7-Round Jacksonville Jaguars 2017 NFL Mock Draft: One Month Out

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Oct 22, 2016; Seattle, WA, USA; Washington Huskies defensive back Sidney Jones (26) in action against the Oregon State Beavers during the first quarter at Husky Stadium. Washington won 41-17. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Buchanan-USA TODAY Sports /

52. . Cornerback. Washington. Sidney Jones. 110. player

The question facing Sidney Jones is just how far he will fall. Facing an uphill battle to be drafted earlier, Jones’ torn Achilles heel is going to make a lot of teams balk at the prospect of drafting him even though he has Marcus Peters-type ability.

The Jacksonville Jaguars, however, won’t.

With only four cornerbacks effectively on the team as of this writing, the Jaguars need some talent at the position. Sidney Jones is one of the most talented players in the 2017 NFL Draft and can contribute whenever he heals. With the selection of Myles Jack in 2016, the Jaguars showed they weren’t afraid of going after players with injury concerns. Jones would be the latest talented player to fall but still land in a good spot because of injury, learning from A.J. Bouye and Jalen Ramsey as he works on becoming a contributor at some point in 2017 or, in an unfortunate instance, later.

Jones had eight interceptions, 21 passes defensed, and three forced fumbles in a three-year career at Washington. He has the ability to become a top player. In this mock the Jags are fortunate to have him fall so far.

Nov 5, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers defensive back Jalen Myrick (5) plays defense on a pass intended for Purdue Boilermakers wide receiver DeAngelo Yancey (7) in the second half at TCF Bank Stadium. The Gophers won 44-31. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports /

52. . Cornerback. Minnesota. Jalen Myrick. 148. player

Jalen Myrick’s speed instantly jumps off the page as a defensive back. Posting a ridiculous 4.28 40-yard dash, Myrick’s ability to run will make plenty of teams interested in him.

Still needing to flesh out the cornerback position, the Jacksonville Jaguars should be one of those teams. Taking Sidney Jones the pick before means the team needs someone who can play corner immediately and compete with Josh Johnson for reps, making Myrick a smart choice. He managed three interceptions (one returned for a touchdown), 21 passes defensed, and two fumble recoveries in the last three seasons for Minnesota. Myrick allowed a completion rate of just 39 percent in the last two seasons.

Oct 15, 2016; West Lafayette, IN, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes tight end George Kittle (46) runs past Purdue Boilermakers safety Leroy Clark (3) at Ross Ade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports /

player. 52. . Tight End. Iowa. George Kittle. 187

The Jacksonville Jaguars rely on Mychal Rivera and Marcedes Lewis for the most part, foregoing a big-name tight end in this 2017 NFL Mock Draft but landing NFL Scouting Combine stud George Kittle late in the draft.

Kittle is a big-bodied tight end at 6’4″ and 247 pounds. He is also an athletic tight end as evidenced by his impressive 4.52 40-yard dash and his 132-inch broad jump. While he shouldn’t be mistaken as a starter straight out the gate, he is someone who could develop into a role player and be both an effective pass catcher and a good blocker, expressing a willingness to develop as the latter per Lance Zierlein. He is big enough and athletic enough to be a prime addition to the Jags offense as a utility player/move tight end.

Oct 29, 2016; Tallahassee, FL, USA; Florida State Seminoles fullback Freddie Stevenson (23) runs the ball during the game against the Clemson Tigers at Doak Campbell Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Melina Vastola-USA TODAY Sports /

Fullback. Florida State. Freddie Stevenson. 222. player. 52.

Over the course of the franchise’s history, the Jacksonville Jaguars have repeatedly drawn from the Florida well to get in-state talent to the team. This most recently includes players like Blake Bortles, Jalen Ramsey, and Dante Fowler Jr. and could continue with Freddie Stevenson.

Stevenson made a name for himself by clearing holes for Dalvin Cook, who should be one of the top running backs off the board in the 2017 NFL Draft. Stevenson is an athletic lead blocker that will effectively fill the Jags’ new need at fullback as they return to the position for the coming season.

Oct 29, 2016; Madison, WI, USA; Wisconsin Badgers cornerback Sojourn Shelton (8) intercepts the pass intended for Nebraska Cornhuskers wide receiver Alonzo Moore (82) during the first quarter at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports /

52. . Cornerback. Wisconsin. Sojourn Shelton. 240. player

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Returning to the thin cornerback position, the Jacksonville Jaguars bring in high-potential cover corner Sojourn Shelton with their final pick. Shelton had four interceptions for Wisconsin last season (his second-such season in his four-year career) and 12 passes defensed in addition to a fumble forced.

For a Jags team that needs playmakers on the defensive side of the ball, Shelton fits the bill. Unfortunately, Shelton does not fit the bill size-wise. At just 5’9″ and 177 pounds, Shelton is far from ideally sized for the NFL. His play at Wisconsin suggests he could be something special, but his size will make him fall into the seventh round here or maybe even beyond.

Given that the Jags need cornerback bodies more than anything, gambling on Shelton’s production is far from the worst thing to do with the team’s final seventh-round pick. Worst case scenario, Shelton is just a guy. Best-case scenario, Shelton’s ability translates well and he turns into a Brent Grimes-type player. It’s worth the shot.

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