College football season is here and for NFL fans that can often mean dreaming about the stars on Saturdays joining their favorite team on Sundays.
The Jacksonville Jaguars don’t have many glaring needs entering the 2023 season. In addition to a starting lineup that’s almost identical to the one that won the AFC South in 2022, the Jaguars now have a much deeper roster after drafting 13 players in April.
That leaves no obvious route for Jacksonville next year in the 2024 NFL draft.
A quarterback wouldn’t make sense and the Jaguars are pretty set at running back, tight end, offensive tackle, and inside linebacker. Drafting a player at any other position could potentially make sense dependent on how the 2023 season plays out.
Here are 10 college football players who are eligible for the 2024 NFL draft and could be Jaguars targets in the spring:
Denzel Burke, CB, Ohio State
A starter since the day he arrived in Columbus, Burke is an athletic and rangy cornerback who was a star wide receiver in high school. At 6’1, 190 pounds, Burke fits the lengthy mold Jaguars general manager Trent Baalke looks for in cornerbacks.
Sedrick Van Pran, OL, Georgia
The Jaguars are probably set for the future at offensive tackle with some combination of Anton Harrison, Walker Little, and Cam Robinson. They’re also in a good place at center with Luke Fortner. But guard is a work in progress.
Tossing a 6’4, 310 pound All-SEC into the mix couldn’t hurt. Van Pran has played center at Georgia, but a move to guard in Jacksonville is feasible.
Dallas Turner, EDGE, Alabama
The Jaguars hope the outside linebacker duo of Josh Allen and Travon Walker lead the way for many more sacks in 2023. But depth behind that duo is thin and Allen is set to become a free agent in 2024.
Even if Jacksonville brings back Allen, it’d make sense to look at Alabama’s 6’4 edge rusher, who earned SEC All-Freshman honors in 2021.
Maason Smith, DL, LSU
Smith was a dominant force in his freshman season at LSU in 2021, but missed almost all of 2022 due to an ACL tear. Listed at 6’6, 315 pounds, Smith has the frame and the skills to be a perfect fit on the Jaguars’ 3-4 defensive line.
Kool-Aid McKinstry, CB, Alabama
If McKinstry recreates his 2022 season, when he earned First Team All-SEC honors, it’d be surprising if he’s anywhere in range of the Jaguars’ selection. But crazier things have happened and the Alabama cornerback fits the bill of a Baalke defensive back.
Kampen Kinchens, S, Miami
The Jaguars appear to have a rising star at safety in Andre Cisco, but finding a long-term replacement for 29-year-old Rayshawn Jenkins wouldn’t be the worst idea. Kinchens is a ball hawking First-Team All-American who hauled in six interceptions in 2022.
Donovan Jackson, OL, Ohio State
The 6’4, 320-pound guard earned All-Big Ten honors blocking for C.J. Stroud in 2022. Now he’ll try to maintain his status as one of the best interior lineman in the nation without Paris Johnson and Luke Wypler with him on the Buckeyes offensive line. If he proves he can lead the new-look line, Jackson could solidify his spot in the first round.
Xavier Worthy, WR, Texas
The loaded Jaguars wide receiving corps seems set for a little while with Calvin Ridley, Christian Kirk, and Zay Jones leading the way. But adding another to the mix who has track star speed (10.55-second 100-meter dash in high school) and return ability isn’t a bad idea when Jamal Agnew is set to become a free agent in 2024.
Andrew Mukuba, DB, Clemson
The Zimbabwe-native was the 2021 ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year and has played just about everywhere in the Clemson defense. During the 2022 season, Mukuba spent 243 snaps at slot corner, 232 at free safety, 82 in the box, and 16 out wide at cornerback. The Jaguars love versatility and need to keep adding defensive backs, so Mukuba fits the bill.
J.T. Tuimoloau, EDGE, Ohio State
Another Buckeye? Yep. Expect a handful of Ohio State players to come off the board in the first round in April. Tuimoloau has a chance at being one of them after earning First Team All-Big Ten honors in 2022. The 6’4, 271-pound pass rusher has prototypical size and length, and finished his sophomore season with 11 tackles for loss, two interceptions, and 4.5 sacks.
