Jaguars Take Blue-Chipper In Latest Sports Illustrated Mock Draft

The Jacksonville Jaguars benefitted in a big way in the latest Sports Illustrated mock draft, taking Michigan Wolverines defensive tackle Mason Graham at No. 5.

New Jacksonville Jaguars head coach, Liam Coen, smiles next to Jaguars owner Shad Khan after speaking and being introduced during a press conference Monday, Jan. 27, 2025 at the Miller Electric Center in Jacksonville, Fla. | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Jacksonville Jaguars are set to take a true game-changer with the No. 5 pick next month.

It remains to be seen which game-changer that is exactly, but it isn't hard to see the Jaguars are in a great spot -- especially with Cam Ward looking more and more like a lock to go to the Tennessee Titans at No. 1 overall.

The true question mark is if a second quarterback -- namely Shedeur Sanders -- also goes in the top-4 to give the Jaguars a choice between multiple elite prospects.

But what if Sanders slides out of the top-5? That is a very real scenario the Jaguars will have to be ready for, though it would be far from a doomsday scenario.

That is the scenario the Jaguars are faced with in the latest mock draft from Sports Illustrated, which has Ward, Abdul Carter, Travis Hunter, and Will Campbell going in the first four picks.

That leaves the Jaguars with an easy decision to make at No. 5: Michigan Wolverines defensive tackle Mason Graham.

"The Jaguars made a flurry of moves on the first day of the negotiating period, none of which addressed a defensive line that finished fifth worst in the NFL with 34 sacks last season," Sports Illustrated said.

"New general manager James Gladstone wants to build through the trenches, and Graham, with his quick twitch and powerful hands, gives Jacksonville a safe yet impactful piece to start Gladstone’s tenure."

Graham to the Jaguars has felt like a chalk pick for some time now. And if the draft's first four picks truly play out the way they do in this mock draft, then this would be the expected outcome for the Jaguars at No. 5. In short, this mock draft shows just how well-positioned the Jaguars are. Even if just one quarterback is drafted in the top-5, the Jaguars get a top playmaker.

"If you watch this kid, the performance level of him each week. I mean, he was popping in those games. And he did it his whole career, he wasn't just a one-year guy," ESPN's Mel Kiper said earlier this month.

"So I think he is tough to block because he understands. He has violent hands, he understands leverage and technique, and he is slithery. He can get in that backfield and wreak havoc. I think inside pressure affects quarterbacks more than anything."

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