USAT: Jaguars Wire audio clip

USAT: Jaguars Wire

Jan 17, 2022

When the Jacksonville Jaguars name a new coach (which might result in them naming a new general manager, too), they will have several draft selections to use in April to improve the team. Of course, among those picks will be the No. 1 overall pick, which it seems could be used to bolster the Jags’ pass-rush or protection for quarterback Trevor Lawrence. With several college all-star games set for this month, Draft Wire has also been hard at work trying to figure out what the early rounds of the draft could look like and composed a new three-round mock this week. Here is how editor Luke Easterling had things unfold for the Jags, who have four picks in the top three rounds: Round 1 1. Jacksonville Jaguars | Oregon EDGE Kayvon Thibodeaux The Jags have bigger needs, but you never reach for need with the No. 1 pick. This spot is about taking the best player in the draft, and at this point, that s still Thibodeaux, who brings a rare blend of size, athleticism and explosiveness to a premium position. There are three players who it seems the Jags could take here and a lot agree with Easterling that Kayvon Thibodeaux is the best player in the draft. If the Jags feel the same way, this wouldn’t be a bad pick by any means as the team would be adding a dominant edge player to pair with Josh Allen, though scouts feel Thibodeaux is a little raw. Round 2 33. Jacksonville Jaguars | Ohio State OT Nicholas Petit-Frere Jags left tackle Cam Robinson is a pending free agent and their right tackle, Jawaan Taylor, was the third-most penalized player in the NFL with 11 this season and didn’t show the growth fans would like out of a third-year player. However, the good news is that rookie Walker Little was fine when called on to start in Robinson’s place and he’s done enough for the next staff to name him the team’s starting left tackle of 2022. That could entice them to let Robinson hit free agency, and if that happened, tackle needs to be addressed early in the draft. At 6-foot-5, 315 pounds, Nicholas Petit-Frere has good size and has played both right and left tackle, so this is another good pick for the Jags by Easterling. Round 3 65. Jacksonville Jaguars | Texas A&M TE Jalen Wydermyer There is no doubt that the Jags need weapons for Lawrence all over the place, which could lead to an offensive-heavy draft. Drafting a player like the 6-foot-5 Jalen Wydermyer to help him out certainly wouldn’t be a bad idea, either, as he is a player that uses his frame well, has good hands, and is tough to bring down. Additionally, he played in the toughest conference in college in the Southeastern Conference, so he may have a better chance to make an immediate impact more than others at the tight end position. Had Clemson receiver Justyn Ross been available here (went one pick prior), he may have been a better option due to his familiarity with Lawrence, but Easterling had the right idea in mind in terms of adding a pass-catcher. 70. Jacksonville Jaguars (from CAR) | Baylor S Jalen Pitre Easterling concluded the Jags three-round mock with another defensive player in addition to Thibodeaux. However, the Jags drafted safety Andre Cisco in the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft, and when he finally was able to see some time on the field, he looked like a starter. Additionally, the Jags spent a lot of money on veteran safety Rayshawn Jenkins last year, so it looks like he could be back in the starting lineup if there are no issues with his recovery from a broken ankle. A better option when looking at who was selected around pick No. 70 may have been Georgia’s offensive tackle Jamaree Salyer, who many like as a guard on the NFL level. He came into the university as a guard and played the position in the 2020 Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, though most of his time at Georgia was spent at tackle. However, when it comes to the Jags, right guard A.J. Cann is set to be a free agent and a player with the power and lateral mobility of Salyer seems like a perfect fit to replace him. Email Sign up Like this article? Sign up for the Jaguars Wire email newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning An error has occured Please re-enter your email address. Thanks for signing up! You'll now receive the top Jaguars Wire stories each day directly in your inbox.

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