Jacksonville Jaguars 5-round mock draft: New Year’s Edition

Jaguars mock draft, third round, 65th overall pick, Jerome Ford, RB.

The Jaguars’ top running backs suffered season-ending surgeries in 2021. First, they lost rookie Travis Etienne to a Lisfranc injury in the preseason, and more recently, James Robinson tore his Achilles in Week 16. Jacksonville needs to err on the side of caution on this one and bring in another running back next offseason. Jerome Ford of Cincinnati in the third round makes sense.

After not getting the ball often at Alabama, the Florida native joined the Bearcats in 2020 and had a breakout season in 2021, tallying 1,241 yards and 19 touchdowns on 200 carries. Although he has work to do as a pass-catcher, he’s got enough burst and speed to play in the NFL.

Jaguars mock draft, third round, 72nd overall pick – Sean Rhyan, OL.

Offensive guard doesn’t rank as high as left tackle or wide receiver on the Jaguars’ offseason list but it’s still a position that must be addressed nonetheless. Starting guards A.J. Cann and Andrew Norwell are both set to become free agents next year. Tyler Shatley, their primary interior offensive line backup, is also out of contact in 2022, so even if the front office manages to bring back one of them, they have to replenish the unit next year.

The Jags have an extra third-round selection after trading cornerback C.J. Henderson to the Carolina Panthers earlier this year. Here, they use that selection on Sean Rhyan of UCLA. He doesn’t have ideal arm length, which could hurt him in the NFL but his power and athleticism make him an enticing prospect, according to Ian Cummings of Pro Football Network.