CLEVELAND (AP) — The worst-kept secret in the NFL is now public.
The Jacksonville Jaguars have used the first overall pick in the draft to select Trevor Lawrence. The Clemson quarterback was outstanding in his three college seasons, completing 67% of his passes for 10,098 yards, 90 touchdowns and just 17 interceptions while also rushing for 943 yards. Lawrence is widely considered the best college QB prospect since Andrew Luck nearly a decade ago and will pair with new head coach Urban Meyer as the faces of the franchise.
Lawrence won a national championship as a freshman, taking game MVP honors as the Tigers hammered Alabama, 44-16. He finished second in the Heisman Trophy balloting as a junior last season before entering the draft.
Quarterbacks also were taken with the next two picks as BYU’s Zach Wilson went second to the Jets and North Dakota State’s Trey Lance headed to the 49ers at No. 3.
It marks just the third time quarterbacks were taken with each of the first three picks in a draft.
The Falcons used the fourth choice to land Florida tight end Kyle Pitts, and LSU wideout Ja’Marr Chase went fifth to the Bengals.
Rounding out the top 10 selections:
— Alabama receiver Jaylen Waddle was taken by the Dolphins with the sixth selection, reuniting him with former Crimson Tide QB Tua Tagovailoa.
— The first offensive lineman to be chosen was tackle Penei Sewell of Oregon, taken seventh by the Lions.
— The Panthers got secondary help by choosing South Carolina cornerback Jaycee Horn with the eighth pick.
— Alabama cornerback Patrick Surtain II went ninth to the Broncos.
— Heisman Trophy winner DeVonta Smith became the sixth SEC player and third from Alabama, to be taken, going to the Eagles at No. 10.
