Mock Draft Roundup: Post-Super Bowl Projection Sees Jaguars Upgrade Trenches
'Tis the season for mock drafts, a yearly tradition in which media attempt to project how the second-biggest day on the NFL calendar plays out.
As we inch closer and closer to the 2022 NFL Draft, we will be tracking how other national media outlets are projecting the Jacksonville Jaguars to attack the draft and build around 2021 No. 1 overall pick Trevor Lawrence.
The Jaguars still have a long way to go before deciding on the No. 1 overall pick in April, including figuring out their future direction at both head coach and general manager.
But until then, we can continue to debate the merits of the Jaguars' options at No. 1 overall and what the Jaguars could ultimately decide to do.
So, what is one potential scenario for the Jaguars at No. 1 overall? In this edition of Mock Draft Roundup, we take a look at Bleacher Report's latest mock and what it could mean for the Jaguars.
No. 1 overall: OT Evan Neal, Alabama
In what has become I believe the consensus mock to the Jaguars at No. 1 overall already, Bleacher Report goes with the chalk pick and slots Evan Neal to Jacksonville with the first pick. The gargantuan Alabama left tackle has been frequently mocked as the No. 1 offensive lineman off the board and first overall offensive player drafted, and there are no surprises in this instance.
"Neal has prototypical physical traits, with ideal size, length, athletic ability and the proven versatility to play on either side. He is exceptionally smooth and agile for someone who's 350 pounds, and he has the play strength to create consistent movement in the run game," Bleacher Report's Brandon Thorn wrote. "Also, Neal won't turn 22 until September, giving the Jaguars an important runway for needed refinement to occur in his use of leverage, pad level and hands."
"Lawrence is the centerpiece of the Jaguars franchise, so fortifying the line in front of him to enhance his development is a top priority. Neal would provide Lawrence and the team with an instant-impact starter whom the line can build around while simultaneously making the entire front five better."
The following two picks after Neal ended up being Oregon's Kayvon Thibodeaux to the Detroit Lions and Michigan's Aidan Hutchinson to the Houston Texans, giving the Jaguars the top offensive lineman in a draft where pass-rush may be king.
Our view: I am of the opinion that Neal will likely be the pick at No. 1, even if there is plenty of evidence to suggest that a pass-rusher may be worth the selection instead. The Jaguars have so much upheaval and change set to hit their offensive line that I think they will look at taking Neal as a must-make move, especially considering Neal's inside-out versatility and experience.
As I wrote in my breakdown of Neal's game, I do think his exceptional traits, athleticism, versatility, and track record as a high-level performer at multiple positions. With that said, the value of taking a high-ceiling lineman like Neal in a year in which the Jaguars could lose three of their five starting offensive linemen is definitely enticing.
Neal is the best offensive lineman in this class to me and presents the Jaguars with a versatile and high-ceiling option. He isn't a prototype left tackle due to his large size and less than exceptional lateral quickness, but he is the tackle I would take at No. 1 overall in this class.
No. 33 overall: Edge defender Jermaine Johnson II, Florida State
One of the biggest risers of this class, Jermaine Johnson II had an absolutely electric 2021 season for the Florida State Seminoles. With arguably the best performance of any player in Mobile during the week of the Reese's Senior Bowl earlier this month right on top of his productive 2021, Johnson looks closer and closer to being a top-35 lock.
The ACC Defensive Player of the Year last year and the first player in ACC history to earn defensive or offensive Player of the Year in his first season with an ACC team, Johnson started all 12 games for FSU after transferring from Georgia. He recorded 70 tackles, 18 tackles for loss, 12 sacks, two forced fumbles, two pass breakups and one fumble recovery, leading the ACC in tackles for loss and sacks.
Our view: I am of the opinion that Johnson is likely a top-five edge rusher in this class, which says a lot considering how deep the class appears to be on the edge. There are much bendier and more flexible pass rushers in the class, but Johnson appears to offer many of the similar traits that Hutchinson does, while doing so at a fraction of the opportunity cost.
The Jaguars badly need to upgrade their edge rush and Johnson has a power-based skill set that would compliment Josh Allen and his athleticism quite a bit. Johnson also is a strong run defender whose skill set could ultimately remind Doug Pederson of Derek Barnett, who he saw find success with the Eagles. This is a good pick.
No. 65 overall: TE Jalen Wydermyer, Texas A&M
Considered one of the top tight ends in this class for the past several years, Jalen Wydermyer is a 6-foot-5, 255-pound target who could give Trevor Lawrence a much-needed boost at tight end. He caught 32 passes for 447 yards and six touchdowns as a true freshman before catching 46 passes for 506 yards and another six touchdowns in 2020.
Wydermyer finished his college career with 40 catches, 515 yards and four touchdowns in 2021, one of the more explosive seasons of his career from an efficiency standpoint. And while the former John Mackey Award finalist may not be the first tight end off the board, his name will certainly still be in the conversation.
Our view: I think this is a smart pick for the Jaguars, again. I am not sold that Wydermyer is better than Trey McBride as an overall tight end, but I do think his collection of traits is something the Jaguars' offense badly needs. He is a smooth and explosive athlete who can win downfield against linebackers and create mismatch issues in the short to intermediate areas of the field.
This may be too late for the Jaguars to add their first weapon, but it is at least giving Lawrence a high-ceiling pass-catcher he can grow with. If Wydermyer was a topped out tight end prospect with no room to improve I would be more skeptical, but he offers some excitement.
No. 70: OG Ed Ingram, LSU
One of the most experienced guards in the class, Ed Ingram spent four different seasons starting at a number of positions for LSU's offensive line. Starting 34 games over a long college career, Ingram started 11 games at left guard in 2021 but has also spent time on the right side. Ingram had been with the LSU program since 2017 and was a consistent face in the Tigers' offensive attack.
Our view: The Jaguars badly need to add to the interior offensive line this offseason. Not only are Andrew Norwell and A.J. Cann starters who are set to hit free agency, but Tyler Shatley and Will Richardson are on expiring deals as well. Considering Ingram's vast experience at left guard, he seems to be a logical option to replace Norwell and step into a starting role sooner than later.
