After months of waiting, draft day has finally arrived. At 7:00 p.m. ET, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell will take the podium from his home and the biggest event of the NFL’s 2020 offseason will commence.
The Jacksonville Jaguars should have a relatively exciting day ahead of them as they are one of the few teams with multiple Day 1 picks. Afterward, they will have 10 more picks (at least they are scheduled to for now) and will have a huge opportunity to build a strong nucleus that could propel the Jags to new heights down the road.
With the annual event set to start today, here is our final mock of how things could shake out for Dave Caldwell and company:
(Note: I used Pro Football Network’s simulator for the sake of this mock)
Round one, selection No. 9: Isaiah Simmons, LB/DB, Clemson
It seemed very unlikely that Isaiah Simmons could fall to the Jags before this week, but some crazy moves ahead of the Jags may make it possible. In fact, a lot of analysts are predicting he’ll go anywhere from the No. 6 pick to the No. 12 pick.
In this particular simulation, Simmons was available as Jeffrey Okudah, Derrick Brown, Tristan Wirfs, and Andrew Thomas were all taken by pick No. 9. While the Jags could trade back, it’s a strong chance Simmons is ranked high on the Jags’ board and Caldwell may think he’s too solid of an athlete to pass up. Either way the dice rolls, the Jags certainly could do no wrong by selecting him and putting his athleticism at safety or trading back to acquire more picks.
Round one, selection No. 20: Denzel Mims, WR, Baylor
Typically I’ve mocked Justin Jefferson here, however, he was taken at pick No. 18. I wouldn’t be shocked if he’s available at this spot later in the evening, and if he is, he’d make a fine pick for the Jags.
However, in this particular simulation, Denzel Mims was the best receiver available and he’d be just as good of a pick for the Jags. At 6-foot-3, 207-pounds, he’d give Gardner Minshew II a receiver with a great catch radius and could be paired with D.J. Chark Jr. for a very dangerous one-two punch on the perimeter.
Round two, selection No. 42: Bryce Hall, CB, Virginia
Obviously, the Jags will pick a cornerback at some point in this draft after their deal with Darqueze Dennard wasn’t complete. That said, I selected Bryce Hall with the Jags’ second-round pick as he’s a prospect who is solid in both zone and man coverage and offers the size the Jags like at cornerback (6-foot-1, 202-pounds).
Hall made the cut in my last mock in Round 3 and he fell because of health concerns as he suffered a broken ankle last October. However, according to NFL insider Ian Rapoport, he’s received positive reviews in terms of his health. With that being the case, the Jags may not have a problem taking a chance on him after thoroughly investigating the situation.
Round three, selection No. 73: Cam Akers, RB, Florida State
Adam Schefter reported that the Jags placed Leonard Fournette on the trade block this weekend and that very well could mean the Jags have a plan in place to move on in 2020. Part of that plan should include selecting a tailback in the draft.
Cam Akers would be a good fit for the Jags after wowing many at the combine and putting together a solid career at Florida State (86 touches, 2,875 rushing yards, and 27 touchdowns) despite the mediocre talent on their offensive line. On film, his instincts, ability to cut, and ability to get yards after contact stand out.
Some believe he’ll be available in the third round, but even if he isn’t, the Jags have the ammo to trade up for him late in the second round.
Round three, selection No. 89: Alex Highsmith, DE, Charlotte
*Trade alert: We moved up to this spot previously held by the Minnesota Vikings by trading them picks No. 116, No. 140, and a conditional fourth in 2021.
NFL insider Ian Rapoport says a trade to move Yannick Ngakoue for the draft is unlikely, but one would think the Jags plan on drafting an edge rusher just in case he never takes the field with Jacksonville again. That said, I traded up for an edge rusher they’ve reportedly shown interest in, Alex Highsmith.
Highsmith is a player who was ultra-productive behind the line of scrimmage during his time at Charlotte, garnering 47 tackles for loss in four seasons. He especially balled out in 2019, accumulating 21.5 tackles for loss and 15 sacks. That’s not bad for a player who had to walk-on and is an indicator that he can develop over time under Todd Wash, who isn’t a fan favorite but has fared well with developing lineman.
The rest
Round four, selection No. 137: Shane Lemieux, OG, Oregon – The Jags don’t sound like they will be looking for starters on their offensive line this week, but they certainly could afford some depth. Shane Lemieux would give the Jags a player who could push A.J. Cann to be a starter in 2020. However, if the veteran wins the battle, Lemieux certainly should be ready to step in next year as he’d bring a tenacity that Doug Marrone will like.
Round five, selection No. 157: Hakeem Adenji, OT, Kansas – We took Adenji in our last mock (check it out here). He’s not quite as tall or big (6-foot-4, 304-pounds) as the Jags like in their offensive tackles, but landing him in the fifth-round makes him a solid value pick.
Round five, selection No. 165: Josiah Deguara, TE, Cincinnati – Jags coach Doug Marrone said the team isn’t done adding help at tight end this offseason. That said, it looks like they need an H-back type weapon who can block and serve as a pass-catcher. Josiah Deguara can be just that for them and he’s a player they’ve met with this offseason.
Round six, selection No. 189: Isaiah Hodgkins, WR, Oregon State – The Jags shouldn’t stop at just adding one receiver. Dede Westbrook, Chris Conley, and Keelan Cole are all set to be free agents next season and the Jags must prepare to lose at least one or two of them. Landing the 6-foot-4, 210-pound Isaiah Hodgkins gives them a developmental receiver who plays smart football and has soft hands.
Round six, selection No. 206: Harrison Hand, CB, Temple – Just like at receiver, the Jags should double-dip at corner because behind Tre Herndon and D.J. Haden, the group looks iffy. Harrison Hand would be a good selection in the sixth round as he showcases the competitiveness and discipline fans like to see on tape.
Round seven, selection No. 223: Bravvion Roy, DT, Baylor – Bravvion Roy was a standout during the practices at the Shrine Game and was arguably the most mentioned player of the process. According to Tony Pauline of Pro Football Network, Roy collapsed the pocket and could not be stopped all that week for the most part. At 6-foot-1, 333 pounds, he could potentially rotate at nose tackle as Al Woods is the Jags’ oldest player (33).
