Jacksonville Jaguars draft a safety in first round in latest PFN’s mock
The Jacksonville Jaguars select a safety with their 2nd first-round pick.
The Jacksonville Jaguars haven’t had much success on the football field in 2020. Although you could attribute some of their misfortunes to injuries, this is a team in need of upgrades at most position groups.
While quarterback may be their most pressing need, the ‘Jags’ can’t neglect the defensive side of the ball. They need a pass rusher (maybe two), a third linebacker, and a playmaking safety. They could target some of those positions in free agency, but that won’t be enough, so they will likely resort to the draft to fill some of those voids. Jarret Bailey of the Pro Football Network believes this team will draft a quarterback and safety in the 2021 NFL Draft.
Bailey thinks the Jaguars will take quarterback Justin Fields with the second overall pick, their first of two first-round selections in 2021’s players’ selection process. This doesn’t come as a surprise as the team doesn’t have a long-term answer at the position.
Rookie quarterback Jake Luton played well in his first start but failed to impress in his latest two. Meanwhile, Mike Glennon is nothing more than a stopgap and Gardner Minshew II struggled before a thumb injury sidelined him in the middle of the season.
Why would the Jacksonville Jaguars draft Hamsah Nasirildeen?
With their second first-round pick, Bailey projects the ‘Jags’ to select Florida State safety Hamsah Nasirildeen. The draft analyst thinks Nasirildeen could infuse the Jaguars’ secondary with energy and become an enforcer against the run and in short passing routes.
Nasirildeen suffered a season-ending leg injury in 2020 and missed the first seven games of this season. However, he started 11 games in 2019 and recorded 61 solo tackles, 40 assists, three pass deflections, two interceptions, and three forced fumbles.
The Jaguars could sure use some of Nasirildeen’s playmaking skills at safety. They currently rank near the bottom in takeaways with ten and lack a ballhawk on defense. The Florida State safety could immediately provide an upgrade.
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If the ‘Jags’ target Nassirildeen in the draft, they could sign a linebacker such as Nicholas Morrow and defensive end Ryan Kerrigan in free agency. If the team makes the right moves in the offseason, their defense could become a strength in 2021.