For those of you who aren't up to speed, this is a response article to Collin's. While Collin and I agree that if one of the Big 3 LTs(Eugene Monroe, Andre Smith, Michael Oher) are available that should be the Jaguars pick. However, I think that if none are, the Jaguars best possible route is to trade down in the draft. As we saw with taking Derrick Harvey in the same spot last year, a Top 10 pick in a major investment. They have to represent both value and need, preferably in high quantities. The Jaguars have two main needs, Offensive and Defensive Line. When you spend a top 10 pick on a lineman, big things are expected. However, what happens when need and value don't match?
You trade down and recoup the value of the picks. Thanks to the unsure situation of the CBA, this may be one of the deepest drafts in the last decade. While Malcolm Jenkins or Aaron Curry would be possibilites, they would be a waste of a Top 10 pick. While they may be good players, they don't represent top 10 value to the Jaguars.
With almost every Redshirt Sophomore and Junior declaring, this draft can provide the Jaguars with a multitude of options. Let's not kid ourselves, a team that goes 5-11 is almost never "One Player Away." Just look at what the Ravens did by trading out of their pick to us. They still managed to get a quarterback who will be starting in today's AFC Championship game and 2 other starters, and they gave that pick away on discount.
Thanks to last offseason, the Jaguars enter the 2009 draft with only 6 selections, they fewest entering draft day in team history. In a draft this deep, that is a very bad thing. We need as many players suiting up as possible. I would much rather have a draft of 9-10 very good players than 1 great player and 5 mediocre ones.
As I said before, this may well be the deepest draft in the last decade. I think casting the widest net possible to grab talent is the way to go.