2021 7-Round Jaguars Mock 2.0: Who Do the Jaguars Surround Trevor Lawrence With?
30 days from now, the Jacksonville Jaguars will be embarking on the most important and historic draft in franchise history.
For the first time, the team owns the No. 1 overall pick and holds the keys to the entire draft. And for the first time, the Jaguars are in a position to draft a franchise quarterback who can put the organization on his shoulders.
But the Jaguars have nine other picks (including one more in the first-round) to fill out their roster around Trevor Lawrence, the eventual top pick. With free agency now in the rearview mirror, we attempt to project the other six rounds for the Jaguars.
Note: For this exercise, we used Pro Football Network's mock draft simulator.
Round 1, No. 1: Clemson QB Trevor Lawrence
If there were ever any questions about whether the Jaguars would make Trevor Lawrence their new franchise quarterback with the first overall pick (there shouldn't have been), Urban Meyer has put those to rest quite easily. Meyer hasn't been present at either the North Dakota State or BYU pro days to watch Trey Lance or Zach Wilson in person, and then Meyer openly admitted to NBC Sports' Peter King that Lawrence is who he has zeroed in on.
"I’d have to say that’s the direction we’re going. I’ll leave that up to the owner when we make that decision official. But I’m certainly not stepping out of line that that’s certainly the direction we’re headed," Meyer told King when asked if there was any mystery the Jaguars would be selecting Lawrence.
In 30 days, Lawrence will be a Jaguar. This has been a certainty since the Jaguars secured the top pick in December, and it is even more of a guarantee today than it was then.
Lawrence is 34-2 as a starter, having only lost in the College Football Playoffs (as a sophomore, to LSU in the Championship and as a junior to Ohio State in the semifinals). As a freshman, Lawrence defeated the Alabama Crimson Tide for the National Championship. In his career, Lawrence completed 66% of his passes for 10,098 yards (8.9 yards per attempt, 9.8 adjusted yards per attempt) for 90 touchdowns and 17 interceptions. He also rushed for 943 yards and 18 touchdowns. Meyer knows how special he is and that is why he will be the pick.
TRADE: Round 1, No. 28 (via New Orleans Saints): TCU Trevon Moehrig
Jaguars trade No. 25 to Saints for No. 28 and No. 105.
With none of the four prospects we identified as trade up targets available in a reasonable range, we instead opt to move back a few slots and net the Jaguars a late third-round pick. Considering the wide range of holes the Jaguars' roster has, there are a number of positions they could choose to address here, making it that much easier to move back.
Here, the Jaguars are able to move back a few spots but still get a player they would likely love to add at No. 25. With none of the top receivers still left and with no tight ends being worth this selection, the Jaguars take a versatile and productive safety in Moehrig to ensure defensive coordinator Joe Cullen has a completely revamped secondary heading into 2021.
Moehrig's final season at TCU featured him becoming a team captain for each game in 2020. He finished the season with two interceptions, nine pass deflections, and two sacks in his second season as a starter.
Overall he contributed to 10 takeaways for TCU, recorded six interceptions the last two years, won a Jim Thorpe Award, was a team captain, and even won TCU's Most Valuable Special Teams Player award in 2018 as a true freshman.
Round 2, No. 33: Purdue WR Rondale Moore
No, we are not switching up on mocking Rondale Moore to the Jaguars. Which receiver makes more sense for a team that needs an underneath threat who can win before and after the catch with his dynamic athleticism and ability to be nearly uncoverable out of the slot when he is on his game. He would also perfectly compliment the rest of the team's receiving core because the trio of DJ Chark, Laviska Shenault, and Marvin Jones makes it immensely easy for the Jaguars to move Moore around their formations and manufacture him touches.
There are red flags with Moore -- he has played in just seven games in the last two seasons due to injuries and he measured in at just 5-foot-7 at his pro day. But Moore's dynamic speed and explosiveness with the ball in his hands at all levels of the field makes him worth a roll of the dice for an offense that badly needs to inject some speed and playmakers. Add in the fact that Meyer has publically endorsed Moore as one of the best skill players in college during his time as an analyst with FOX Sports, and it is hard not to think the Jaguars will be in on the Purdue wideout.
Round 2, No. 45 (via Minnesota Vikings): Penn State TE Pat Freiermuth
Pat Freiermuth's recovery from a season-ending shoulder surgery in 2020 may push him down a bit on some boards, but we feel it is unlikely he gets drafted much earlier than No. 45 overall to begin with. He is a strong blocker and is a natural possession receiver who excels in the red zone, so his projection to the NFL game isn't very hard to figure out. The only downside is he isn't an overly dynamic athlete before or after the catch, but the Jaguars would likely be content with this limitation considering their issues at the tight end position.
Freiermuth caught passes all over Penn State's formations and should be expected to do the same in the NFL, even if he won't out-run defenders like Kyle Pitts. His college position coach, Tyler Bowen, is now Jacksonville's tight ends coach as well. He ended his Penn State career with 92 catches for 1,185 yards (12.9 average) and 16 touchdowns, which set a Penn State record for career touchdown receptions by a tight end.
Round 3, No. 65: ECU OT D’Ante Smith
One of the highest upside offensive tackles in this class, D'Ante Smith will have a hard time being a top-50 pick due to the sheer depth and star power in this year's offensive tackle class. If this is the case, the Jaguars would be getting excellent value at No. 65 by taking Smith to be their 2021 swing tackle and potential left or right tackle of the future, depending on how Cam Robinson and Jawaan Taylor play in 2021.
Smith is tall, long, and explosive in linear movements. He doesn't have the quickest feet, but he has all of the tools to grow into a starting NFL offensive tackle with a bit more seasoning. The Jaguars may like their offensive line now, but they need to continue to look for options to start in 2022 since the Jaguars lack many long-term options along their current offensive line depth chart.
Round 3, No. 105 (via New Orleans Saints): Washington EDGE Joe Tryon
Joe Tryon is a tough evaluation because he only had one season of real playtime and production at Washington, but he is an immensely talented edge rusher who has 3-4 versatility and put out some really impressive tape in 2019. He was Second Team All Pac-12 selection in 2019 after recording 41 tackles, 12.5 for a loss, and eight sacks as he led Washington's defensive front.
With Tryon opting out of the 2020 season before it began, it is hard to project him as an early-round selection thanks to his limited experience and production. He makes a lot of sense for a team like the Jaguars who needs depth at edge rusher as opposed to needing a day one starter. He could be fourth in the rotation behind Josh Allen, K'Lavon Chaisson, and Jihad Ward to give the Jaguars more insurance in the short- and long-term.
Round 4, No. 106: USC DT Marlon Tuipulotu
The Jaguars lost a potential starter on their defensive line when Tyson Alualu opted to not officially sign in Jacksonville and instead returned to Pittsburgh/ The Jaguars have the depth to survive not making a pick on the defensive line in the top-100, even without Alualu, but they should still look to add another strong run defender to their defensive line room.
Marlon Tuipuloto is an incredibly powerful player whose motor always runs hot. Thanks to his size, strength, and high energy, he makes a lots of plays that most think a defensive tackle built in his mold wouldn't make. He ended his USC career with 81 tackles, including 11.5 for losses and 6.5 sacks.
Round 4, No. 130 (via Los Angeles Rams): Auburn WR Anthony Schwartz
After running an 4.26 at Auburn's pro day, Anthony Schwartz may not last this long on draft night. With that speed, his pure speed and ability to stretch a field vertically makes him an intriguing player to add to an already crowded and athletic receiver room. He would likely have to battle with Phillip Dorsett for a roster spot, but Schwartz should have the edge based on his potential.
A thin-framed receiver who caught 117 passes for 1,433 yards and six touchdowns at Auburn, Schwartz is another addition that gives the Jaguars more speed and playmaking ability on an offense that has lacked both for the last several seasons. He is raw and likely wouldn't make much of an impact early on, but he is worth a pick to stash on the roster.
Round 5, No. 145: Oklahoma State RB Chuba Hubbard
A former decorated track and field star and a walking big-play threat, Chuba Hubbard is just the type of running back the Jaguars should look to add to a running back room that is currently missing a home run threat. We would have likely mocked either Najee Harris or Travis Etienne if available at No. 33 overall (we wouldn't make that pick, but I believe the Jaguars would), but they weren't, so we instead waited until day three to make a great value addition in Hubbard.
Hubbard broke out during a stellar 2019 in which became a unanimous All-American and the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year thanks to a year in which he rushed for 2,094 yards on 328 carries and 21 touchdowns. He was the FBS leader in rushing yards, rushing yards per game, 200-yard rushing games and all-purpose yards per game and still offers incredible burst and natural ability in space today.
Round 5, No. 170 (via Cleveland Browns): Minnesota CB Benjamin St-Juste
At 6-foot-3 and 200 pounds, few cornerbacks in this year's class have the size and length of Benjamin St-Juste. The former Michigan transfer had an impressive 2019 season when he started nine games and tied for the team lead with 10 pass breakups. There is a lot of development needed, but St-Juste is the type of high-upside cornerback who is worth taking a fifth-round gamble on.
Benjamin St-Juste is likely just an outside cornerback, but he gives the Jaguars a young developmental option in the wings while CJ Henderson, Sidney Jones, and Shaquill Griffin man the cornerback room for the foreseeable future. He could compete with Chris Claybrooks and Luq Barcoo early in training camp but his natural size and movement skills would likely give him a minor edge.
Round 7, No. 249 (via Tennessee Titans): TCU TE Pro Wells
Measuring at 6-foot-3, 3/8 inches and 249 pounds at TCU's pro day, Pro Wells has the frame of a future contributor at tight end. The Jaguars will rely on Pat Freiermuth and Chris Manhertz to lead the tight end room, but more depth is needed to ensure the Jaguars aren't an injury away from the group becoming completely decimated once again.
Wells could come in and compete with 2020 draft pick Tyler Davis and second-year tight end Ben Ellefson for a spot on the roster. He likely has more upside than either, though his sample size as a receiver is limited. With that said, he scored eight touchdowns over the last two years and has traits worth developing as a developmental tight end.
