3 Jaguars late-round picks from 2020 that could make an impact in 2021

Former Jacksonville Jaguars general manager David Caldwell didn’t do a good job of acquiring talent throughout his eight-tenure. His inability to supply the team with enough playmakers on a consistent basis ultimately cost him his job. He certainly nailed some selections but the hits were few and far between while the misses just were too many to overcome. For the time being, the jury is still out on the 2020 draft class, his last one in Jacksonville, but there are some encouraging signs.

EDGE defender K’Lavon Chaisson and cornerback C.J. Henderson showed promise in 2020 but it remains to be seen if they can turn their potential into production. Wide receiver Laviska Shenault is turning heads and should be a key cog on the Jags’ offense this upcoming season. Defensive tackle DaVon Hamilton also displayed flashes before a knee injury ended his rookie campaign and should compete for a starting role in training camp.
All these second-year Jaguars will have a chance to pick up where they left off last year, but what about their late-round picks from 2020? These three should have the biggest impact in 2021.

Daniel Thomas will compete for a starting role with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Safety was one of the Jaguars’ biggest needs this offseason but the team’s brass took care of it. They signed Rayshawn Jenkins and Rudy Ford in free agency. They also used a third-round pick on Andre Cisco in this year’s draft and re-signed Josh Jones, who started 13 games for Jacksonville last year. The position is far from a strength but it won’t be a liability either and it might even feature a heated training camp battle.

One player that will make a case for a starting job is Daniel Thomas. The Auburn product didn’t see the field much early in the 2020 season but he eventually started two games for the Jaguars. However, an arm injury cut his rookie season short. Jarrod Wilson will most likely start next to Jenkins in Week 1, but Thomas could end up taking his place in the lineup. The 2020 fifth-round pick has had a solid offseason and if he can build on that, he could end up joining the starting lineup sooner rather than later.