2021 NFL Draft: Cornerback Once Again Mocked to the Jaguars To Pair With Lawrence

In PFF's latest mock draft, the Jaguars have been mocked another first round cornerback for their second selection in the top-32, a trend that has become increasingly popular.

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 (No. 25) as a result of the Jalen Ramsey trade. As of this writing, the Jaguars have 11 picks in the upcoming draft.

We now know who will be leading the Jacksonville Jaguars on the sidelines and in the front office moving forward. Urban Meyer has been selected as head coach while Trent Baalke is the team's newest general manager. Now, the duo will have to navigate an immensely important offseason that features the Jaguars holding the draft's top selection.

How Meyer and Baalke shape the Jaguars' roster over the course of the offseason will be fascinating on all fronts. This of course means mock drafts and other projections for how the Jaguars move toward their future.

For every team other than the four 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.

This time, we take a look at Pro Football Focus' latest first-round mock and what they project the Jaguars to do with their pair of top-32 selections. 

So, who does PFF mock to the Jaguars? Do the picks make sense from a fit and value standpoint? We weigh in with our analysis here.

No. 1: Clemson QB Trevor Lawrence

Don't expect this to change anytime soon. Like all other mock drafts we will see until the day of the draft, PFF slots Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence to the Jaguars with the draft's top pick.

There isn't much that can be said here that we haven't already said. Lawrence has the production, pedigree of success and winning, physical tools, and the makeup of a top quarterback prospect. He has been tabbed by many as the best quarterback to enter the draft since Andrew Luck in 2012 for a reason. 

Jacksonville is in major need of a quarterback following a disastrous 2020 that saw them start Gardner Minshew II, Mike Glennon, and Jake Luton over the course of the 16-game season. Not only do the Jaguars need a franchise quarterback to elevate the offense on the field, but they need someone who can be a legitimate face and cornerstone of the franchise. 

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. He isn't perfect, but there is a strong argument to make for him being the best quarterback prospect of the last decade. 

The Jaguars do have other options with the top pick, as we explained here, but none make nearly as much sense as simply picking Lawrence. He is the quarterback the Jaguars need for countless reasons, and thus he should be the favorite to be the first pick until the evidence shows otherwise. 

No. 25: South Carolina CB Jaycee Horn

The Jaguars have mostly been mocked three positions at No. 25 thus far this offseason: cornerback, defensive tackle, and offensive tackle. In this case, PFF goes with strengthening Jacksonville's weak secondary.

The Jaguars finished No. 31 in defensive passing DVOA in 2020, No. 31 in net yards per pass attempt allowed, No. 31 in yards per pass attempt allowed, and No. 30 in quarterback rating and adjusted net yards per pass attempt allowed in 2020. Add in the fact that two of their most experienced outside cornerbacks -- Tre Herndon and Sidney Jones -- are impending free agents and the Jaguars are desperately in need of reinforcements at cornerback. 

Would Horn make sense as that reinforcement, and would he pair well with 2020 No. 9 overall pick CJ Henderson? His college production may not scream "future first-rounder", but the film shows a physical and versatile defender. 

Horn had just two interceptions during his collegiate career, but he was a starter for South Carolina almost right away. He started 10 games as a freshman and recorded 45 tackles, four tackles for loss, two sacks, and eight pass deflections. As a sophomore, Horn picked up his game and recorded 40 tackles, two tackles for loss, one sack, nine pass deflections, and two forced fumbles.

If the Jaguars want long and physical corners who can contest receivers at the catch point and line of scrimmage, they wouldn't have to look much further than Horn. He would give them a pair of physically imposing cornerbacks between him and Henderson considering the skill set of each. 

The Jaguars would have to determine whether Horn fits their defensive scheme, however. If they want their cornerbacks to line up closer to the line of scrimmage and battle receivers, he is a perfect fit. If they want their cornerbacks to play off-coverage more often than not, then they may want to look elsewhere.

With that said, Horn has the athletic traits to eventually develop into an all-around cornerback. At the very least, selecting him would be a bold move toward the Jaguars fostering a new identity in the secondary. 

For the rest of the mock, click here.