Jacksonville Jaguars: Pre-NFL Draft AFC South rankings

In a few short years, the AFC South could be one of the best divisions in football. They already have two playoff contenders in the Indianapolis Colts and Tennessee Titans and if the Jacksonville Jaguars utilize this offseason correctly, they may not be far behind.

As for the Houston Texans, they had a ton of potential a few seasons ago but have taken a significant dive in their performance. If they can find a way to revert to their old form, this could be the most competitive division in NFL football.

#1. Indianapolis Colts

The Titans and the Colts were both one-and-dones in the playoffs last season, but both teams are incredibly talented. For the past few years, the Titans have had the edge on the Colts. This season, I expect the Colts to give them a run for their money.

The Colts and Titans both have a solid quarterback/running back/wide receiver tandem on their teams, although Carson Wentz is still unproven in Indianapolis. He could see significant improvement under Colts head coach Frank Reich.

While the Titans are superior at quarterback and running back, the Colts seemingly have a superior offensive line and defense.

Last season, the Colts had the number 10 ranked defense in the league while the Titans were ranked 24th. Pro Football Focus ranked the Colts as the seventh-best offensive line at the end of the season, with the Titans at number 15.

#2. Tennessee Titans

As we’ve covered, the Titans are a pretty solid team based on their recent successes. They were able to reach the AFC Championship in the 2019 season, where they lost to the eventual Super Bowl Champions, the Kansas City Chiefs.

Their 2020 playoff bout didn’t go any better as they were wiped out of the playoffs by the Baltimore Ravens in the Wildcard Round. However, it still stands that this is a talented team.

Their roster is fairly set ahead of the 2021 NFL Draft. They managed to sign linebacker Bud Dupree and defensive lineman Denico Autry in free agency and have a few key areas they will target in the draft.

#3. Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jaguars have made a lot of promising moves in free agency leading up to the draft. They not only prioritized the development of their young players by making the right hires to their coaching staff, but they also added much-needed veteran depth to the roster.

Last season, the Jaguars finished bottom-five in the league in both team offense and defense. They have a lot of work to put in if they want to climb the ranks offensively and defensively but it isn’t an impossible task.

They already have the foundation set following their free agency moves, but how they attack the draft will prove to be the most crucial part of the team’s overall development.

#4. Houston Texans

The Houston Texans organization as a whole is a huge question mark right now. They operated the 2020 season under a messy front office and coaching staff and will operate under a new unproven regime in 2021.

Quarterback Deshaun Watson wants out of Houston while he battles a sexual assault lawsuit and three-time Defensive Player of the Year J.J. Watt was granted his requested release.

This entire team seems to be walking on eggshells right now and even though they won three more games than the Jaguars last season, they are easily in last place in the division less than two weeks leading up to the draft.