Jaguars ranked 3rd in AFC South ahead of 2021 NFL Draft

The Jacksonville Jaguars have made major changes to their coaching staff and front office this offseason. Moreover, they added depth and fortified the roster in free agency, but was that enough to compete in the AFC South in 2021?

Jordan Dajani of CBS Sports recently took a look at the AFC South and ranked all the team in the division ahead of the 2021 NFL Draft. In spite of all the changes the Jags have undergone this offseason, they were third in the power rankings while the Tennessee Titans got the top spot and the Indianapolis Colts earned second place in the list.

Dajani points out that the Jaguars are rebuilding and the objective is to be better than they were last year. He likes how they are “throwing their chips on the table” and approves their free-agency signings of safety Rayshawn Jenkins and cornerback Shaquill Griffin, as the secondary was a weakness in 2020.

Moreover, Dajani believes adding Roy Robertson-Harris and trading for Malcom Brown are underrated moves and thinks wide receiver Marvin Jones Jr., who was named their best offseason acquisition, will have a big impact in 2021. On the other hand, he believes the departure of wide receivers Keelan Cole and Chris Conley won’t affect this Jacksonville team much, as Jones’ addition will make up for it.

The Jacksonville Jaguars can make up ground in the AFC South.

The Jaguars weren’t just in the cellar in the AFC South last year, they were the worst team in the NFL and they are taking the necessary steps to change that this offseason. While they refrained from making more splash signings in free agency, the roster looks in better shape than it did in 2020, and if they end up with a solid draft haul, they could quickly compete in the division.

While Titans won the division and finished 11-5 in 2020, their defense ranked 24th and showed they were vulnerable. Also, the Colts traded for quarterback Carson Wentz, but it’s uncertain how the 2016 second-overall pick will perform coming off his worst season as a pro. At the bottom of the division are the Houston Texans, who may be without quarterback Deshaun Watson due to allegations of sexual misconduct.

Dajani’s ranking of the Jaguars is fair but they have the chance to quickly turn things around and possibly compete for the AFC South championship as soon as this year.