2023 NFL Draft: Who Do Jaguars Land in Pre-Free Agency Mock?

The days of big-money deals and breaking news are right around the corner.

Free agency is set to kick off in coming days, with players eligible to officially sign deals after 4 p.m. on Wednesday.

But for teams like the Jacksonville Jaguars, the next week is more about the future than the present.

The Jaguars did their big spending in the last two offseasons, especially in 2022. After being among the biggest spenders in free-agency history during that span, the Jaguars are in draft-and-develop mode.

So with nine draft picks on the docket for April, here is our full seven-round pre-free agency mock draft.

1st Round, No. 20: CB Joey Porter Jr., Penn State

TRADE UP: Jaguars trade No. 24, No. 121 to Seattle Seahawks for No. 20 overall

We have the Jaguars dealing their first fourth-round pick in this scenario to move up for one of the draft's most athletic cornerbacks in Joey Porter Jr. Porter Jr. could always go earlier (No. 10 to the Eagles would even make sense), but in this scenario he was falling due to the run on quarterbacks and offensive tackles, and the Jaguars take advantage.

Porter Jr has elite length and size at 6-foot-2 and 34-inch arms. Add in a great showing in the 40 and jumps, and the football prodigy is a proven athlete. This doesn't even take into account that he is the most physical man coverage cornerback in the draft, fitting the Jaguars' qualifications for an outside cornerback to a tee. He isn't a slot cornerback, but he is too talented for the Jaguars to pass on.

2nd Round, No. 56: EDGE Keion White, Georgia Tech

If there is a defensive lineman in the 2023 class that screams "Trent Baalke guy", it is Georgia Tech's Keion White. The former tight end and Old Dominion transfer recorded 11 sacks in his college career, including 7.5 in 2022. Add in the fact that he's 6-foot-5 and 285 pounds with 34-inch arms and the ability to play inside and outside and White just seems like a Baalke pick. In this scenario, he helps fill for the potential loss of Arden Key and Dawuane Smoot in sub-packages, giving the Jaguars an athletic depth rusher to develop behind Travon Walker and Josh Allen.

Is White a player who is ready to make an impact as a rookie? Maybe not, but the best developmental path is for him to get snaps and experience. The Jaguars could offer him that very opportunity.

3rd Round, No. 88: OL Warren McClendon, Georgia

The Jaguars will need to find some offensive tackle depth this offseason. Jawaan Taylor seems destined for free agency, which means the Jaguars will have to likely move Walker Little from the swing tackle spot to right tackle. With multiple offensive linemen coming off injuries and the durable and talented Taylor seemingly on his way out, the Jaguars need to make additions to the line at some point in the draft.

In this case, they do it with the experienced and athletic Warren McClendon. McClendon started over 35 games as Georgia's right tackle over the last three seasons, proving himself as a reliable cog in Georgia's offense. McClendon could come in and provide depth early on and even be a potential starter at tackle down the road.

4th Round, No. 127: RB Tank Bigsby, Auburn

Doug Pederson didn't sound overly thrilled with his running back room at the combine. He knows the room can be better in 2023, especially behind starting running back Travis Etienne. Tank Bigsby fits the mold of running back the Jaguars want to add to the roster and he has a productive and experienced pedigree behind him.

6th Round, No. 185 (via NYJ): TE Josh Whyle, Cincinnati

The Jaguars could look to Luke Farrell to be their No. 2 tight end in 2023, but they still need depth -- especially if Evan Engram stays on a franchise tag. Josh Whyle posted solid numbers at the NFL Scouting Combine and caught 15 touchdowns over the last three seasons, giving him a chance to replace Dan Arnold in the short-term.

6th Round, No. 202: CB Rejzohn Wright, Oregon State

The Jaguars should want to add a lot of cornerback depth this offseason. They have their starting trio in Tyson Campbell, Darious Williams, and Porter Jr., but Rejzohn Wright is a big cornerback (6-foot-2, 200 pounds) with length who could battle Gregory Junior and Montaric Brown for spots on the roster next year.

6th Round, No. 208 (via PHI): WR Jadon Haselwood, Arkansas

The Jaguars don't have a big need for a wide receiver, but why not take a swing on a former mega-recruit? Jadon Haselwood was the No. 1 receiver in the 2019 class but produced just 10 touchdowns and 1,438 receiving yards at Oklahoma and Arkansas. He ran a bad 40, but he has great size and is the type of depth receiver the Jaguars could realistically look to target.

7th Round, No. 226: DL Cory Durden, NC State

The Jaguars need more bodies up front since they have two impending free agents in Adam Gotsis and Corey Peters. Cory Durden won't provide much of a pass-rush, but he is a big body who could showcase his potential to plug against the run.