Jacksonville Jaguars draft: Asante Samuel Jr declares for 2021 draft
The Jacksonville Jaguars should look at Asante Samuel.
The Jacksonville Jaguars found one of their starting cornerback in 2020’s draft when they selected C.J. Henderson. On the other side of the field, Sidney Jones has been solid as well but has been dealing with injuries. The same is true for D.J. Hayden who was the team’s slot cornerback before the team placed him on the Injured Reserve list.
If the Jaguars decide to start from scratch and revamp their cornerback group, they could use the player’s selection process to infuse the unit with some playmakers. While prospects such as Patrick Surtain II and Caleb Farley may be out of reach, this Jacksonville team could target Asante Samuel Jr, who announced on social media that he has declared for the draft.
Samuel started 24 games for the Florida Seminoles, recorded 97 total tackles, 24 pass deflections, four interceptions, and one forced fumble. He had three of his four interceptions in 2020. He should be available early in the second round, where the Jaguars could choose him with their first second-round selection, which is projected to be the 34th overall pick.
Why would the Jacksonville Jaguars target Asante Samuel?
Once C.J. Henderson heals, he should resume his role as the Jaguars starting cornerback. However, the status surrounding Jones and Hayden is less certain. Putting aside the injuries they have been nursing, both are expected to become free agents once the season is over.
Jones has had a career revival in Jacksonville after flopping with the Philadelphia Eagles, but his injury history could scare the ‘Jags’ from committing long-term to the cornerback. On the other hand, Hayden was a solid contributor in 2019 but has taken a step back this season. Even when he was healthy, he struggled on the field.
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To make matters more complicated, the Jaguars don’t currently have a general manager. They could hire one that may let Jones and Hayden become free agents and push the reset button at the position. If that’s the case, the odds of targeting a player like Samuel in the draft will go up.