Week 17 Jaguars Four Round NFL Mock Draft

Needs Have Changed For A Surging Jaguars Team In December

Man oh man, have things got really interesting this late in the year. After dropping to a 2% chance to make the postseason last month, the Jaguars are now the clear favorite to win the AFC South. They've made some big moves across the roster including the return of Darious Williams to the boundary and seen the ascension of several players late in the year. With these great developments in Jacksonville, it seems like this team won't have as many needs to address in the offseason as we were expecting.

What's also changed for the Jaguars is that they won't have a high selection in the draft this offseason. We've all spent a lot of time talking about players like Jalen Carter, Quentin Johnston, Peter Skoronski, and Paris Johnson Jr., but it's almost undoubtable that the Jaguars would need to trade up for one of these top prospects. I completed this mock draft on NFL Mock Draft Database which ranks prospects based on how they're ranked across the most prominent platforms that discuss the draft.

No. #19 - Brian Branch - CB, Alabama

Cornerback is such an interesting topic for the Jaguars this offseason. Heading into this season, the Jaguars felt extremely confident in their cornerback room with three good starters, but none of those players fit well into the nickel. We saw how much of a challenge it was for Darious Williams and ever since he was moved back to the boundary he's been one of the best players on the defense. With that change, it's clear the Jaguars must draft someone who can cover the slot which has been abused in recent weeks.

Now drafting a slot cornerback may seem like a luxury pick this early in the draft, but Brian Branch is so much more. Not only does he excel at slot coverage, but he's been one of the best safeties across college football and has even played snaps from the linebacker position at times. Branch possesses skills that I believe would fit great into the Jacksonville defense. He excels at pass breakups and plays with a fearless mentality as he delivers big hits. Branch can change the game and he would perfectly fill what's arguably the biggest hole in the back half of the defense.

The other prospect I would've considered at this point is Michael Mayer(TE, Notre Dame). Mayer has a great shot at being one of the best tight ends in the NFL, but the Jaguars have already found one this season in Evan Engram. While Engram's high-level effort may not be enough for his blocking game, I don't value that as high as a first-round selection. Unless they're unable to resign Engram, the Jaguars would be better off drafting a tight end prospect after Day 1.

No. #51 - O'Cyrus Torrence - OG, Florida

The Jaguars currently rank 30th across in the NFL in run blocking per PFF. When you invested a first round pick into a running back like Travis Etienne, that's simply not good enough. Jawaan Taylor will likely be replaced by Walker Little this offseason who's shown signs of being a good run blocker, but this team needs to do more to boost the line. O'Cyrus Torrence would be a great selection in the second round that could start at left guard next season. He's a physically dominant player in the run game who's also been a reliable pass protector. Adding him to this offense would give Travis Etienne more running lanes which would allow the Jaguars to control the clock effectively in games.

Out of the available options at this pick, Torrence was the clear selection for me. However, I believe there's a good chance that Darnell Washington(TE, Georgia) could be available here and I would be all-in on drafting him at this point. Washington would instantly offer the Jaguars a balanced tight end who's dominant in the rushing game and could develop into a great pass catcher to pair with Engram. Pederson has shown he can utilize two tight ends, so drafting a physical freak like Washington would be a match made in heaven for this front office.

No. #82 - D.J. Turner - CB, Michigan

Alright, so this is where things got different and arguably more questionable. As I hinted at before, I don't believe the Jaguars have issues at cornerback on the boundary. Tyson Campbell and Darious Williams have displayed the ability to shut down receivers which has forced offenses to operate through their slot receivers and tight ends. However, what happens if one of those guys go down? The Jaguars are remarkably thin at the cornerback position and if a great prospect falls, even one that needs some development, they need to draft that player.

D.J. Turner isn't necessarily a name that's expected to go in the first round, but he possesses traits that could make him special in the NFL. It's been reported that Turner can run a 4.28 second 40-yard dash which would do wonders for his coverage ability. Turner also possesses ideal size for the cornerback position and has held his own against some of the best, most notably the Ohio State wide receiver corps. Perhaps the biggest knock against his game is his run defense, but that's teachable unlike his speed and athleticism.

Other players I had considered at this spot were Tucker Kraft(TE, South Dakota State) and Kenny McIntosh(RB, Georgia). Kraft is a well-balanced tight end that could offer the Jaguars a solid second option, but as a player I believe that Turner is more valuable and possesses a much higher ceiling. McIntosh is a running back prospect that intrigues me for his superb receiving abilities and his complement to Etienne, but running backs can be found nearly anywhere which makes me want to focus more on a Day 3 selection at the position.

No. #120 - Xavier Hutchinson - WR, Iowa State

'X' isn't just a steal in the fourth round, but he's one heck of a feel good story. Hutchinson is one of the most intriguing prospects at WR not only because of what he could become at the NFL level with time, but the fact that he's also a Jacksonville native. I did an article on him just over a week ago and see him as a player who could develop while taking on a bigger role after his first season.

Hutchinson is essentially a scheme fit for Doug Pederson's west-coast offense and has many of the physical traits you search for in a boundary receiver. The problem to overcome for 'X' is his knowledge of an NFL offense as he only saw a limited route tree at Iowa State. 'X' would benefit from learning the Jaguars offense from the sidelines throughout much of his first season and could become a featured player once he's able to adjust to the NFL. Drafting him could arguably be seen as a move from Zay Jones after the upcoming season to offer this team some cap savings, but there's no doubt that a creative offense could feature both players too.

No. #121 - Cade Stover - TE, Ohio State

After the third round of the draft, teams need to take more shots at players they feel like could be diamonds in the rough. Cade Stover could be one of these players. Stover has played much of his college career at linebacker, but he was moved back to the tight end position this season where many believe he has the ability to be great. Stover has made an impact for Ohio State this year in all aspects of the game with good run blocking and a clearly improving passing game aspect.

The obvious issue with Stover is that he lacks a ton of experience at the tight end position. Stover is likely going to need to develop at the NFL level for some time, but he could offer the Jaguars a solid blocker at the position that they need to either retain or add. In all honesty, you could insert some other prospects into this position but I would be all for giving someone a shot at this point in the draft if there's no clear fallers.

To wrap this draft up, I believe these selections would do wonders for the Jacksonville secondary and quickly turn it into one of the most formidable units across the NFL, even if injuries try to derail that status. Bringing in a formidable run blocker would help the Jaguars develop another dimension of their offense and raise the ceiling of the offensive line throughout the season. The Jaguars would finally be able to bring in prospects they could develop in the receiving game and potentially become good options or safety valves for Lawrence.

However, the one position that wasn't able to be addressed was the interior defensive line. In my opinion, I believe the Jaguars should address this position in free agency with a good veteran presence and if someone elite is available for this team to add, such as Javon Hargrave, they need to negotiate the cap space to make it happen. That position is arguably as necessary to address as nickel corner, but I think this team would be better off finding that in free agency unless a top prospect falls into their lap.

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