The Jacksonville Jaguars decided to upgrade their wide receiver corps in free agency even though they had a couple of studs in Laviska Shenault and DJ Chark. Not only they did lock up a playmaker in Marvin Jones Jr. but they also added depth to the group by signing Phillip Dorsett and Jamal Agnew.
While it looks like the Jaguars are set a wide receiver, they can still add another one early in the 2021 NFL Draft. The first overall pick is most likely earmarked for Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence, but they have an additional first-round selection, the 25th overall, thanks to the trade that sent cornerback Jalen Ramsey to the Los Angeles Rams in the middle of the 2019 season.
Taking a wide receiver with the 25th overall pick may seem like overkill by the Jags, but they upgraded most position groups in free agency — with exception of the tight end room — so they could actually draft the best player available, and that player could very well be a wide receiver.
After all, placing the franchise tag on Cam Robinson ensures the team has a starting left tackle. Jacksonville also added defensive tackle Malcom Brown via trade and signed cornerback Shaquill Griffin and safety Rayshawn Jenkins, so they can afford not to draft for need. By the time they’re on the clock at 25, there will be a few enticing wide receiver options. Here are three they could target with that second first-round pick of theirs.
The Jacksonville Jaguars could add another LSU wide receiver to the roster.
LSU become somewhat of a wide receiver factory last decade and produced a handful of stars. Last year, it was Justin Jefferson, who broke Randy Moss’ record for the most receiving yards by a rookie in NFL history. In 2018, it was DJ Chark, whom the Jaguars took with a second-round selection and if you go back a bit, you will see Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvin Landry were drafted in 2014.
This year, Ja’Marr Chase will most likely be a top 10 pick, and Terrace Marshall and should be picked in the first round as well. A five-star recruit out of high school, he has elite height, and a big catch radius, having caught 82 percent of his contested targets, the highest rate in college football last season, per Pro Football Focus. Moreover, he’s just 20 and has a high ceiling and plenty of upside heading into the NFL.
Although Marshall didn’t have the chance to contribute much early in his collegiate career due to the presence of Jefferson and Chase, he made the most of his opportunity in 2020 and finished his junior year, hauling in 48 receptions for 731 yards and ten touchdowns in a seven-game span.
Draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. has Marshall going to the Baltimore Ravens at 27th but the Jags could very well take him two picks before if they think he can polish his route running and fill his 6-foot-3 frame.
Kadarius Toney was previously projected to the Jacksonville Jaguars at 25.
Before the Jaguars signed Marvin Jones in free agency, Chris Trapasso of CBS Sports projected they would use their second first-round pick on Florida wide receiver Kadarius Toney. At the time, Trapasso said that the Alabama native could form a dynamic trio along with DJ Chark and Laviska Shenault.
Even though wide receiver won’t be at the top of the Jags’ draft board, taking Toney with the 25th overall selection shouldn’t be ruled out yet. After all, the Gators wide receiver showed the kind of player he could be in the pros during Senior Bowl Week. Throughout the event, Toney put on display the acceleration and the change of directions that helped him hauled in 70 receptions for 984 yards and ten touchdowns in 2020.
Toney doesn’t have top-end speed and needs to work on his route-running. Moreover, he may be too light for the NFL and it’s uncertain how will fare in traffic in the pros, as he only had ten contested catches in his collegiate career, per Pro Football Focus. On the other hand, he’s got terrific hands and only had three career drops on 123 catchable passes and his collegiate career.
Mike Renner of PFF believes that Toney could go as high as number 16 with the Arizona Cardinals. However, they just signed veteran A.J. Green in free agency — which lessens their need for a wide receiver early in the draft — and there’s a good chance the Florida standout will still available when the Jaguars are on the clock at 25.
The Jacksonville Jaguars have options at 25, including Rashod Bateman.
Last year, Minnesota saw wide receiver Tyler Johnson get drafted in the second round, and Rashod Bateman has a chance to go in the first in 2020. A four-star recruit out of high school, the Georgia native became a key contributor for the Golden Gophers in his freshman year, appearing in 13 games and hauling in 51 receptions for 704 yards and six touchdowns.
Bateman wasn’t done though and had an even better sophomore campaign, catching 60 passes or 1,219 yards and 11 trips to the end zone in 13 games. Although he just played five games in 2020, he was his productive self and played at a high level. His yard-per-catch average went from 20.3 to 13.1 but still managed to haul in 36 receptions for 472 yards and two touchdowns.
Even though Bateman isn’t in the same wide-receiver tier as Ja’Marr Chase, DeVonta Smith, he should still garner consideration as a first-round selection. During his collegiate career, he showed superb route-running skills and the ability to make contested catches, breaking 36 tackles on 147 catches, per Pro Football Focus. Moreover, he has the flexibility to line up out wide and in the slot.
Ryan Gosling of Pro Football Network projects in a recent mock draft the Indianapolis Colts will take Bateman with the 21st overall pick. However, he could be an option at 25 if the Jaguars are interested in selecting a wide receiver.