Tight end is clearly the Jacksonville Jaguars’ biggest position of need aside from quarterback. They let Tyler Eifert walk, and though they signed Chris Manhertz from Carolina, him and James O’Shaughnessy are the notables they have at the position at the moment.
With that being said, it’s almost guaranteed the team will take a tight end in the upcoming draft. There’s a transcendent prospect at the position in Kyle Pitts, but he will almost certainly be off the board in the top 10, meaning it would take an aggressive trade-up for Jacksonville to land him.
Instead, it will likely target a player like Penn State’s Pat Freiermuth, the consensus No. 2 tight end in the draft. But what if Jacksonville chooses to pass on Freiermuth and address another position of need? Or worse yet, what if he’s off the board when the team picks at 33rd, a likely landing spot for him?
There are other tight end prospects in this class that have gotten some attention, such as Boston College’s Hunter Long, who Mel Kiper projected the Jags would take over Freiermuth. He has similar college production to Freiermuth, but there is a fairly considerable drop between the two in the eyes of most scouts. If they took Long, they would still probably have to do it in the second or third round.
They could also opt for a player like Miami’s Brevin Jordan. He’s not the downfield threat that Pitts and Freiermuth are, but he’s great after the catch and was utilized on a lot of flat and drag routes with the Hurricanes. The Jaguars could also wait longer for Jordan than for Freiermuth.
There’s also Kansas State’s Briley Moore Jr., who had a breakout season as a grad transfer from Northern Iowa. He’s a good run-blocker in addition to solid abilities in the passing game.
What do you think, Jags fans? Who should the team target at tight end if landing Freiermuth isn’t an option? Let us know in the poll below.
