The Jacksonville Jaguars don’t have a lot of needs — but where there are gaps on this roster, those gaps are pretty big. Tight end and wide receiver are huge needs. Defensive tackle and offensive line will be huge needs next year that can be taken care of this year.
That’s why this 2018 NFL Draft is so intriguing, we get to see the Jaguars pick late for the first time in a decade with a roster that is strong at most positions. The team can go for value picks or look towards 2019 — there’s few wrong ways to go later this month.
And Pro Football Focus somehow found one of those ways.
In their latest three-round mock draft, they’ve got the Jaguars going wide receiver (fine), defensive tackle (um), and then a tight end from Wisconsin (motherfu-).
Let’s look at all three picks by the Jaguars.
Round 1, Pick 29: WR Courtland Sutton, SMU
With receivers Allen Robinson and Allen Hurns moving on, Sutton is a good fit to step in as a big-bodied receiver capable of winning at all levels of the field. He’s 6-foot-3, but looks extremely nimble on tape, forcing 26 missed tackles on 143 catches the last two years, and that was backed up by a 6.57 3-cone drill at the NFL Combine. Sutton uses his big catch radius well down the field and in the red zone and he’s a good fit for QB Blake Bortles.
Fine. You signed Marqise Lee and Donte Moncrief to sizable deals this offseason but Courtland Sutton is #good and if he’s the future at receiver for this franchise so be it. Sutton falling this far would be a gift and you don’t pass up a value like that.
But according to general manager Dave Caldwell, Lee and Moncrief are the outside starters. My only complaint with a wide receiver at No. 29 is... Who does he take snaps away from?
If you’re going to build around an inconsistent quarterback like Blake Bortles, give him all the weapons you can, right? Okay. Fine. What’s the second round pick?
Round 2, Pick 61: NT Tim Settle, Virginia Tech
Settle has some work to do to improve his technique, but he has the size, strength and get-off to disrupt plays. He posted an impressive 86.0 overall grade last season as a redshirt sophomore.
I see.
Well, Marcell Dareus could be gone next offseason, and at 340 pounds Settle fits more into what he does than what Malik Jackson does. He’s a big, strong nose tackle who can penetrate the line. He made the All-ACC Second Team with 12.5 tackles for a loss and Virginia Tech’s defensive line was one of the better defensive line’s in the country last year.
All that said — no.
I don’t think a nose tackle is important enough to spend a second-round pick on him. And I don’t think Settle is good enough to spend a second-round pick on him. Why not go edge rusher (Sam Hubbard is still available) or third linebacker (Shaquem Griffin is still available too)?
All right, what’s the third-round pi-oh no.
OH NO.
Round 3, Pick 93: TE Troy Fumagalli, Wisconsin
Fumagalli is one of the better all-around tight ends in the class as he can hold his own against defensive ends in the run game and he does a fine job of using his body and moving the chains in the middle of the field. He finished sixth in the draft class with 1.87 yards per route last season.
Fumagalli isn’t an awful player, but if this is the pick the tight end position on the Jaguars isn’t getting the overhaul I think it needs.
Last season, you had Marcedes Lewis, Ben Koyack, and James O’Shaughnessy. With this pick, you’d have Austin Sefarian-Jenkins, Troy Fumagalli, and Niles Paul. There’s no one guy who really takes the lead. If you’re going to spend draft capital on a tight end, go big or wait until the very end for a depth/special teams guy.
Summary
So, according to Pro Football Focus, we’re coming away with a first-round wide receiver, a nose tackle, and a mid-round tight end.
What do you think? Would you be happy with that draft haul after three rounds?
You can read the full three-round mock draft from Pro Football Focus here.