Nothing is guaranteed in the NFL, especially if you're a lifelong college coach taking a job with an organization that has experienced one winning season and five head coaches in a 13-year span.

That's the case with Urban Meyer, who on Thursday became the seventh head coach in Jacksonville Jaguars history and in the process raised a lot of questions about his fit within the NFL environment.

There's a risk Meyer could become a pro-level bust a la Nick Saban, Steve Spurrier, Bobby Petrino or Chip Kelly.

He lost nine games in seven seasons at Ohio State, and there's no telling how he might respond to adversity with the rebuilding Jaguars. Nobody can say for certain that his spread offense will translate to Jacksonville. And while it's awkward and touchy, the Jags had to consider that Meyer has retired for health reasons twice in the last decade. 

In other words, there's a lot up in the air about this exciting yet risky hire. 

That being said, the 56-year-old could not be entering a more ideal situation. If Meyer doesn't succeed with the opportunities that exist for him in Jacksonville, he won't likely excel anywhere in the NFL.  

That's because the Jags gutted their roster and essentially tanked in 2020 to position themselves for a quick but comprehensive rebuild right now. They're slated to enter the 2021 offseason with far more salary-cap space than any other team in the league, according to Spotrac, and soon after a potential free-agent spending spree, they'll be widely expected to use the NFL draft's No. 1 overall pick on generational quarterback talent Trevor Lawrence. 

The Jaguars own another first-round selection courtesy of the Los Angeles Rams (who sent two first-rounders to Jacksonville in 2019 in exchange for cornerback Jalen Ramsey), and they also have two second-rounders, a pair of fourth-rounders and an extra fifth-round selection. 

It's easy to see how swiftly the Jags could leap from the NFL's basement. There will be speculation that Meyer could prefer former Buckeye Justin Fields atop the draft because of Fields' mobility, but Lawrence rushed for 17 touchdowns in his last two college seasons. He's the complete package, and after three impressive campaigns at Clemson, he appears ready to take the NFL by storm. 

To support Lawrence (or Fields), Meyer and the Jags could essentially have carte blanche in March.

They can complement DJ Chark Jr. with a potential superstar receiver like Chris Godwin or Kenny Golladay, they can begin to revamp a formerly jacked secondary with Anthony Harris or Justin Simmons at safety or William Jackson III at cornerback. They can go get Hunter Henry to fill a need at tight end or Brandon Scherff to address the offensive line. Or both.

The point is, with more than $70 million in projected cap space, and with only four other teams projected to possess even half that amount following a tough year financially across the league, the Jaguars can accelerate their rebuild in a wide-open division by splurging now. 

Imagine this team with Lawrence, Godwin, Harris, Henry, Scherff and, say, Miami star pass-rusher Gregory Rousseau as its second first-round pick. Consider the young talent already on the roster with recent first-rounders CJ Henderson, Josh Allen, K'Lavon Chaisson and Taven Bryan all still possessing upside on defense. 

The talent is there in some spots, and it will inevitably soon arrive in others. 

On top of all that, the Jaguars have a foothold in London, where they've essentially become England's team. Meyer and his quarterback can be the faces of that high-profile, lucrative, growing football market. It's a new avenue that wouldn't have been available to Meyer with any other job in American football. 

And frankly, in Jacksonville (and to a lesser extent in London), the stakes are lower than they would have been if Meyer had become the head coach at Texas. He has everything to lose in the college ranks, where he's a legend. But will anybody blame him if he can't quickly fix the Jaguars? 

There's a big difference between the Jaguars job and an Atlanta Falcons gig that comes with Matt Ryan and Julio Jones, or a Philadelphia Eagles opportunity that is wrapped in pressure because the team was supposed to be a Super Bowl contender in 2020. 

Meyer and a rookie No. 1 overall pick will bring plenty of fresh hype to Jacksonville this summer and fall, but nobody expects a 1-15 team to suddenly make a Super Bowl run next season. He'll have time to settle in along with a new, yet-to-be-named general manager. 

There will, in fact, be very little to lose early. But with the Indianapolis Colts likely to experience changes following a one-and-done playoff experience and the Houston Texans mired in tumult, the Jags could surprise with the 14-team playoff field again in place in 2021.  

So, could this whole endeavor blow up on both Meyer and the Jags? Could we one day list his name alongside Spurrier's, Petrino's and Kelly's? Sure. But if there were ever a perfect pro gig for a college coaching legend with celebrated Florida roots, it's this one. 

Brad Gagnon has covered the NFL for Bleacher Report since 2012. Follow him on Twitter: @Brad_Gagnon.