Don’t forget the Jacksonville Jaguars have the first selection in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft.
The Jacksonville Jaguars weren’t very good in 2021. However, they already started making changes to their coaching staff and their front office and are ready to start rebuilding. They currently have $73 million in cap space, which they can use to sign a couple of big-impact free agents, but they also have 11 draft selections at their disposal.
The pick that likely garners the most attention is the first overall, which the ‘Jags’ will likely use to take Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence. However, that isn’t the only early pick the team holds. In addition to the top pick and the 25th overall, which they got as part of a trade for cornerback Jalen Ramsey, they have the first selection in the second round, the 33rd overall.
There will be plenty of talented prospects in the 2021 NFL Draft and due to the roster needs the Jaguars have, they can take different paths on draft night. They could go offense or defense with their second first-round pick and double down with the 33rd overall or address the other side of the ball. Regardless of the approach they take, here are five players they should target early in the second round.
Dylan Moses can fortify the Jacksonville Jaguars linebacker corps.
When addressing the Jaguars’ roster needs on defense, their linebacker corps may come at the bottom of the list, but that doesn’t mean they should neglect it this offseason. Jacksonville has a pair of studs in Myles Jack and Joe Schobert, but they could use another linebacker to round out the unit.
The ‘Jags’ could target someone like Seattle Seahawks linebacker K.J. Wright in free agency, but if they want to allocate their cap space to other positions, they could target Dylan Moses with the 33rd overall pick. The Alabama standout is an asset against the run and excels at generating pressure upfront. He finished his collegiate career with 192 total tackles (21.5 for a loss), six sacks, and three forced fumbles.
Although Moses missed the 2019 season with a torn ACL, he looked fully healthy in 2020, logging 76 total tackles, one sack, and one interception. Moreover, he was named Third-Team All-American and First-Team All-SEC and has experience playing at all linebacker spots, which is something that could incentivize the Jaguars to pull the trigger.
The Jacksonville Jaguars need to find a starting cornerback.
The Jaguars dealt with a myriad of injuries last season and their cornerback room was one of their most affected units. Their three starting cornerbacks, C.J. Henderson, Sidney Jones, and D.J. Hayden all missed times with injuries.
Henderson will likely claim his starting job back, but Jones and Hayden are set to become free agents. While it would make sense for the ‘Jags’ to bring back Jones on a short prove-it kind of deal, it’s uncertain whether they will bring either one back.
If Jacksonville decides to revamp their cornerback room through the draft, they could target Jaycee Horn, who logged 101 total tackles (seven for a loss), two forced fumbles, three sacks, two interceptions, and 23 passes defensed throughout his three-year tenure at South Carolina. Moreover, he was targeted 100 times and allowed just 57 completions for two touchdowns, according to Pro Football Focus.
Although Horn played all over the field and displayed potential in the slot, he may be better suited to play outside. The corner has superb tackling skills and his physicality makes them a good fit to start opposite of Henderson.
Quincy Roche could help the Jacksonville Jaguars generate pressure upfront.
The Jaguars’ defense ranked 31st in both total yards and points allowed in 2020. One of the reasons for that was their inability to hold their ground at the line of scrimmage. Not having defensive end Josh Allen for most of the season didn’t help and it took rookie K’Lavon Chaisson a while to get accustomed to the rigors of the NFL.
Allen should be healthy in 2021 and Chaisson should keep developing after finishing the season on a strong note. Nevertheless, Jacksonville still needs to add talent to a defensive line that registered a paltry 11 sacks last season. If they want to add someone early in the draft, they could use the 33rd overall selection on Miami defensive end Quincy Roche.
The 2019 AAC Defensive Player of the Year logged 137 total tackles (39.5 for a loss), 26 sacks, and six forced fumbles during three years at Purdue before transferring to Miami in 2020. Despite the fact his production took a dip, he showed he can play at a high level even though he may not be the most athletic or strongest defensive end in this year’s draft class.
The Jacksonville Jaguars also need to get a blindside protector.
Left tackle Cam Robinson is set to become a free agent and while the Jaguars could bring him back, they could opt to either sign a free agent such as Trent Williams or take a left tackle prospect early in the draft. This year’s class is going to be a deep one, so the team could use the 25th overall pick to address other roster needs and still land a good one in the second round.
Moreover, Robinson will likely command top money in the open market, as the demand for left tackles, even average ones, outweighs the demand. If the Jaguars want to take one in the draft, Liam Eichenberg of Notre Dame should be available at 33.
The former Fighting Irish left tackle was a three-year starter and has the prototypical size to play the position at the NFL level. Eichenberg excels as a run blocker but isn’t necessarily bad in pass protection.
Due to the abundance at the position in this year’s draft, he may slide to the second round, where the Jaguars could target him, which makes sense if they want to address their defense with their second first-round pick.