Bleacher Report says Jags must avoid this mistake in the 2022 NFL draft

From the moment the Jaguars secured the top pick in last year’s draft, it was obvious who the team was going to take. Aside from a small group of contrarians, everyone knew quarterback Trevor Lawrence would be coming to town.

This time around is different, though. There’s no clear-cut player at the top, and there are a few different positions the team could target. However, the prevailing wisdom around the league seems to be that an offensive tackle — likely Alabama’s Evan Neal — will be the pick.

There’s still a chance the team could look to take a pass-rusher like Aidan Hutchinson or Kayvon Thibodeaux with the pick, but Bleacher Report’s Brent Sobleski thinks that passing on protection for Lawrence is the one mistake Jacksonville must avoid in this draft.

The Jacksonville Jaguars landed their franchise quarterback with last year’s No. 1 overall pick. Now, they can improve Trevor Lawrence’s supporting cast.

As holders of another top selection, the Jaguars will have their choice of prospects. An investment in a proper bodyguard is the most logical choice, particularly in a class defined by the trenches.

Surely, Oregon’s Kayvon Thibodeaux should be discussed. But a left tackle will be necessary if Cam Robinson departs in free agency.

Alabama’s Evan Neal is considered the most pro-ready among this year’s offensive tackle prospects, according to B/R scout Brandon Thorn. Even so, the 6’7″, 350-pound blindside protector presents upside as a 21-year-old prospect who topped The Athletic’s yearly list of elite athletes heading into the 2021 campaign.

Neal should be the selection based on those factors. The Jaguars should also consider North Carolina State’s Ikem Ekwonu, who turned into the nation’s most dominant blocker this fall. Ekwonu isn’t as polished in pass protection, though.

Either way, someone to keep Lawrence upright would be the sensible approach, even if it’s not the sexiest.

As Sobleski mentions, drafting a left tackle with the first pick would give the Jaguars the ability to let Robinson go in free agency and avoid a pricey, long-term deal.

Acquiring an edge rusher is still a need, but it could be addressed later in a draft that’s deep at the position. The team’s overall top priority needs to be building around Lawrence on offense, and a franchise blindside blocker would be a great piece to add.

The Jaguars have time to figure it out, but they can’t afford to get this decision wrong.