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Jaguars Address Pass Offense Early In Draft, Can Still Bolster Pass Rush

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NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 26: Justin Blackmon from Oklahoma State holds up a jersey as he stands on stage after he was selected #5 overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall on April 26, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

With the selection of the top wide receiver, Oklahoma State WR Justin Blackmon, in the draft and the signing of Laurent Robinson in free agency, the Jaguars made it known that they're not satisfied with a roster of receivers that all finished with under 500 yards receiving in 2011. In fact, it was a tight end, Marcedes Lewis, that led the Jaguars in receiving yards in 2011 with just 460 yards receiving and running back Maurice Jones-Drew finished third on the team with 374 yards receiving.

It was a position that had to be upgraded and the Jaguars did so by trading up two selections to ensure that they took the first receiver to go in the 2012 NFL Draft.

With the selection of a receiver, though, the Jaguars still have a hole at the defensive end spot across from newly re-signed Jeremy Mincey. While Austen Lane and Aaron Kampman are the most likely candidates to start across from Mincey, a pick in the second day of the draft could provide the Jaguars defense with the pass rush it has so badly lacked for the better part of the last decade.

The first pass rushers off the board were Bruce Irvin at 15 and Quinton Coples at 16 pushing much of the pass rushing talent into the latter half of the first round. Alabama's Courtney Upshaw, Marshall's Vinny Curry and Clemson's Andre Branch are all still available for when the Jaguars select at pick 38 in the second round and could help to bring the pass rusher that the Jaguars have lacked.

Or, the Jaguars could go in a different direction and continue to shore up their lackluster pass offense with someone like Georgia Tech WR Stephen Hill, Stanford TE Coby Fleener or LSU WR Reuben Randle.

The NFL Draft returns to primetime in 2012. Catch all of the excitement of the 2012 NFL Draft on NFL Network April 26 - 28

                                                                                                                                                                                                               

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