The 2019 NFL Draft is just over a month away, which means that The Game Haus will be doing draft profiles for every team. Each NFL team will be looked at heading into this year’s draft including what their needs are and who they could be targeting. The Jacksonville Jaguars will be the seventh team evaluated.
There were high hopes for the Jaguars heading into the 2018 season after an AFC Championship Game appearance in 2017. Things did not go as planned and now they are back to the drawing board. Doug Marrone was kept on as head coach despite the team not meeting their expectations.
Jalen Ramsey (Photo by sbnation.com)
Jacksonville had a rough year offensively, averaging a 31st ranked 15.3 points per game. They ranked in the bottom half of the league in both passing and rushing. Blake Bortles struggled with 13 touchdown passes and 11 interceptions thrown, while Cody Kessler replaced him, but wasn’t much better. Dede Westbrook led a receiving core with his 717 yards. Leonard Fournette was often injured at the running back position, which hurt the whole offense. The offensive line was ok but could have done better. Now Nick Foles will join the fold to try to lead the Jaguars to prominence.
The defense held up their end of the bargain last season, only allowing 19.8 points per game, which ranked tied for fourth in the league. The defensive line was a unit of strength, with man talented players. They do however need to get after the quarterback more, as 37 sacks isn’t enough. Myles Jack and Telvin Smith are both solid linebackers. The secondary is littered with good players as well, including Jalen Ramsey and A.J. Bouye. Malik Jackson and Tashaun Gipson have left the defense, but they have ample playmakers to keep their play at a consistently good level.
The Jaguars have seven total draft picks in the 2019 NFL Draft.
First round (one pick): No. 7
Second round (one pick): No. 37
Third round (two picks): No. 69, No. 98
Fourth round (one pick): No. 109
Sixth round (one pick): No. 178
Seventh round (one pick): No. 236
Wide Receiver- Dede Westbrook and Marqise Lee are solid receivers, but they need some more help for Foles.
Tight End- Geoff Swaim was signed, but Foles will need a reliable target at the tight end spot, much like he had in Philadelphia.
Offensive Line Depth- The Jaguars have some solid starters, but also have players that need to step up their games on the offensive lines. If they don’t they need to be replaced.
Safety- Ronnie Harrison and Jarrod Wilson are slotted to start at safety. If they don’t pan out, a contingency plan is needed.
First Round:
D.K. Metcalf (Photo by 247sports.com)
Pick No. 7: D.K. Metcalf, Wide Receiver, Ole Miss
Now that they have Foles in hand, the Jaguars need to get him the necessary weapons to make the offense score at least 20 points per game. If they can do that, they should be able to make the playoffs once again. Metcalf is big and fast, but needs to work on his route-running to maximize the tools he has been given. With work, he can develop into a good receiver.
Second Round:
Pick No. 37: Irv Smith Jr., Tight End, Alabama
If Noah Fant or T.J. Hockenson fall to the second round, the Jaguars will likely take them. If they don’t Irv Smith should be the pick. Smith does a little bit of everything well, although he is a little undersized for an NFL tight end. He could be a starter from day one with the current talent at the position being subpar for the Jaguars.
Third Round:
Pick No. 69: Connor McGovern, OG/C, Penn State
The Jaguars need to get depth at the very least for their offensive line in this draft. McGovern can play all of the interior line positions, making him a valuable pick for depth.
Pick No. 98: Amani Hooker, CB/S/LB, Iowa
Hooker is a very versatile player that the Jaguars could use at safety if some of their current players don’t work out. If he can’t work there, they can try him at other positions to find a good fit.
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