2023 NFL Draft: Full 7-Round Jaguars Mock Draft
The 2023 NFL Draft is right around the corner.
With less than two weeks until the draft, teams are finalizing their boards and top-30 visits, giving the general public a blend of clarity and misdirection that can be hard to read through.
For the Jacksonville Jaguars' purposes, we have put together a seven-round mock draft that features players who the Jaguars have displayed some interest in, whether it be a pro day workout or a top-30 visit.
So, which players do we mock to the Jaguars in one of our final seven-round mocks of the 2023 draft process? We break it down below.
No. 24 overall, 1st Round: OT Anton Harrison, Oklahoma
One of the best pass-protectors in this class, Oklahoma left tackle Anton Harrison would give the Jaguars considerable flexibility at offensive tackle moving forward. The Jaguars did sign veteran swing tackle Josh Wells earlier this month, but the Jaguars need a long-term replacement for former right tackle Jawaan Taylor, who started 68 games on a cheap rookie deal. While Harrison is more of a left tackle than a right tackle, he could give the Jaguars the chance to have two young, cheap, and talented tackles still on the roster, a rare luxury.
After injuries over the last two years, it has become somewhat hard to not consider short- and long-term insurance for Cam Robinson at left tackle. Harrison would give the Jaguars that insurance, even giving them a starting left tackle to kick off 2023 if Robinson isn't immediately available after his season-ending knee injury last year.
No. 56 overall, 2nd Round: CB Cam Smith, South Carolina
This would be a best-case scenario for the Jaguars, who are still looking to add to the secondary in the draft. While the Jaguars didn't land Brian Branch in the first round to fill their nickel role, they do land a solid consolation prize in South Carolina's Cam Smith. The Jaguars have shown significant interest in Smith, sending their defensive backs coach to South Carolina's pro day and also hosting Smith on a top-30 visit.
Smith is best fit for the outside due to issues defending the run in college, but he has the cover skills to slide inside if need be. Ultimately, though, he would give the Jaguars a pair of athletic, physical, and instinctual cornerbacks to build around for the future between himself and Tyson Campbell.
No. 88 overall, 3rd Round: EDGE Byron Young, Tennessee
This selection would remind me a lot of the Yannick Ngakoue pick in 2016. Ngakoue was knocked coming out of Maryland due to his lack of run-stopping ability, which caused him to slip to the third round despite a proven track record in the ACC as a pass-rusher.
Young has similar question marks, lacking the physical presence, size and power at the point of attack to fare well against the run on a consistent basis ... but he is also one of the best pure pass-rushers in the class. Young has an elite first step and is a lightning-quick athlete around the edge, giving the Jaguars a pass-rush specialist they can put outside on passing downs to allow Travon Walker to move around.
No. 121 overall, 4th Round (via TB): TE Zack Kuntz, Old Dominion
The Jaguars only have three tight ends on the roster entering the offseason program on Monday, and only two of them have caught a pass in an NFL game. Luke Farrell has fans inside the building, but the Jaguars still need to take a tight end at some point to provide depth alongside Farrell and Evan Engram. Zack Kuntz was the No. 4 tight end in the 2018 class before he transferred out of Penn State after three seasons. He caught five touchdowns over the last two seasons and had an elite showing at the NFL Scouting Combine, offering the traits to be a No. 3 tight end as a rookie who can develop into something more.
No. 127 overall, 4th Round: DL Colby Wooden, Auburn
One of my favorite Day 3 pass-rush options for the Jaguars is Auburn's Colby Wooden. He has a chance to be a top-100 pick, but his tweener traits suggest he could fall into the fourth-round. Wooden is eerily similar to Dawuane Smoot, offering edge setting potential on running downs and then giving the interior pass-rush a spark on passing downs. While Byron Young can only rush off the edge, Wooden would help solve the Jaguars' interior defensive line needs following Arden Key's departure.
No. 185 overall, 6th Round (VIA NYJ): DL Jaquelin Roy, LSU
A defensive lineman who Jaguars' defensive line coach Brentson Buckner met with at LSU's pro day, Jaquelin Roy is a mammoth defensive tackle who has upside as a run-defender. It is hard to envision him making much of an impact on passing downs, but he is the type of big, long and physical lineman the Jaguars have coveted under Trent Baalke.
No. 202 overall, 6th Round: RB Deneric Prince, Tulsa
A bowling-ball runner who is one of the best athletes in the running back class, Deneric Prince could be the Jaguars' chance to make up for the Snoop Conner trade last year. Conner went on to play sparingly for the Jaguars as a rookie and has since fallen down a peg on the depth chart after the D'Ernest Johnson signing. Prince is feast-or-famine as a runner but has a high ceiling worth developing behind the Jaguars' veteran backs.
No. 208 overall, 6th Round (via PHI): TE Payne Durham, Purdue
The Jaguars double-dip at tight end to land their No. 4 tight end. Payne Durham has the physical traits and size to be a developmental Y tight end while the Jaguars develop Kuntz as a move tight end, making them a solid pair of rookies who can carve out niche roles for themselves in their own ways. Durham won't impress anyone as an athlete, but he has soft hands, is a big target and has plenty of upside as a blocker.
No. 226 overall, 7th Round (via CAR): S DeMarcco Hellams, Alabama
DeMarcco Hellams is unlikely to have the speed and athletic traits to be an every-down starter in the secondary, but his tough-nosed play and leadership ability make him a perfect candidate to be a core special teamer. This is a pick that would put Heath Farwell over the moon.
