2016 NFL Draft: What if Jacksonville Jaguars had 2 first rounders?

It’s no secret the New York Jets will be in the market for a quarterback. They may be looking to trade up for Paxton Lynch or they may be looking for more ammunition to nab a quarterback in the second round. The Jags-Jets trade gives the Jets the ability to shift in rounds two or three and get a quarterback they want and it gives the Jaguars the chance to grab a player they covet.

It isn’t every day that a talent as good as Noah Spence is going to be available at the middle of the first round (or possibly even later). As good as Joey Bosa and arguably the best pure pass rusher in the 2016 NFL Draft, Spence loses value because of his personal problems while playing in the Big 10, which led to his suspension from the conference and move to Eastern Kentucky.

Spence utterly decimated the competition while at Eastern Kentucky, proving that he belongs with the best players in the college ranks and, most likely, the NFL. He’s ready to put in the work to come back and be professional.

The redemption of Noah Spence has been fascinating to watch and with the rumors of the Jacksonville Jaguars being interested in him as early as the Senior Bowl (where he impressed the Jaguars coaches) and his recent visit to the team, it’s clear this would be a welcomed match.

Spence has red flags, sure. He’s far from a perfect individual, but in the right situation he can be something exceptional and keep his positive trajectory that he has built toward over the last year with his coaches and family.

If the Jaguars have an opportunity to trade back into the first round and get a top pass rusher to pair with 2015 first rounder Dante Fowler Jr., they should take it. The 2016 Jaguars are in a tough situation and Gus Bradley and Dave Caldwell are now at a point where they can afford to go all out to make their push to above .500 in year four. Owner Shad Khan expects results and this is how they get them.

Next: A more traditional mock draft scenario

The NFL draft has been filled with much odder scenarios before and if the Jags do get a top professional pass rusher out of a relatively modest deal with a team like the New York Jets, they’d come away with a much improved defense.