2025 NFL Draft: Jaguars Projected to Land Pass-Rush Help

The Jacksonville Jaguars certainly have plenty of needs heading into the NFL offseason, and they have substantial holes on both sides of the ball.

The Jaguars do have some money to play with in free agency, but it's not like Jacksonville is absolutely loaded with cap space.

That means the Jaguars may have to rely on the NFL Draft to fill some gaps, and while adding weapons for Trevor Lawrence is paramount, Jacksonville actually has a very sneaky issue it needs to address defensively: its pass rush.

I know what you're thinking: how could a team that employs Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker on the edge require help with its pass rush?

But that's just the thing: outside of Hines-Allen and Walker, the cupboard is pretty bare for the Jaguars in terms of having players that can regularly apply pressure to opposing quarterbacks. Plus, Walker is preparing to enter the final year of his deal.

That's why Jacksonville may spend a draft pick on an edge rusher this April, and Pro Football Network is predicting the Jaguars to select Syracuse Orange defensive end Fadil Diggs in the fifth round.

Diggs is coming off of an impressive 2024 campaign in which he racked up 45 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.

The East Camden, N.J. native began his collegiate career at Texas A&M and spent four years with the Aggies before transferring to Syracuse ahead of 2024.

Diggs didn't really begin receiving extensive playing time until his third season at Texas A&M, when he registered 28 tackles, three sacks and three forced fumbles. The following year, he posted 36 tackles, 11 tackles for loss and four sacks.

Now, the 6-foot-5, 261-pound defender has established himself as very legitimate NFL prospect and would definitely help provide some much-needed depth behind Hines-Allen and Walker.

And again, there is a very good chance that Walker departs in free agency next offseason. After shelling out a massive contract to Hines-Allen, it seems unlikely that Jacksonville would pay Walker, too.

So, in a sense, the Jaguars could also be selecting Walker's replacement by plucking Diggs in the middle rounds of the draft.

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