Jaguars get Trevor Lawrence protection with OT Walker Little

Following a successful Day 1 of the 2021 NFL draft, the Jacksonville Jaguars are looking to follow it up with more strong selections on Day 2.

The Jaguars focused on adding a quarterback and running back to their offense in round one and are expected to target their defense in round two. They did just that with their first pick in the second round when the Jaguars grabbed cornerback Tyson Campbell out of Georgia.

Jaguars get Trevor Lawrence some protection in Walker Little with the 45th pick

With the 45th overall pick in the draft, the Jaguars decided to turn their attention back to the offense and select an offensive tackle that they saw could help protect their new quarterback; Walker Little.

Little’s draft spot has been difficult to project by some scouts due to his lack of tape from the past two seasons. He missed the 2019 season due to a torn ACL and decided to opt-out of 2020 not long after deciding to return to school for another year.

Little is an athletic offensive lineman who has the lateral agility to be an efficient run blocker and the strength to stop pass rushers dead in their tracks.

However, he could add some more core strength to help with overpowering defensive linemen in the pocket and to improve his contact balance.

The Jaguars had a need at offensive tackle but it wasn’t a need that necessarily needed to be addressed early on. The 45th and 65th picks were the sweet spots for Jacksonville to find a tackle that they like and they found the right one.

During the free agency period, the Jaguars franchise-tagged left tackle Cam Robinson, who has been fairly inconsistent for the team, and he will stick around for at least one more year. Drafting a tackle to sit and develop behind Robinson is smart.

If Robinson isn’t extended following the conclusion of the season, then they have a player in Little ready to come in and be ready to protect Trevor Lawrence.

Overall, it’s a solid pick but it is one that comes with high risk but also high reward.