ESPN listed Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence as 2023 breakout candidate

Though nobody is quite ready to declare him as a true MVP candidate, Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence has received some hype from national media this offseason.

The latest excitement around No. 16 came from Bill Barnwell, who predicted 23 breakout players for ESPN. Lawrence was the first name listed.

After the trip over the pond, Lawrence morphed into a superstar. He completed 69.7% of his passes over the remainder of the season while averaging 7.4 yards per attempt. He threw 15 touchdown passes against two picks while leading the Jaguars to a division title, including comeback victories over the Cowboys and Ravens. From Week 9 on, his adjusted completion percentage (75.5%) ranked first in the league.

...Now, with wide receiver Calvin Ridley added to the mix and another full offseason away from the Meyer era, he has the ability to improve on the player we saw in the second half of 2022. Lawrence is currently eighth in the MVP odds at Caesars Sportsbook and seems capable of something special in Year 3.

According to offseason polls from both ESPN and The Athletic, Lawrence was ranked as the NFL’s eighth-best quarterback by anonymous league personnel. He also debuted at 96th overall on the NFL’s top 100 list.

Last month, Grant Gordon of NFL.com showed that Lawrence’s 2022 turnaround was “one of historical precedence” and Nick Akridge of PFF showed why Lawrence is “ready to take his game to the next level” in 2023.

By all accounts, Lawrence is set for a big year.