JACKSONVILLE – Peter King summed up the Jaguars' ideal draft strategy in four words.
"You shouldn't overthink it," King said.
King, long one of the most-respected writers covering the NFL, joined jaguars.com senior writer John Oehser's O-Zone Podcast this week. The subject was King's Football Morning in America podcast, on which Jaguars Head Coach Urban Meyer this week said that the Jaguars likely will select Clemson University quarterback Trevor Lawrence No. 1 overall in the 2021 NFL Draft.
"That's certainly the direction we're headed," Meyer told King.
While that was the headline quote on the FMIA podcast, Meyer – who took the Jaguars' job in January – also told King returning to coaching and doing so in his first NFL coaching job was not a "knee-jerk decision." Meyer, one of college football's all-time winningest coaches, also told King there was "zero chance" of him leaving the Jaguars to return to college coaching.
King said the latter was a major question he had for Meyer, particularly considering how University of Alabama Head Coach Nick Saban had left the Miami Dolphins after coaching that franchise for two seasons, 2005-2006. King said he was impressed with how "strident" Meyer was in his answer on the FMIA podcast – and in Meyer's conviction he will remain with the Jaguars long-term.
"We'll take him at his word, and we'll see what happens," King said.
King, who said the podcast was his first conversation with Meyer, said he was impressed with Meyer's attention to detail of what it will take to transition successfully to coaching in the NFL.
"He's got a plan," King said. "He's very much drilled down to the smallest things you have to worry about. … That's the biggest takeaway I had, that he has answers for everything. We'll have to see if those answers are all the right answers.
"One of the things [Hall of Fame Head Coach] Jimmy Johnson said about Urban, before he took the job, was basically, 'Urban's not stupid. Urban sees the opportunity in Jacksonville.' Even though the Jaguars arguably were the worst team in football last season – and their record showed it – how often do you get advantages like taking a true franchise quarterback with the first pick, like having more [salary] cap room than anybody in the NFL and having sort of a blank slate that Urban Meyer has because Shad Khan has given that to him? He has a really good opportunity in Jacksonville."
While King said he had no preconceived notion Meyer would say what he said about Lawrence, he added, "Sometimes it's fairly preposterous when an NFL coach or general manager before the draft – when everyone knows exactly what you're going to do in the draft – to see them twist themselves into knots to play word games.
"When he (Meyer) said, 'That's certainly the direction we're going…' Usually, people will sidestep questions like that. He didn't say, 'We are drafting Trevor Lawrence,' but he might as well have said that. 'Thank you,' I basically thought to myself. But honestly, no one really thought there was a chance they weren't going to take him. You almost have to take the bird in the hand.
"In this case, you shouldn't overthink it. You ought to just take the guy."
To listen senior writer John Oehser's conversation with King on this week's O-Zone podcast, click HERE.
