NFL Draft 2021: Penn State’s Pat Freiermuth to Jacksonville Jaguars?

Penn State Football tight end Pat Freiermuth leaves Happy Valley as one of the Nittany Lions‘ most reliable red zone weapons, and he just might have the chance in the 2021 NFL Draft to wind up catching passes from Trevor Lawrence.

Projected to be a late-first or early-second-round selection, Freiermuth is widely viewed as the best tight end not named Kyle Pitts in this year’s NFL Draft class.

Former NFL general manager, and current NFL Network analyst Charley Casserly projects Freiermuth to the Jacksonville Jaguars as one of Lawrence’s new weapons, in his latest mock draft:

"Now that the Jaguars have their franchise QB, they address the other offensive need not filled in free agency."

Lawrence, is the presumptive No. 1 overall pick coming out of Clemson, and Freiermuth would be joining a suddenly formidable cast of weapons in the passing game. Along with burgeoning wide receivers Laviska Shenault and D.J. Chark, the Jaguars added veteran Marvin Jones in free agency.

Freiermuth would immediately vault to the top of the Jaguars’ tight end depth chart, after catching 69 passes for 875 yards and 15 touchdowns in two-plus seasons in Happy Valley.

According to Pro Football Focus, Freiermuth received 27.8 percent of Penn State’s targets in the passing game in 2020, despite a shoulder injury ending his season after just four games, illustrating that he is plenty capable of being the focal point of a passing game.

A willing blocker, and reliable pass-catcher, Freiermuth has the potential to be a dominant weapon in Lawrence’s supporting cast with the Jaguars.