Fact or Fiction: Emory Jones has first-round ability
In today’s Fact or Fiction, Rivals National Columnist Mike Farrell looks at three big recent topics in college football and decides whether the statements are FACT or FICTION.
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1. Lance Leipold will win six games by year three at Kansas.
FICTION. Leipold is a very good hire for Kansas but this is a program that continues to rebuild year after year and will struggle to get ahead in the Big 12 as teams continue to improve. Can the Jayhawks be Iowa State? It's possible but very unlikely, and a six-win season by 2023 will be tough. I was asked this question on a radio show last week so it came to mind. I don’t want to be a Debbie Downer but short of what magic Mark Mangino had back in the day, Kansas will continue to be on the bottom.
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2. Emory Jones has first-round ability.
FICTION. Emory Jones was projected as a first-rounder in one 2022 mock draft I saw and I just don’t expect that to happen. He has a very live arm and he’s mobile, but his accuracy hasn’t been the best and Florida's offense is projected to take a step back from last season. Jones may work his way into the first-round discussion in a couple of years if he stays, but not in 2022.
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3. Trevor Lawrence will throw 30 touchdowns his first season.
FICTION. Trevor Lawrence has the talent to do it but I don’t think he has the supporting cast around him at Jacksonville. Peyton Manning threw 26 his rookie season for a 3-13 Indianapolis Colts team but also tossed 28 picks as he was thrown into the fire. Lawrence could have 25 or so touchdowns, but I can’t imagine he'll have 30.