This has probably been the busiest offseason in Jacksonville Jaguars’ history. After making significant changes to their coaching staff and front office, the team went on to give their roster a makeover and their cornerback group was one of the units that received the most attention in free agency.
Besides bringing back Sidney Jones and Tre Herndon, the Jags signed former Seattle Seahawks cornerback Shaquill Griffin, who joined the Jaguars because head coach Urban Meyer knows how to win. After the first few days of free agency, Meyer said the team was pleased with their cornerback group. However, they will have the chance to keep adding talent to the group in the 2021 NFL Draft.
Heading into this year’s Players Selection Meeting, the Jaguars have ten picks, two of those in the first round. While they have probably earmarked the first overall selection for Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence, they will also have the 25th overall. Since they addressed most needs in free agency, they could take the ‘best player available’ route, which means that they could take a wide receiver, a defensive end, a safety, or even a cornerback.
There will be plenty of talented cornerback prospects in the draft and other than Virginia Tech’s Caleb Farley, no corner is a surefire top 15 pick. By the time the Jaguars are on the clock at 25, two or possibly three will have been picked, but they will still have their fair share of choices. Here are three they should target with their second first-round pick.
The Jacksonville Jaguars would surely welcome Jaycee Horn’s aggressiveness.
The Jaguars’ cornerback room may be stacked at this moment. C.J. Henderson and Shaquill Griffin will most likely be their starters in Week 1 barring injury. They also have a good number-three corner in Sidney Jones and Tre Herndon could be a candidate to start on the slot. However, this Jacksonville team could opt to draft a top cornerback prospect with the 25th overall pick if the opportunity arises.
South Carolina recently held its pro day and Jaycee Horn made the most of it. While cornerbacks don’t have to test well on the bench press, he tallied 19 rep, one more than Patrick Surtain’s 18. He also ran a 4.39 40-dash time and registered a broad jump of 11’1″ and a 41.5- inch vertical jump. NFL scouts base most of their evaluation on what they see on tape. However, that kind of numbers should help Horn solidify his place as a top 3 cornerback prospect.
Horn is the kind of cornerback that plays with the kind of aggressiveness that can’t be coached and teams love to have. Although he only snagged two interceptions during his collegiate career with the Gamecocks, he excels at playing man coverage and doesn’t get pushed when following wide receivers.
Matt Miller of The Draft Scout thinks the San Francisco 49ers should consider taking Horn at 12 and if there aren’t any good quarterbacks left on the board. Nevertheless, it’s not a given the South Carolina standout will be drafted early in the draft and might be an enticing option for the Jaguars if he’s available at that point.
Could the Jacksonville Jaguars have a shot at drafting Patrick Surtain II?
Patrick Surtain II may or may not be available when the Jaguars are on the clock with the 25th overall pick. Nevertheless, they should be ready in case he is, as he’s one of the best cornerback prospects in this year’s draft class and may be too good to pass up.
Jaguars’ representatives attended Alabama’s Pro Day and were able to witness Surtain in action. The Florida native registered a 4.46 40-yard dash, a broad jump of 10 feet, 11 inches, and a 39-inch vertical jump. Moreover, he had 18 reps on the bench press. Although Jaycee Horn registered one more bench-press rep in his Pro Day, Surtain’s performance is nothing to scoff at.
Analyst Boocky Brooks of NFL Media thinks that Surtain’s 40-dash time answered any questions teams may’ve had about his speed and expects him to have an impact right out of the gate in the NFL. In fact, he believes the Alabama product is the best cornerback prospect in the draft. Then, there’s Reese’s Senior Bowl executive director Jim Nagy, who thinks the former Crimson Tide cornerback couldn’t have had a better Pro Day.
Due to the low demand the position might have early in the process, Surtain could be available when the Jags are on the clock with the 25th overall pick. Imagine both Surtain and Horn are available at that point of the selection meeting. It’s unlikely but this Jacksonville team could find itself in a ‘burden of choice’ kind of situation.
Would Tyson Campbell be the Jacksonville Jaguars’ best choice?
Asante Samuel Jr. could have taken this place if he weren’t projected to play slot in the NFL. As talented as he was throughout his collegiate career at Florida State, teams simply don’t value slot cornerbacks as much as those that line up out wide and it’s unlikely the Jags would take one with the 25th overall pick, so Tyson Campbell takes this place.
While Campbell’s lack of impact plays might turn some teams off — he only logged one interception and 11 passes defensed over his three-year collegiate career at Georgia — his length and athleticism should garner the attention of plenty of NFL front offices. The Florida native recently had the chance to show his athleticism in front of scouts on his Pro Day and put up solid numbers.
The former Bulldogs cornerback registered a healthy 4.38 40-dash time, a 34.5-inch vertical jump, and a broad jump of 10 feet, four inches. Draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah of NFL Media said he liked Campbell’s athleticism and speed. On the other hand, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated offered a more lukewarm review and says that he didn’t have a draft-board-braking day. He did mention that Campbell performed as scouts expected though and added that he has plenty of upside.
Depending on who you ask, Campbell is a late first-round pick or an early second, so he may not be an option at 25. However, if the Jaguars still want to take a cornerback with their second first-round pick and both Surtain and Horn are off the board, Campbell can be their choice.