Michigan defensive end Josaiah Stewart (0) celebrates with the Paul Bunyan Trophy after 24-17 win over Michigan State at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The first week of NFL free agency is set to come to a close and the Jacksonville Jaguars have several new players on the roster. Many of their additions fill needs and secure depth on both sides of the ball. However, there are still some sizeable gaps that must be addressed.
This is where the NFL Draft comes in. Jacksonville is slated to select at No. 5 overall in the selection process, giving them an opportunity to land a blue-chip caliber talent early and establish a presence next month. With that in mind, using the Pro Football Network mock draft simulator, let's dive into a brand-new seven-round mock draft to address the remaining needs on the Jaguars roster.
After the Jaguars made their free agent acquisitions, a question was raised about whether it screamed of a high probability that Graham would be the choice for general manager James Gladstone and head coach Liam Coen. While this is unclear with over a month to go to the draft, Graham is the type of talent that would be hard to pass up on, giving the Jaguars an immediate impact starter from Day 1.
This is a dream scenario for Jacksonville, landing arguably the best wide receiver in the draft with their second round choice. Egbuka is a pro-ready playmaker who can be productive from the slot almost immediately. This would give quarterback Trevor Lawrence another young receiver to match with Brian Thomas Jr. to form a formidable duo in Duval country.
An underrated need on the Jaguars defensive line is the lack of adequate depth at edge rusher. Stewart is undersized, but he rarely plays like it. This is the type of designated pass rusher Jacksonville needs to relieve Travon Walker and Josh Hines-Allen when needed, as Stewart uses his explosiveness, acceleration through contact, and rush variety to beat opposing blockers.
Jacksonville has gone out to establish their cornerback room for 2025 with Jourdan Lewis joining the team and Jarrian Jones likely getting kicked to the perimeter. The room needs depth and depsite being an undersized corner, Bryant is a physical defender who thrives in man coverage with flashes of playmaking ability in zone shells.
As the Jaguars hope to have Walker Little and Anton Harrison as their future at both tackle spots, Coen may want to instill some competition with young talent. This opens the door for a potential rookie to challenge either player, most likely Little. Trapilo is an intriguing developmental tackle with outstanding size and play strength that could intrigue Jacksonville in the middle rounds.
Anthony Campanile would like to see his defense beefed up in the middle, especially if he intends to run and odd base front and utlize a nose tackle. Jordan Jefferson is the favorite to be used in that role but there must be competition at this spot and Phillips fits the bill of a prototypical nose with incredible knockback power and penetration at the point of attack.
After cutting Evan Engram and losing Luke Farrell to the 49ers, Brenton Strange is now the Jaguars No. 1 tight end. However, the team lacks depth at the position and it feels disingenous to have just two TEs on the final roster. When Jacksonville intends to run 21 or 12 personnel, having a physical blocking TE with a growing pass-catching skill set is critical and Hawes fits the bill for a team that will want to run the ball.
Jacksonville hits on two needs with one selection: edge rusher and linebacker depth. Oliver is one of the many versatile second-level defenders with the capability of playing off the edge and getting after the quarterback or roaming the second level as a stack linebacker to defend the run. Oliver has the ceiling to grow into a potential impactful rotational player while providing special teams value early in his career.
It doesn't hurt to add more special teams talent on the roster, especially return specialists. Wester is an explosive, shifty playmaker that was a part of a talented Buffs skill group with Shedeur Sanders throwing the ball his way. This also adds depth to the receiver room after losing Josh Reynolds and Devin Duvernay.
It's unclear where Lampkin will be drafted due to his unique size and ability as a 5-foot-19, 275-pounds interior lineman. This would be a nice experiment for the Jaguars to take on late in the third day of the draft. Lampkin is a physical, tough, and competitive player despite his size concerns and could provide immediate depth for the team as he develops at the next level.
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