2023 Jacksonville Jaguars Mock Draft 1.0

Elevating The Pass Rush And Adding Playmakers Should Be The Forefront of Jacksonville's Priorities

With Jacksonville Jaguars' loss to the Kansas City Chiefs just over a week ago, all eyes are on the ensuing offseason. Now that this team has found itself as a division champion, the forefront must shift from building to win the division towards building to win the conference. Don't get it mistaken, these two tasks are very different. The Jaguars were forced to assemble a respectable run defense in order to go against the likes of Derrick Henry, Jonathon Taylor, and Dameon Pierce. While they weren't one of the best in the league, they did enough to take a winning record in the division this season.

Doug Pederson and Trent Baalke will now be building this team to defeat the Kansas City Chiefs, Cincinnati Bengals, and Buffalo Bills. All of these teams have one vital strength in common, they have fantastic young quarterbacks. Mike Caldwell's defense took a huge step forward as the season progressed, but they still have some key flaws that could keep them from winning the conference. Chief among those concerns must be the pass rush, but they'll also need to address their ability to cover the slot and tight ends. Thankfully, they should have the resources to answer those questions in the draft.

On the offensive side of the ball, the Jaguars have already addressed their need for an elite playmaker with the addition of Calvin Ridley. They'll benefit well from adding some more talent at all skill positions on the offense, but perhaps nothing will make a bigger impact than adding a big man to the interior of the offensive line. While they'll get Ben Bartch back, the Jaguars couldn't stop interior pass rushers when they were forced to play with backups, so maybe they should take a shot at another offensive lineman. With all of these concerns brought up, let's start addressing them.

No. #24 - B.J. Ojulari - EDGE, LSU

Just because he's an edge rusher out of LSU doesn't mean he's another K'Lavon Chaisson. B.J. Ojulari is high among the list of the best pass rushers coming out this season and plays with a violent, well-developed style of play. Adding a player like Ojulari makes a lot of sense for the Jaguars because it gives Mike Caldwell a high-floor pass rusher who still has plenty of room to grow. While he may not be a vital asset against the run, the Jaguars could look to use Ojulari primarily on passing downs throughout his first season before featuring him in a full-time role.

Part of the problem that could be presented in adding an edge player this early is that there's already clear starters at that position. However, I don't think this should be a huge concern with Travon Walker's versatility. If they're looking to have their three best pass rushers on the field, Walker could always move to the inside while Ojulari and Josh Allen play the two-point stance. Potentially add Arden Key and Dawuane Smoot to that defensive line, now you're talking about a potentially great pass rush. Shoutout to Jordan De Lugo for his review on B.J. Ojulari which ultimately was the reason I selected him, he offers great content on prospects and the NFL Draft from the Jaguars perspective.

No. #56 - Darnell Washington - TE, Georgia

If Washington was available at No. 56, the Jaguars would have one of the steals of the draft. In all honesty, I wouldn't blame this team for picking him at the end of the first round or trading up in the second round. Darnell Washington is an absolute unicorn that would create an amazing tight end tandem for Jacksonville. While there may not be another Travis Kelce, the way he moves and plays gave me reminders of him.

Washington is going to need some development at the NFL level, but he has the entire foundation you'd ask for in a tight end. He's arguably the best run blocking TE in the draft and would instantly elevate Travis Etienne. Where the projection comes in is his ability to impact the passing game. If you watched Washington's highlights from college, you can see clear flashes of him being a great receiver, but that didn't happen all that much with Brock Bowers being on the roster. If he can reach his potential in the passing game, you'll have a complete tight end to pair with Evan Engram(he's gonna be back guys).

No. #88 - Kenny McIntosh - RB, Georgia

We're going back to Georgia for another one. Yes, the Jaguars just drafted a running back last year in Snoop Conner, but there's still a void behind Travis Etienne that should be filled, especially in the passing game. McIntosh doesn't just fill that void, but he's a fantastic complement to Doug Pederson's offense that adds one more element for defenses to stop. He's an effective running back, arguably college football's best pass-catching back, and has even played out wide as a receiver. You can't tell me they would find some usage out of him.

No. #105 - Tre'Vius Hodges-Tomlinson - CB, TCU

I traded No. 121, No. 185, and No. 202 to obtain No. 105 from the Arizona Cardinals and select a much-needed slot cornerback. I was at a crossroads for the previous pick in this draft. While Kenny McIntosh is a fantastic fit with the Jaguars, the need at slot cornerback is much larger and Tre'Vius Hodges-Tomlinson was the last prospect left I'd have been confident in selecting. Since he fell into the fourth round and we don't have a need for nine selections, I packaged a fourth rounder with some late selection to obtain Hodges-Tomlinson.

Tre'Vius would be a really great fit in Jacksonville. He's a big-play, big-hitter type of prospect that would instantly fill the need in the nickel. While Hodges-Tomlinson is undersized at cornerback, having him inside would minimize that issue and let him thrive at the NFL level. If the Jaguars can get their hands on him in the middle rounds of the draft, they should feel very confident about their secondary heading into the next season.

No. #127 - Joe Tippmann - IOL, Wisconsin

With most of the pressing needs already addressed, we need to work on adding depth to this roster. Joe Tippmann has played nearly his entire college career at center, a position already filled for the Jaguars, but he has the size and ability to transition to guard if needed. With how this team struggled against Chris Jones in the playoffs, adding some big guys to the interior could be a great move.

No. #209 - Atonio Mafi - IOL, UCLA

Let's go ahead and add another big man to the offensive line. We talked early on about how left guard was an issue after Ben Bartch's injury, so it made sense to add another insurance policy to the roster. Mafi is a versatile player who used to play on the defensive line, and with his massive size he could be very tempting to develop. This is the kind of player the Jaguars could fall in love with in the later rounds, especially with his performance at the Senior Bowl, so why not take a shot this late?

No. #228 - Max Melton - CB, Rutgers

At this point in the draft, you're just taking a swing at talent. Max Melton could potentially be off the board for the Jaguars due to some off-the-field concerns, but he could be a good addition this late if those issues aren't too large a concern. Melton will need to learn how to temper his aggressive play style a bit after giving up a good passer rating, but the player is there to mold into a good addition.

Evaluating Mock Draft 1.0

Overall, I'd say this draft turned out really well. There's a lot of great names the Jaguars could select, especially with their first selection, but it should be paramount for this team to heavily consider addressing the pass rush. If they want to be on track to compete for the conference championship, they'll need to usher in a new era of Sacksonville with a top player like B.J. Ojulari.

For much of this draft, the Jaguars should find players who can offer something entirely new to the team. Darnell Washington being coached by Doug Pederson would lay the grounds for a truly unique threat at the tight end position. Kenny McIntosh, while he may not become an elite running back, adds another major threat to the passing game and an insurance policy for Travis Etienne. Tre'Vius Hodges-Tomlinson, being the final big addition, fills the largest need in the Jaguars secondary while having the versatility to shift outside if the team's in a bind.

The issues I could see with the roster after this draft would be a potential lack of pressure from the interior on defense and a lack of receiving depth. Without players who can break the center of the pocket, quarterbacks can often step up for more time and find an open receiver. Perhaps the Jaguars could solve that issue with a permanent move to the inside by Travon Walker, but I highly doubt they're considering a change to that extent. As far as receivers, Jamal Agnew is the only depth receiver currently on the roster for next season, so more work would need to be done in free agency or the remaining UDFAs.

Thanks for reading, feel free to give your thoughts in the comments and any suggestions for content you want to see. Make sure to be respectful towards other fans and represent the Jaguars fan base the way it deserves.