Re-grading the 2018 NFL Draft: ESPN lowers Jaguars grade to ‘C’

We’re a little less than one year removed from the 2018 NFL Draft so it’s fair to say we have some better semblance of how that class turned out — and least we do compared to when we were handing out draft grades that night.

ESPN was kind to the Jacksonville Jaguars, giving them an above average grade of a B for their picks.

But Father Time has not been kind to last year’s class, with Mel Kiper & Co. re-grading them lower to a C after one year under their belts.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Post­draft grade: B

Jacksonville took a major step back in 2018, and we’ve already seen Tom Coughlin & Co. change quarterbacks (Blake Bortles to Nick Foles) this offseason. But the defense wasn’t as good as it had been in 2017, and its rookie class didn’t help a ton.

Top pick Taven Bryan played just 286 defensive snaps, and it’s tough to know what the Jags have in him. He was one of the biggest physical freaks of the 2018 class, but he was extremely raw. And with Malik Jackson gone, maybe Bryan will step in and become a starter. He gets an “incomplete” for Year 1.

I liked the value of safety Ronnie Harrison at the end of Round 3, and he played so well that the team cut veteran Barry Church midseason. Harrison is likely going to be the starting strong safety going forward, but he and seventh-round punter Logan Cooke are the only surefire starters from this class. Wideout DJ Chark, a second-round pick, had a rough season with just 14 catches on 32 targets.

All in all, this class could come good if Bryan and Harrison develop into solid starters, but there’s too much unknown to grade it too highly after one season.

New grade: C

Personally, I think it’s fair to say last year’s draft class is average at best after one year of play. Taven Bryan stunk out loud learning a new position and D.J. Chark wasn’t very productive in the worst passing offense in the NFL.

(Shocker!)

Ronnie Harrison showed signs of being a stud of a third round pick and if Will Richardson can compete for a starting position and become depth at worse, that’s not a bad fourth round pick either. Logan Cooke in the seventh was a needed pick and Leon Jacobs showed flashes, which is more than expected out of the 230th overall pick.

What do you think? Should Kiper have given the Jaguars a higher grade or is a C about right? Let us know in the comments below!