With free-agency less than a week away, seven-round mock drafts have become popular on the web. With that being the case, we’ve decided to join the party and take a swing at what the Jacksonville Jaguars could do with all of their 10 picks and here are the results we came away with:
This time around we used Fanspeak’s simulator because they updated the Jags with their second fourth-round selection (from the Broncos for A.J. Bouye)
Round one, selection No. 9: Jeff Okudah, CB, Ohio State
Some would say it’s unrealistic for the Jags to have a chance to get Jeff Okudah with the ninth overall pick, however, between teams trading up for quarterbacks, Isaiah Simmons and Mekhi Becton making a case to be top-8 picks, it might get a little crazy before the Jags take the podium. Jalen Ramsey (albeit he’s not a Jag now) and Josh Allen are prime examples of this.
Multiple journalists around the nation have slotted Okudah to the Jags, and for them, it would be a blessing. They traded Ramsey to the Los Angeles Rams and many have stated that he may be the best cornerback prospect to enter the draft since the Florida State product.
At 6-foot-1, 200-pounds, Okudah has good length, good hips, and is versatile as a coverage option. If you’re the Jags, what more could you ask for?
Round one, selection No. 20: Kenneth Murray, LB, Oklahoma
The Jags need to do everything in their power to get Myles Jack back on the outside where he’s better suited to flourish. Kenneth Murray would allow that.
The Jags have a thing for explosive linebackers, and Murray proved to be just that on film and at the combine, clocking a 4.52 40-yard dash. Adding him to the linebacking corps would get the Jags back on track to creating the linebacker corps they had when Telvin Smith and Paul Posluszny led the group as the unit is now one of the team’s weakest.
Round two, selection No. 42: Lloyd Cushenberry, Center, LSU
The Jags could very well draft an offensive tackle early in round one, however, with Okudah available I couldn’t pass on that opportunity. Instead, they could make up for that decision by getting one of the best interior lineman in the draft, Lloyd Cushenberry.
If the Jags want to continue on with Leonard Fournette as a centerpiece, they need to bolster the offensive line, although general manager Dave Caldwell feels differently. This move would do just that as Cushenberry matched up well against the elite talent at the Senior Bowl (like Javon Kinlaw and company). He could come in right away and replace A.J. Cann at right guard or kick Brandon Linder to Cann’s spot.
Round three, selection No. 73: Thaddeus Moss, TE, LSU
There were several options to go here at tight end like Dayton’s Adam Trautman, Washington’s Hunter Bryant, and Purdue’s Brycen Hopkins, but I went with Thaddeus Moss, son of legendary receiver Randy Moss. The reason for that is because the Jags love Southeastern Conference talent.
At 6-foot-2, 250 pounds, a lot of scouts are enamored with Moss because of his ability to cause mismatches. Sure the Jags just drafted Josh Oliver, but with a mind like Jay Gruden onboard, having both could allow the Jags to do some creative things.
Round four, selection No. 116: K.J. Hill, WR, Ohio State
The receivers class for 2020 is so deep that good talent will end up leaking into the fourth-round. After running a 4.60 at the NFL Combine, don’t be shocked if K.J. Hill slides into Day 3.
Hill was one of the standouts in the Senior Bowl, showcasing his ability to be slippery and shake free in the open field. He’s also fared well with press coverage on film and putting him with a receivers guru like Keenan McCardell could help him pick up the game rather quickly.
Round four, selection No. 137: DaVon Hamilton, DT, Ohio State
At this point, I was looking for sleeper picks and DaVon Hamilton could be just that. Due to not being a starter for the Buckeyes, he could be available late in the fourth and strikes me as someone who could be a better pro than collegiate player.
Hamilton had an under-the-radar Combine, turning in a 5.14 in the 40-yard dash, putting up 33 reps on the bench press, and registering a 29.5-inch vertical jump at 6-foot-4, 320 pounds. He’s proven to be solid against the run while with the Buckeyes and is the type of space-eater the Jags could mold over time.
Round five, selection No. 165: J.R. Reed, Safety, Georgia
As pointed out by Darien Harris of the “TC3 Podcast” in our chat about the draft, J.R. Reed is simply a playmaker. He may not wow you with athleticism, but when the Bulldogs needed a play, he stepped up to the plate.
At 6-foot-1, 201-pounds, Reed is a smart player with good instincts, which is how he’s found his way through the competitive SEC. It’s possible he could push Jarrod Wilson for a starting spot, but if not, the Jags would be getting a solid special teams player.
Round six, selection No. 189: DeeJay Dallas, RB, Miami
The Jags may not pick up Fournette’s fifth-year option and they need to start developing options behind him. At 5-foot-10, 217-pounds, Dallas is a similar player in terms of physicality and is a good short-yardage running back. He also has good straight-line speed when he gets going and would give the Jags a respectable option in the screen game as he was successful in that department for the Hurricanes.
Round six, selection No. 206: Mykal Walker, LB, Fresno
Mykal Walker is a player with versatility, playing in both a 3-4 and 4-3 scheme in college. In a 4-3 he may be better suited as a weak-side linebacker as opposed to a MIKE, but regardless, the Jags just need depth at the position.
At 6-foot-3, 230 pounds, draft guru and my comrade from Bleav Podcast Network, Tony Pauline, praised Walker’s instincts and ability to play in space after watching him at the Shrine Game practices. Those sound like tools that could aid him to become a starter over time.
Round seven, selection No. 223: Kelly Bryant, QB, Missouri
If Nick Foles is traded as some feel, the Jags will be left with just two quarterbacks in Gardner Minshew II and Joshua Dobbs. That means another quarterback will need to be added in the coming months.
After seeing how Minshew developed as a late-round quarterback, the Jags should take a late swing at the position again and see where it takes them. At 6-foot-3, 225 pounds, Bryant has good size and good arm strength and showed improvement throughout his week of practice at the Shrine Game. That may have been enough to make a team have interest in drafting him late come April.
Listen to the latest from Jags Wire’s Jags Wire’s James Johnson and Phil Smith on their podcast, Bleav in Jags. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, or Spotify.
Ep. 6
