Would Leonard Floyd be a good pick for the Jaguars?

A lot of buzz is flying around that the Jacksonville Jaguars are indeed interested in Georgia linebacker Leonard Floyd. Both Daniel Jeremiah and Peter King have connected them to him, both in a trade down scenario and at pick No. 5 overall.

I haven't really considered Floyd a possibility all offseason because, well, he just isn't a top-five player. But when you think on it, he makes sense in a few scenarios.

Trade down

King suggested that the Jaguars could pick Floyd at No. 15 overall if they trade with the Titans. If the Jaguars were picking at 15, Floyd is likely the best player left on the board so it makes sense.

Even if they trade back only a few spots, say with the Cleveland Browns, New York Giants, or Chicago Bears, Floyd would be a sensible pick. There is a steep drop off after the top-five picks in terms of talent and Floyd makes more sense for the team than players like DeForest Buckner, Laremy Tunsil, or Vernon Hargreaves do.

So if they can trade down at all really, sign me up for Floyd. I am a fan of him as a player -- he has an athletic background, and could potentially play multiple linebacker spots as well as serve as a third down pass rusher. From a needs and fit standpoint, Floyd matches up very well.

But the issue is if they do not have the chance to trade down. At No. 5 overall, Floyd is a bad pick... no matter how much they like him and no matter how well he fits.

If they want a linebacker, then Floyd is a good second option. But Myles Jack is better and Floyd should not go before him, if Jack healthy. If they want a pass rusher, then Floyd is a good second option but he is more of a true linebacker and blitzer than true edge rusher. Prioritizing him over players like Joey Bosa or Shaq Lawson would be misguided.

TL;DR

Floyd is a very good player who makes a lot of sense. He'd be a better pick than Hargreaves, Buckner, or Tunsil would be. But he should not be a priority over Lawson, Jack, or Bosa. If the team can trade down, then he should be the target.

This draft is about to get very, very weird.