The 2020 NFL Draft is now less than a month away, assuming that everything goes according to plan. Free agency has come to an end for the most part, and after some wild trades, we now have a better idea of what every team’s draft needs are.
As of right now, most are expecting at least three quarterbacks, Jeffrey Okudah, Chase Young, Isaiah Simmons, and two other players to be off the board as the Jaguars hold the ninth selection. Let’s look at what players could be available and could end up being on the Jags’ roster when the No. 9 selection is made:
Iowa OT Tristan Wirfs
If Okudah is off the board by the ninth pick, this is the guy I would select for Jacksonville. Tristan Wirfs was a dominant right tackle for the Iowa Hawkeyes, using his elite athleticism and tremendous power to bully rival edge rushers. However, it’s Wirfs’ versatility that is intriguing.
Many NFL Scouts, including NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah, felt Wirfs could develop into a dominant guard at the NFL level. I feel differently as Wirfs is a player who could play both guard and both tackle positions along the line and at a high level at that.
At Iowa, Wirfs was the Hawkweyes’ best blocker, but due to Alaric Jackson’s comfort at left tackle, Wirfs was put on the right side of the line. There he would stay for the majority of his college career, however, when Alaric Jackson went down with an injury, Wirfs stepped in to replace him and performed admirably. This is a big reason as to why I project Wirfs so highly for Jacksonville.
Wirfs could come in and immediately compete for one of the guard positions while the team waits out Cam Robinson, in hopes of improvement at left tackle. If Robinson continues to struggle, the team will have Wirfs in the fold to take over as the team’s blindside blocker, allowing Robinson to slide inside and compete at guard. It may not be the flashy selection for Jacksonville at No. 9, however, I think he is the right one for the long-term.
Oklahoma WR CeeDee Lamb
This selection would be a lot of fun. With the young Gardner Minshew II coming back for his second season, the team now has to look at ways to help their developing signal-caller.
D.J. Chark Jr, Chris Conley, and Dede Westbrook were a solid trio in 2019, but in a deep receiver class, the Jaguars could look to take advantage of some of the premier talents at the top. For Jacksonville, no receiver makes more sense than Oklahoma’s CeeDee Lamb.
While the team certainly has speed in the receiver room, it lacks physicality and a true red-zone threat. Those would be Lamb’s specialty. While Lamb isn’t necessarily bigger than some other Jags’ receivers, it’s his skill set that would mesh so well with the current receiving corps.
Chark has become the deep guy for Minshew as the two developed awesome chemistry together in 2019. Westbrook is a great slot option, turning small gains into big ones. That leaves room for Lamb to flourish at the x-receiver spot where he could be a safety valve and intermediate threat. Simply put, that makes him perfect for the No. 9 selection.
Florida CB C.J. Henderson
Admittedly this would be a reach for Jacksonville. There is a lot to like about C.J. Henderson but he’s not a player some feel is worthy of the No. 9 pick.
The Jaguars have somewhat put themselves in a sticky situation at corner. The team decided to trade away both starters from Week 1 (Jalen Ramsey and A.J. Bouye) of last season and now the cupboard looks pretty bare when it comes to the defensive backs room. The team now stares at Tre Herndon and Rashaan Melvin as their starting outside corners, not exactly an ideal situation to be in.
Reaching in the NFL Draft is never good, especially in the top-10 and generally. However, general manager Dave Caldwell has done a good job of taking the best player available. In the 2020 draft, that might not be so easy to do, though, because of the dire need for a cornerback.
As for Henderson’s flaws, he has some physicality problems that hinder his tackling ability, but as a true cover corner, he is one of the best. Add in the possibility of their pass-rush taking a hit if Yannick Ngakoue is traded, and taking Henderson at No. 9 becomes more of a concern.
In the end, the Jaguars may look to move up or down depending on how the overall board falls for them. Who knows, maybe the team is in another Josh Allen type situation where one of the draft’s best players falls in their lap again for Caldwell to snatch up.
