Jacksonville Jaguars big ‘winners’ of the 2016 NFL Draft

Feb 25, 2016; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Gus Bradley speaks to the media during the 2016 NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 25, 2016; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Gus Bradley speaks to the media during the 2016 NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports /
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Post-draft reactions are always tricky, but it’s hard to not be thrilled with what the Jaguars did.

The Jacksonville Jaguars had high expectations heading into 2016 after a solid free agency period, but the bar has been raised even more with a terrific draft class.

Gregg Rosenthal over at NFL.com declared the Jaguars the big winner of the 2016 NFL Draft, touting the patience of the Jacksonville front office and their ability to peak at the exact time they needed to.

"This is how a rebuilding organization is supposed to do it. By Year 4 of the new front office’s program, the organization should be cresting. While the Jaguars didn’t improve last year like they wanted, the pieces are now in place for a dramatic upgrade on defense."

Rosenthal also notes the front office and coaching staff are now under a ton of pressure, as the excuses dwindle away thanks to a huge influx of talent.

"Just in case the team’s high-scoring offense, free agency aggression, and media-friendly approach didn’t make the Jaguars trendy enough, the 2016 NFL Draft should do it. Welcome to higher expectations, coach Gus Bradley and general manager David Caldwell. Anything short of a winning record would be a disappointment."

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We already knew the braintrust of the Jaguars would be under immense pressure heading into 2016, but it’s hard to be happy if the team doesn’t finish with a winning record next year. As Rosenthal points out, the Jaguars should be able to take advantage of an AFC South that doesn’t look too formidable, even with the additions the Titans, Colts, and Texans made this offseason.

"In a wide open AFC South, the Jaguars should absolutely expect to be a playoff team this season. Then again, the Colts and Texans should feel the same way. Caldwell has done a great job building this Jaguars roster. Now it’s time they get used to playoff expectations."

I don’t think the other teams in the division did nearly as much as the Jaguars did to upgrade the talent on their roster, and their records in 2016 should reflect that.

Expectations aside, it’s hard to be less than satisfied with what general manager David Caldwell did in the 2016 Draft. Adding two potential Pro Bowl defenders in Jalen Ramsey and Myles Jack is a much needed upgrade, and the team will likely find at least one legitimate pass rusher among the three they drafted (Yannick Ngakoue, Tyrone Holmes, and Jonathan Woodard).

The Jaguars are winners today – hopefully that trend continues into the regular season.