Grading Jacksonville Jaguars 1st-round picks throughout the 2010s

The draft took a positive turn for the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2019.

2018, 29th overall: Taven Bryan, defensive tackle, Florida

Another defensive lineman from Florida but this time with way less production. Considered a luxury pick at the time, Bryan has yet to find his footing in the NFL. With 3.5 sacks over three years, Bryan will enter 2021 with the goal of simply trying to make the team. The Jaguars have declined his fifth-year option and he will be a free agent at the conclusion of the 2021 season.

While literally anyone would be an improvement over Bryan, the fact that this pick wasn’t Lamar Jackson should have haunted the franchise until they drafted Trevor Lawrence. The Clemson product very well may become a superstar in the NFL but Jackson would have instantly brought excitement and legitimacy to a team that badly needs it. This makes it twice the Jaguars have decided against a superstar quarterback due to the presence of Blake Bortles.

Grade: F

2019, 7th overall: Josh Allen, EDGE, Kentucky

A beacon of light for a franchise that badly needed one, Allen represents a potential change in the Jaguars’ reputation in the first round. Allen, considered by many to be the third-best player in the 2019 draft, was a steal at seventh overall and the Jags have reaped the benefits. The Kentucky product posted 10.5 sacks in his rookie season and was selected to his first Pro Bowl.

Unfortunately, Allen would only play in eight games during 2020 due to a knee injury. Regardless, Allen was a fantastic pick for Jacksonville and is a true building block for the Jaguars. He was the best pick at the time and remains so now. Look for him to build off of 2019 and become a legitimate superstar in 2021.