5 Non-Travis Hunter Prospects Who Make Sense For the Jaguars

There is still a month left in the 2024 season, but the Jacksonville Jaguars' chances to draft Colorado star Travis Hunter with the No. 1 pick took a serious hit over the weekend.

The Jaguars got a much-needed win in terms of morale purposes with Sunday's 10-6 win over the Tennessee Titans, but the victory did bump the Jaguars down from the No. 1 draft slot all the way to No. 5.

So while the door hasn't been closed completely on the Hunter sweepstakes, it is time for those in Jaguars circles to at least familiarize themselves with other names.

So, which non-Hunter prospects would make sense for a Jaguars team that is still a near-lock to pick in the top-10? We break it down below.

Michigan CB Will Johnson

The Jaguars' two biggest roster needs after the season will likely both be in the secondary: safety and cornerback. The Jaguars have two young cornerbacks to build around in Tyson Campbell and Jarrian Jones, and adding Will Johnson to the mix would give them one of the best young cornerback rooms in the NFL.

Johnson is right up there with Hunter in terms of placement as the top cornerback in the class. He has prototypical size, length and speed and, frankly, has no real holes in his game. He looks like the closest thing we have seen to Patrick Surtain II since the 2021 draft.

Michigan DL Mason Graham

Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham might not fit general manager Trent Baalke's length requirements in the event Baalke is still the one making the picks, but it is hard to ignore him as one of the best prospects in the class. Graham is a rugged, NFL-ready defensive tackle who could quickly help bring some pass-rush to the middle of the Jaguars' defensive line.

The Jaguars do have some investments already along the interior line in DaVon Hamilton, Arik Armstead and 2024 second-rounder Maason Smith, but none of them should stop the Jaguars from adding the top defensive tackle prospect in the class.

Georgia DL Mykel Williams

A raw, toolsy pass-rusher with a mountain of upside and a Georgia pedigree. Who does that sound like? After the success the Jaguars have found with developing Travon Walker, it would make sense for them to take a similar roll of the dice on Mykel Williams. Williams is the type of player who could go top-10 based on traits alone.

Williams would give the Jaguars an embarrassment of riches at edge rusher, but the Jaguars desperately need a third running mate for Walker and Josh Hines-Allen. After Hines-Allen (53) and Walker (44), the Jaguars don't have another defender who has hit 20 pressures this season. The player with the third-most sacks on the defense this year is Roy Robertson-Harris, who hasn't played for the team in over 50 days.

Arizona WR Tetairoa McMillan

The Jaguars have some interesting decisions to make in the wide receiver room in 2025. Brian Thomas Jr. will clearly be the alpha of the receiver room next season, while Parker Washington will obviously be a part of the room. Beyond that, the Jaguars have a decision to make on Christian Kirk, and it is hard to list Gabe Davis as a major factor moving forward.

Enter Arizona wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan, who is the top wide receiver by a mile in the 2025 class. He would give Trevor Lawrence a massive target on the outside who could win in contested situations, something Lawrence has missed for most of his career. If the Jaguars want to go offense, this has to be the pick.

Georgia DB Malaki Starks

We mentioned safety as one of the Jaguars' top needs earlier, and it is easy to see why. Fourth-year safety Andre Cisco is set to be a free agent in March, and it appears unlikely he will sign a new deal with the Jaguars in 2025. Darnell Savage can man one safety spot, but the Jaguars will be in need of a running mate.

That is where Georgia safety Malaki Starks comes in. A former five-star recruit and a 2023 Consensus All-American, Starks has the size, ball skills and athletic traits to become a key piece of any NFL secondary he lands with. He could give the Jaguars a pair of versatile safeties in the backend that would give the Jaguars plenty of flexibility.

Ensure you follow on X (Twitter) @JaguarsOnSI and @_John_Shipley and never miss another breaking news story again.

Please let us know your thoughts when you like our Facebook page WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE.