REPORT: Jaguars Fill Glaring Need With Dominant Defender in New Mock

The Jacksonville Jaguars are entering the offseason with a bevy of needs, and many of them come on the defensive side of the ball.

The Jaguars ranked just 31st in the NFL in defense this year, so it's pretty clear that they need to add some pieces.

Jacksonville does have some good defensive players, ranging from edge rushers Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker to cornerback Tyson Campbell, but it absolutely needs some assistance up the middle, and ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. thinks the Jaguars will take care of that in the NFL Draft.

In his latest mock draft, Kiper has Jacksonville selecting Michigan Wolverines defensive lineman Mason Graham with the fifth overall pick.

"The Jaguars are probably thinking defense here -- it's just a matter of where on defense," Kiper wrote. "Michigan corner Will Johnson could be the answer opposite Tyson Campbell. Georgia safety Malaki Starks could replace Andre Cisco if Jacksonville doesn't re-sign Cisco and is open to trading back. But defensive tackle is the biggest need, and Graham is one heck of a football player. He wins with his technique, using leverage to beat interior offensive linemen. Graham could slide between Travon Walker and Josh Hines-Allen and wreak havoc from the inside."

Graham is coming off of a 2024 campaign in which he registered 45 tackles, seven tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks en route to being named an All-American.

The 21-year-old arrived at Michigan in 2022 and immediately received regular playing time during his debut season, finishing with 27 tackles, three tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks.

Then, in 2023, Graham rattled off 36 stops, eight tackles for loss, three sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery, helping the Wolverines win a national championship.

His numbers may not look too gaudy, but Graham's impact is immeasurable.

The Jaguars tried to patch up the interior of their defensive line last offseason when they signed Arik Armstead, but Armstead proved to be a major disappointment.

There is absolutely potential for this defense; the Jaguars just need to fill in the gaps.

Perhaps Graham could be the answer that Jacksonville is searching for.

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.