Mock Draft Roundup: NFL.com Upgrades the Jaguars’ Speed on Offense and Defense in Three-Round Projection

In NFL.com's latest three-round mock draft, the Jaguars select two of the fastest players in the entire draft class.

'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 2020 NFL Draft on Apr. 23, we will be tracking how other national media outlets are projecting the Jacksonville Jaguars to attack the draft. With two first-round picks for the first time since 1998, the Jaguars are one of the most interesting teams to monitor throughout this offseason, and it is worth examining how different people view the team's needs and how to address them.

Jacksonville owns picks No. 9 and No. 20, with the former a result of their 6-10 record and the latter a result of the team trading Jalen Ramsey to the Los Angeles Rams for a pair of first-round picks and one later round selection in 2021. With one of the weaker rosters in the AFC, the Jaguars have a number of directions they could take with their early picks that would make sense. 

This week, NFL.com writer Chad Reuter released a three-round mock draft that lands the Jaguars with some of the most athletic players in the entire draft, an interesting proposition for a team that badly needs an influx of talent. From the Jaguars' first pick at No. 9 to their third-round selection, Reuter slots plus-athletes to Jacksonville.

So, how did Reuter map out the Jaguars' first round, and does it seem like a logical possibility for the draft to play out this way? We examined the picks to determine the answer.

No. 9: Clemson LB Isaiah Simmons

"I don't know how much luckier the Jaguars can get. Finding a top-five talent in Simmons sitting here at No. 9 is a steal. The ultra-athletic linebacker can play anywhere," Reuter wrote.

Isaiah Simmons had an unreal performance at the NFL Scouting Combine last week, posting a 4.39 40-yard dash at nearly 240-pounds. His status as one of the most athletic, if not the most athletic, players in the entire draft class is cemented. 

The question for the Jaguars would be if they would be able to maximize Simmons' athleticism and versatility on defense. Simmons has experience at all three linebacker spots, defensive end, safety, and slot cornerback. He can truly do it all for a defense, specifically as a pass defender. The Jaguars don't have a player who has anywhere near the skill set Simmons has, and he could be a big-time presence vs. mismatch players opposing offenses utilize at running back, tight end, and even quarterback. 

Would the Jaguars let Simmons do what he does best and play all over the defense? That remains to be seen. The Jaguars have never used versatile players like Jalen Ramsey, Myles Jack, or Josh Allen in multi-faceted ways like Simmons would be used in, so there is no real track record to indicate they would utilize Simmons to the best of his ability. 

On the other hand, the Jaguars have a major need at linebacker regardless. They need a player who can step in and be a playmaker from day one, and that could be Simmons even if he is only playing linebacker.

No 20: Alabama WR Henry Ruggs III

"The Jags should still be looking for pass catchers, and using Ruggs in a Deebo Samuel-like role makes all kinds of sense. Keep in mind that Chris Conley and Dede Westbrook are due to become free agents in 2021," Reuter wrote. 

The Jaguars do have a big need at wide receiver, and Henry Ruggs III is one of the top talents at the position in this year's class due to his game-changing speed (4.27 40-yard dash). But would Ruggs make sense for the Jaguars' current roster?

The Jaguars aren't in good enough of shape from a talent perspective to turn their noses up at a player like Ruggs because of fit, but it stands true that the Jaguars already have plenty of speed that can take the top off of a defense in their current wide receiver room with DJ Chark, Chris Conley, and Dede Westbrook.

What the Jaguars don't have at the position is a combination of size and contested catch ability. Ruggs is 5-foot-11, 188-pounds, so he is not exactly the style of receiver Jacksonville could benefit from targeting.

With that said, the path to the Jaguars finding success in 2020 is to find consistency and more explosive plays on offense. Ruggs would add a lethal wrinkle to Jay Gruden's scheme and either Gardner Minshew II or Nick Foles could benefit in major ways from having his speed on the field.

No. 42: Auburn CB Noah Igbinoghene 

No. 73: Oklahoma DT Neville Gallimore

Noah Igbinoghene is one of the most interesting players in the class due to his athletic ability and skill set. A former wide receiver, his time at cornerback has been a short experience thus far, and that could concern the Jaguars since they will be looking for a cornerback who can step into the defense and start right away in 2020. 

But with A.J Bouye traded on Tuesday and Jalen Ramsey traded last October, the Jaguars have to target cornerback early in the draft one way or another. Igbinoghene would give them a young defensive back with loads of potential, though the questions about his readiness are fair.

In Neville Gallimore, the Jaguars would get consistent disruption from the interior, though his best fit may be at three-technique instead of nose tackle in a 4-3 defensive front. Luckily for the Jaguars, they need help at both defensive tackle positions, so this causes no issues. 

Gallimore could step in and push Taven Bryan for a starting position early on thanks to his athleticism, motor, and pass-rush savvy. While his ability to impact the run defense won't be near his ability to get to the quarterback early on in his career, he still makes a lot of sense for a team who needs interior help like the Jaguars.