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The 2021 NFL Draft is this April, and the Jaguars have been on the clock since the Jets beat the Rams last season. Jacksonville owns the first pick in the draft and with that comes the luxury of drafting Clemson wunderkind Trevor Lawrence. But who else will they take to surround Lawrence? We’ll see!
I used The Draft Network’s Predictive Big Board, and also made some trades up and down the draft to get some guys that I know will absolutely make everyone happy(sarcasm!).
Round 1, Pick 1: Clemson QB Trevor Lawrence
As if you were expecting anyone else. Lawrence has been successful ever since he stepped onto Clemson’s campus, and steadily improved every year. The one thing I’m the most intrigued by with Lawrence is his touch. He seemingly throws ropes into the honey hole of Cover 2 defenses, but also can float a ball 60 yards downfield to receivers. He’s sure to be a franchise changer for the Jaguars.
Trevor Lawrence’s pocket presence is literally elite. pic.twitter.com/93CPOFInhF
— Jaguars United (@Jaguars_United) March 28, 2021
Round 1, Pick 25: Virginia Tech CB Caleb Farley
Alright, before we break out the pitchforks, allow me to explain. Trevon Moehrig was gone(22 to Tennessee), all of the top OTs were already off the board, and the top EDGE rusher available was Azeez Ojulari. Despite his injury history, Farley is an athletic, refined corner who can play in man or zone coverage. Joe Cullen comes from Baltimore, where the Ravens used a first round pick on Jimmy Smith and Marlon Humphrey. We can’t forget about Marcus Peters who himself was a first round pick(although he was traded for Kenny Young and a fifth-round pick). Having a CB room of Shaq Griffin, CJ Henderson, Sidney Jones, and Farley provides a young, versatile and talented group who can take on some of the best passing offenses in the NFL.
I know the #Bears have multiple needs on their offense.
— Jacob Infante (@jacobinfante24) April 2, 2021
But I would absolutely love it if they took Caleb Farley at 20. He might fall because of a back injury, and with how good his tape is, he could be great value for Chicago. pic.twitter.com/2TyhaMY8gq
Round 2, Pick 33: Alabama DT Christian Barmore
This was probably the most common pick at 25 for Jacksonville since the draft process began, and now they can get Barmore in the second round. His consistency has been a little up and down, but Barmore brings potential stardom in the run and pass game, and can immediately step in as a 5-technique DT in a 3-4 scheme.
The biggest prospect surprise that I've evaluated this summer has been Alabama DT Christian Barmore (6-5, 310, RSo.).
— Jordan Reid (@Jordan_Reid) August 8, 2020
He only played in 269 snaps last season, but finished fourth on the team in pressures (24). Has the recipe to eventually become a first-round pick. pic.twitter.com/jjdPGUh8Bs
Round 2, Pick 45: Rondale Moore, WR, Purdue
Speed and explosiveness is the name the game for Rondale Moore, who torched Urban Meyer’s Buckeye defense as a freshman. Moore might only be 5’7, but he brings a 42-inch vertical and legit 4.29 speed to the field, and is a threat to score from any spot on the field. By drafting Moore, the Jaguars will have someone who can run all of the gadget plays Urban Meyer likes, from fly sweeps to screen passes, and even line him up in the backfield. This also allows WR LaViska Shenault to work more vertically, where he starred in limited touches.
Rondale Moore is ridiculous. pic.twitter.com/6h4Dnogd9n
— Max Olson (@max_olson) October 21, 2018
Round 3, Pick 65: Tommy Tremble, TE, Notre Dame
Tremble is a favorite of Sports Illustrated Jaguars writer John Shipley, and I am on that hill as well. Tremble is a violent blocker, who showed soft hands as a receiver. His targets were limited at Notre Dame, but he was stuck behind two other elite TE’s in that room. The Jaguars TE room is an island of Chris Mahnertz, James O’Shaughnessy and others who don’t really move the needle. Tremble would provide a lot of juice into that room, plus, imagine James Robinson running behind the improved Jaguars OL, Chris Mahnertz and this road grader at TE:
Buh-bye✌
— Ben Fennell (@BenFennell_NFL) February 10, 2021
cc: TE Tommy Tremble pic.twitter.com/Tc5eQW7FP7
Round 4, Pick 106: Hamilcar Rashed, Jr., EDGE, Oregon State
This is a rather underrated name in an EDGE class that is in a rather down year. He’s got violent hands that he uses to his advantage in pass rush situations, and has shown flashes of nice counters to his speed rush. The Jaguars could use some more pass rush from the edge with Josh Allen having an injury plagued year and K’Lavon Chaisson still developing. Adding Rashed to that room provides for speed and versatility for a defense that could be blitz-heavy.
The case of Cole McDonald’s missing dreads... Hamilcar Rashed knocked them off. pic.twitter.com/rvX2S6kAGT
— Ryan Roberts (@RiseNDraft) March 11, 2020
Round 4, Pick 130: Talanoa Hufanaga, S, USC
I traded pick 131 with Baltimore for 130 and also received pick 170 in the sixth round, and with 130 I got Hufanaga. He’s a versatile, smart player who has lined up virtually everywhere for the Trojans, but best fits as a safety. He seemingly knows where the ball is going before it gets there, and could also be a violent tackler. The Jaguars need some explosiveness in the secondary, and missing on Moehrig and Jevon Holland from Oregon hurts, but Hufanaga can come in and be an immediate contributor at safety.
TALANOA HUFANGA WITH THE PICK! USC BALL DOWN 5 IN THE FOURTH! #Trojans #FightOn #USCvsUCLA pic.twitter.com/rmgrcdQAt9
— Inside The Draft (@Jacobkeppen) December 13, 2020
Round 5, Pick 145: Chuba Hubbard, RB, Oklahoma State
James Robinson is a feature back and star for the Jaguars, but he also had no help from the RB room. Robinson touched the ball on 32.5% of plays for the Jaguars, which is a top 5 rank in the NFL, but he needs someone who can spell him for plays so he doesn’t get injured. Enter Hubbard, who seemingly fell off NFL radars in a down year. Hubbard brings a disciplined and smart running style to Jacksonville, and can use his time behind Robinson to improve his hands as well.
CHUBA HUBBARD OH MY GOODNESS
— PFF Draft (@PFF_College) October 24, 2020
pic.twitter.com/xQRz9T8cOz
Round 5, Pick 170: Shi Smith, WR, South Carolina
Smith is one of my guys in this year’s draft, a competitive, feisty slot receiver who wins with reliable hands and scrappy route running. He didn’t have the best QB play in college, but with Lawrence at the helm in Jacksonville, he should flourish. He also does this:
Double coverage? Doesn't matter.
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) September 14, 2019
Ryan Hilinski with a DIME to Shi Smith for the touchdown. pic.twitter.com/xvko3Nx0vp
Round 6, Pick 227: Brenden Jaimes, OT, Nebraska
I traded up into the back end of the sixth round to get a guy that might not be there at this point come draft day. Jaimes has active hands and consistently plays with great balance. The Jaguars are set for 2021 along the OL, but adding Jaimes could provide for some pressure to tackles Cam Robinson and Jawaan Taylor, and he could also slide inside and play guard. Should Robinson leave in free agency, Jaimes could possibly slide into either tackle spot.
Man, Jaimes can play.. pic.twitter.com/mxWDWYvyjx
— Brandon Thorn (@BrandonThornNFL) April 3, 2021
Jaguars fans, what do you think? If the draft shakes out this way for the Jaguars, would you be satisfied?