Jacksonville Jaguars 2015 NFL Draft Preview
By Zac Snyder
Teams are putting the finishing touches on their preparation as the 2015 NFL Draft is nearly here.
To preview the draft for the Jacksonville Jaguars, I got together with Daniel Lago of Black and Teal. Below are my questions followed by his answers.
1. What are the team’s biggest needs heading into the draft and how might they address them?
"The Jaguars managed to land 3 of their 5 primary targets in free agency, which helped in narrowing down their needs heading into the draft. Their most pressing need has to be at free safety, where Josh Evans was one of the worst at that position in the NFL last year. The Jaguars signed Sergio Brown to compete there, but they still need to address the position in the draft. The safety crop looks pretty meager this year, so I expect the Jaguars to look at cornerbacks like Byron Jones and Ifo Ekpre–Olomu who have the range to play free safety in the second day. After free safety, the Jaguars next need is to inject some youth into the defensive line. I expect them to choose whoever they have rated as their top edge rusher, probably Dante Fowler Jr. or Vic Beasley, in the first round."
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2. What needs to happen for this draft to be considered a success?
"David Caldwell has done a good job in his first 2 drafts of finding contributors in the mid-to-late rounds (Brandon Linder, Demetrius McCray, Telvin Smith, etc.). His first round picks, Luke Joeckel and Blake Bortles, have been underwhelming so far. The Jaguars have intriguing depth, but they absolutely NEED to find a blue chip player. The Jaguars need to start amassing elite players who are in contention for Pro Bowl and All Pro spots. Whoever the Jaguars take with the third overall pick needs to be someone who comes in and immediately plays well and flashes big time ability."
3. What in your mind would make this draft a failure?
"Some mock drafts have the Jaguars taking Amari Cooper with the third overall pick, and I think that would be an extremely poor use of draft capital. The Jaguars focused heavily on the offensive side of the ball in 2014, and it showed as they started upwards of 8 rookies on that side of the ball. The Jaguars have a nice collection of young players at receiver with Allen Robinson, Allen Hurns, and Marqise Lee. The Jaguars could use a nice slot receiver, but that’s a position that can be addressed later in the draft. The Jaguars need to start looking towards the future on the defensive line and this is the perfect draft to do so given the enticing collection of pass rushers at the top of the board."
4. What is a bold prediction for your team this draft?
"I think the Jaguars are going to be extremely active in trading down from the third pick in the draft. They probably have the pass rushers at the top of the draft graded very closely, and they wouldn’t mind moving down and taking whoever is left. If Marcus Mariota makes it past Tennessee at number two, I think David Caldwell is going to do what he can to acquire extra picks and move down a few spots. My bold prediction is the Jaguars will trade down and select a pass rusher like Bud Dupree, then use their extra picks to maneuver back into the late first round and take Todd Gurley."
5. What is a draft angle the general public might not be aware of for your team?
"Many analysts and fans expect the Jaguars to upgrade the offensive line in the draft, but I think the Jaguars are pretty set at those spots. Luke Joeckel is going to get at least one more year at left tackle, Brandon Linder is a solid piece at right guard, free agent acquisition Jermey Parnell is starting at right tackle, Luke Bowanko showed some promise at center, and Zane Beadles was serviceable at left guard. The Jaguars signed Stefan Wisniewski to compete at guard and center as well. The Jaguars likely have their starting lineup in place, and they won’t even look at offensive line until the later rounds.Similarly, several people are discounting the talent the Jaguars have at cornerback. Demetrius McCray as outstanding last year and Aaron Colvin was terrific as a rookie. The Jaguars also signed Davon House from the Packers to start on the outside. The Jaguars won’t address cornerback early in the draft."
For full Jaguars coverage, check out Black and Teal.
Next: 2-Round 2015 NFL Mock Draft