rushing ability.
