Trevor Lawrence isn't wasting any time preparing for the start of his pro career.
Four days after throwing at his personal pro day, the presumptive top pick of the 2021 NFL Draft will undergo labrum surgery Tuesday on his non-throwing shoulder, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported. Lawrence, of course, moved up Friday's workout a full month at the behest of new Jaguars coach Urban Meyer.
Having his left shoulder repaired sooner puts the young quarterback on track to return for training camp. It's an initiative that seemed to further endear him to his potential future coach.
"I (told) him there are three choices," Meyer told NFL Network's Jane Slater. "No. 1, you can wait until the March 11 pro day, but now your (recovery) is getting near August, because it's a five to six month injury. The second (choice), you can not throw. He's probably a good enough player, he could've said 'I'm not doing it,' him and his agent," "Or the third (choice), I said 'Why don't you just go grab a ball and throw for a little bit? … And he said 'Let's go.' That was it. Next thing I know, we're here at a pro day that they put together (quickly). That's a guy that loves football and is confident in his ability."
Rapoport added that Los Angeles surgeon Dr. Neal ElAttrache will perform the procedure. Lawrence initially intended to throw at Clemson's pro day in March and have surgery soon after. The league's decision to change the format of the NFL Scouting Combine in the wake of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic opened the door for an earlier workout and surgery, which will now take place before Lawrence would have been in Indianapolis. His new timeline gives him additional weeks to recover and get ready for a rookie year that could require playing immediately.
Lawrence is expected to be the first player selected in a draft filled with first-round QB prospects and QB-needy teams, beginning with Jacksonville at No. 1.
