Jaguars 2019 Draft: What we have learned so far
By David Levin
The Jacksonville Jaguars were one of the belles of the ball last night in the first round of the NFL Draft. With Josh Allen drafted, who could be next?
When the dust settled and the front office of the Jacksonville Jaguars left TIAA Bank Field last night, there had to be a few smiles from those who made the choice to bring in Josh Allen, the talented defensive end from Kentucky.
A consensus top-five picks on most draft boards and mock drafts, Allen, 21, landed in the Jaguars lap as picks ahead of Jacksonville dictated the team grab the best player left on the board. While the Jaguars organization was more than elated with the pick, fans were equally pleased after they saw a highlight real of a dominant pass rusher with good size (6-foot-5, 261 pounds) and speed.
Now the focus shifts to Day 2 and the second and third round. Can the team hit three more home runs and fill needs at the same time? Here are a few things we already know about the Jaguars and the first round from Thursday night.
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Josh Allen is a stud – The Allen pick is going to be one we talk about for some time. The defense needed depth at pass rusher and got a gem. The thought of the Kentucky standout, Calais Campbell and Yannick Ngakoue running toward the quarterback for years to come is a scary proposition for opponents.
The front office allowed the Draft to come to them. They should send a thank you card to the Oakland Raiders and an “atta boy” to the New York Giants for changing the direction of the Draft so the Jaguars could grab Allen.
There is solid talent left for the taking – Players projected as high as the top 10 are still on the board, which means the Jaguars could still get a first-round talent at a lesser cost.
D.K. Metcalf and Jawaan Taylor are still there. So is Dalton Risner. If the team decides to go defense once again (please don’t) there is depth on the defensive line and prospects in the secondary.
The Jaguars could also have their pick of a tight end, with Irv Smith, Jr of Alabama still there, a player who could immediately become a favorite target of quarterback Nick Foles.
The team must still address the linebacker position – There is no word about whether the organization has been in contact with Telvin Smith. It’s possible he is still too busy to return the team’s calls. Even with Smith in the fold and Myles Jack returning, there are a few questions about depth.
Defensive coordinator Todd Wash has to be thrilled to have Allen on board, who played outside linebacker in college.
The team lists him as a defensive end, so the likelihood of him being used in a standard 4-3 as an outside linebacker is slight.
There could be packages where Allen is used on the outside as a threat in a hybrid scheme.