Jaguars Draft 2019: Does the team take Jonah Williams at No. 7?
By David Levin
If the Jacksonville Jaguars do take a tackle with the seventh pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, could it be Alabama’s Jonah Williams who hears his name called on April 25?
With only 10 days until the NFL Draft, the Jacksonville Jaguars are patiently waiting for the process to come to an end. As the days dwindle down, more rumors and mock drafts will come out. New names will be added to a list of many who have been linked to this franchise. In the end, at least for now, we have no idea which direction Tom Coughlin and the front office is leaning.
The mystery continues and as it grows into something astronomical, the new name that continues to gain steam with this organization is Alabama tackle, Jonah Williams. Could the Jaguars go into the 2019 season with two bookend tackles that played for the Crimson Tide?
Does this move mean he will play on the right side or will Doug Marrone and the coaching staff move Cam Robinson to right tackle and give the left side job to the rookie?
Williams at one point had been considered the best tackle prospect in the Draft. After the Scouting Combine in February, Jawaan Taylor of Florida leapfrogged everyone on the depth chart.
Mike Garafolo of NFL Network is one inside who thinks Williams could be on the Jaguars radar.
"“I’m telling you, there are teams in the top-10 [who like Jonah Williams],” Garafolo said. “The Jets like him, the Giants like him and the Jaguars like him. There is just too many [teams] up higher than what he’s being mocked. Look for him to surprise some people.”"
While Jacksonville has added pieces to their offensive line puzzle this offseason, re-signing three of their own free agents and bringing in others for depth and possibly to win the right tackle spot, Williams would immediately make the line stronger.
At 6-foot-4 and 302 pounds, he is compared to Jake Matthews of the Atlanta Falcons per Lance Zierlein of NFL.com.
"“Early entrant and three-year starter whose work ethic, attention to detail and desire to get better each day have made him a foundation piece of Alabama’s dominant run. Like his idol, Joe Thomas, Williams uses angles, technique and body control to succeed in all facets of the game,” Zierlein writes."
The Jaguars offensive line was destroyed by injuries and ineffective play last season. Quarterbacks Blake Bortles and Cody Kessler were sacked 53 times last season compared to the 24 the line gave up in 2017.