Jacksonville Jaguars bandwagon rolling along after 2016 NFL Draft

The Jacksonville Jaguars bandwagon hype was building steam after a strong free agency period, but it’s getting close to full speed after a terrific haul in the 2016 NFL Draft.

More from Jaguars Draft

• The Jaguars may look for edge rushers with pick 24
• The Jacksonville Jaguars got so lucky with the 2021 NFL Draft
• Jaguars fortify OL with Jaelyn Duncan in CBS Sports’ 2023 NFL Mock Draft
• Jacksonville Jaguars don’t need to trade up in the 2023 NFL Draft to land a cornerback
• Jacksonville Jaguars address top offseason needs in CBS Sports 2-round 2023 NFL Mock Draft

The Jacksonville Jaguars made vast improvements in 2015, but their record didn’t exactly reflect that fact. The offense made enormous strides with

,

, and

all taking quantum leaps to stardom in their sophomore seasons, but the defense regressed and was near the bottom of the league in a decent amount of statistical categories.

Consequently, the Jaguars made defense the primary focus of the offseason, starting with some big acquisitions in free agency. Defensive tackle Malik Jackson, cornerback Prince Amukamara, and free safety Tashaun Gipson all signed sizable deals and are expected to start or play significant time. Those moves made the Jaguars better on defense, but the real turning point was over the past few days when the team added perhaps the 2 best defensive players in the entire draft: Myles Jack and Jalen Ramsey.

"At the end of last season, a lot of people had already glommed onto the Jaguars as a 2016 sleeper. The bandwagon is really rolling now. The Jaguars made the best pick of the first round, somehow taking cornerback Jalen Ramsey, the best player in the draft, fifth overall. They might have made the best pick of the second round too… We don’t know what linebacker Myles Jack’s career will end up being, and that’s the reason he was still available for the Jaguars in the second round."

With those two moves, many analysts like Frank Schwab are now likely to go all-in on the Jaguars as the “sleeper” playoff team of 2016.

"The Jaguars haven’t had a winning record or made the playoffs since 2007. There’s a chance that streak ends this season. After the offseason they’ve had, that should be the expectation in Jacksonville. The Jaguars are the official sleeper of the 2016 NFL season."

The Jaguars will be relying on a lot of rookies, including 2015 first round pick Dante Fowler Jr., and that’s always a risky proposition. If it does work however, the Jaguars could take over the AFC South.