2021 NFL Draft: Analyzing Todd McShay’s First-Round DL Projection for the Jaguars

While we continue to march through the 2020 season, we will take looks at mock drafts from throughout the football industry to reflect on what outside projections for the Jacksonville Jaguars look like.

The Jaguars currently hold the No. 1 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, along with the Los Angeles Rams' first-round pick as a result of the Jalen Ramsey trade. As of this writing, the Jaguars have 11 picks in the upcoming draft.

The 2020 NFL season is over. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are Super Bowl Champions, while 31 other teams will spend the next several months retooling in hopes of lifting the Lombardi Trophy next year.

This of course means mock drafts. For every team other than the eight still in the playoffs, attention has shifted toward the 2021 NFL Draft. This year's draft is set to be especially important for the Jaguars considering their 11 draft picks, which includes two picks in the first two rounds apiece.

To get an idea of what positions or which names could be options for the Jaguars in the first round, we take a look at some of the players selected for them in recent mock drafts from national analysts and sites. For each pick, our own analysis will be included.

In this edition, we look at the post-Super Bowl mock draft from ESPN's Todd McShay. The first pick is obvious, but what about the second first-round pick McShay projects for the Jaguars? Do the players fulfill needs and are good fits, or are there any reaches involved? We weigh in here.

No. 1: Clemson QB Trevor Lawrence

This is going to get old to keep reading, but this won't change. Even with the news of Lawrence set to have surgery on his non-throwing shoulder, Lawrence is still the pick here for McShay and for every other mock out there. The next projection that doesn't have Lawrence slotted to the Jaguars here will be among the first.

Lawrence is reportedly still expected to be ready for training camp in 2021, so there are no real issues with picking him as long as the Jaguars grade him as the top quarterback -- which is the expectation for most. Lawrence will also still throw for teams on Friday, so the Jaguars could get a good view of him one more time before they are on the clock in April.

Lawrence was 34-2 as a starter in college, 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.

No. 25 (via Los Angeles Rams): Washington DT Levi Onwuzurike

This is where things get interesting. While many have mocked Alabama's Christian Barmore to the Jaguars at No. 25, but McShay has them going a different direction with Washington's Levi Onwuzurike.

The Jaguars were among the worst teams in the NFL last year in terms of yards per carry allowed, rushing yards per game allowed, rushing touchdowns allowed, pressure percentage, and sacks. They finished in the bottom-six in each area, and a big reason for this was their lack of talent in the middle of the defense.

The Jaguars got just 2.5 sacks, 10 tackles for loss, and 12 quarterback hits from their defensive tackle group in 2020. There were multiple reasons for this, but these reasons don't exactly provide any solutions for the Jaguars. For one, they had free agent additions Al Woods (opt out) and Rodney Gunter (retirement) not play a snap. Then the Timmy Jernigan era lasted just a handful of games, and Taven Bryan's regression served the final blow.

The Jaguars do have two good young defensive tackles in DaVon Hamilton and Doug Costin, but a penetrating interior lineman is needed badly. This is where Onwuzurike would come in, at least in theory. He is a quick interior lineman who flashes aggressive hands and a good ability to diagnose plays.

With that said, one of the primary question marks here would be the fact that Onwuzurike didn't play in 2020 due to opting out for his final collegiate season. Onwuzurike still attended the 2021 Reese's Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala., however, so teams have been able to get a look at him in at least that capacity.

Besides that, Onwuzurike's college production raises some questions about his ceiling as a pass-rusher. It took him some time to become a consistent contributor due to the presence of Vita Vea, with 2019 being the only season where he was a full-time starter. This was Onwuzurike's best season by far though, with the defensive tackle earning All-Pac-12 first-team honors,

In three years of playing, Onwuzurike recorded 16 tackles for loss and seven sacks. His film shows the makings of a quality run defender with plus athleticism, but he seemingly has a bit of a way to go as a pass-rusher.

The Jaguars need a young and athletic defensive tackle to place in the middle of their defense, but Onwuzurike seems like a curious pick as of now -- especially when picked over Barmore, like he is in this scenario. He is a good player, but the Jaguars may be better off considering him with one of their second-round picks as opposed to No. 25 overall.