The Jacksonville Jaguars’ run-defense struggled mightily following the loss of Marcell Dareus to injury. The Jags went on to allow an average of over 139 yards per game on the ground. The majority of those yards came after Dareus’ core injury, suffered in Week 7 against the Cincinnati Bengals.
The Jaguars would go on to allow three consecutive 200-yard rushing performances against Houston (216 yards), Indianapolis (264 yards), and the Titans (219 yards). The Jags went on a historic drought, losing five straight games by 17 or more points. Of course, the poor run-defense was a big reason for the team’s disappointing losing streak.
While Dave Caldwell did sign nose tackle Al Woods and defensive lineman Rodney Gunter in free agency in hopes to sure up the loss of Dareus and Calais Campbell, the team likely will look to the draft for more help along the defensive front.
Here are my top-5 defensive tackles in the 2020 NFL Draft:
Derrick Brown, Auburn
Derrick Brown is the best defensive lineman in this class. Some view him strictly as a nose tackle at the next level, and if that’s the case, he’d be a very good one. That said, I think Brown offers a bit more than your typical nose tackle. He’s a much better athlete than his combine performance suggests and he would instantly become Jacksonville’s best player in the interior. He’s a run defending monster who offers some pass-rush upside. He wouldn’t be my ideal pick at No. 9, but he’d be a good one nonetheless.
Javon Kinlaw, South Carolina
Javon Kinlaw is just about the exact opposite of Derrick Brown in terms of use and his strengths. Kinlaw projects as a penetrative 3-technique. He’s quick off the ball and uses his explosion to beat centers and guards. He isn’t as polished as Brown, but likely has a higher ceiling as an interior pass-rusher, something every team now strives for. There have been whispers about Kinlaw’s medicals and a potential fall in the draft, but judging the Jaguars’ previous draft history regarding bad knees (Jawan Taylor, Myles Jack), fans should trust the Jags’ front office to make the right decision again.
A.J. Epenesa, Iowa
I normally wouldn’t include A.J. Epenesa in a list including pure defensive tackles, however, his game offers a lot of similarities to previous Jaguars All-Pro, Calais Campbell. Both are mountains of men, winning with physicality and power. Epenesa, like Campbell, also offers the versatility to be slid inside on passing downs. He’s got heavy hands, a nasty punch, and uses his incredible length to overwhelm opponents. There’s reason to believe that the Jaguars could see Epenesa as the heir to Campbell at the defensive end position. In my eyes, He’d be a terrific pick at No. 20.
Ross Blacklock, Texas Christian
Ross Blacklock is among my favorite prospects in this year’s class. He’s severely underrated by the media and has had a terrific draft cycle, performing very well at the NFL Combine, showing off his quick feet and explosion. He’s more Kinlaw than Brown but does still offer really nice value if he remains on the board at No. 42. He’s not quite the stout nose tackle the team is looking for, but he’s a play-making interior rusher all the same.
Justin Madubuike, Texas A&M
Justin Madubuike offers a similar role to Kinlaw as well. He’s one of the more explosive big men in the class, offering excellent value at the 3-technique. His specialty is using his quick first step and heavy hands to get quick penetration to the quarterback. While it may seem that there are more pass-rushing linemen on this list than run-stuffers, that’s simply the current trend in the modern era. If the Jaguars are set on an elite run-stuffer in the draft, then Brown is their guy, however, some of these other players also offer incredible value that the team can’t oversight.
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