The Jacksonville Jaguars have options when it comes to moving the first overall pick in the 2022 NFL draft.
The Jaguars have the distinct honor of choosing first at this year’s player selection meeting. Well, actually, it’s a dishonor since it showcases the organization’s inability to win many football games. Following Urban Meyer’s disastrous first and only season in Jacksonville, the organization finds itself in the same spot it was in last year.
Fortunately for them, this year’s draft is one where an immediate impact player can be found within the top ten, possibly 20, so they could trade down a few spots and hoard a few extra selections along the way to fortify their roster, not just this April but next year as well.
Who knows? Maybe general manager Trent Baalke could flip some extra draft picks for an impact player later in the season. The possibilities are endless.
The Jaguars wil have their fair share of pass-rush options in the 2022 draft.
The common denominator with some teams this year is the need for an edge rusher. The Jaguars could use a player such as Aidan Hutchinson to bolster a meager pass rush that only generated 32 sacks. By the same token, several other teams could use his services, which bodes well for Baalke. They can still land another pass rusher or wide receiver to help Trevor Lawrence with the added bonus of additional picks if they choose to trade down.
While trading up to select Kenny Pickett is a possibility for several organizations, teams hungry for an elite pass-rushing prospect are more likely to move up. That is due to the fact that this year’s quarterback class is one of the weakest in recent memory. Pickett might be the top quarterback prospect, but he’s hardly a generational talent worth executing a blockbuster trade for.
The first scenario is a trade between the Jaguars and the Giants.
After Joe Judge’s dismissal, the New York Giants will have a new coaching staff next season. One area of improvement they need to address is the defensive end. Defensive lineman Leonard Williams totaled 6.5 sacks last season, but other than that, the pass rush was underwhelming and is in dire need of upgrades.
By moving up in this scenario, the Giants ensure themselves a chance to draft Hutchinson, Kayvon Thibodeaux, or perhaps Alabama’s Evan Neal and lay the groundwork for their offensive line, which could also use a boost.
This scenario makes sense for the Jaguars since they could put themselves in a position to pick up Charles Cross or Tyler Linderbaum. Both players are considered to be in the top five in their positions. Baalke gets Lawrence much-needed help along the offensive line and continues to pile up picks. It’s a win-win for everyone involved.
The Philadelphia Eagles, a divisional foe of the Giants, also share an interest in acquiring that prized first selection. Perhaps they pounce before the Giants do and pull off a similar trade in our next scenario.
The second scenario is a trade between the Jaguars and the Eagles.
The Eagles have the comfort of possessing three first-round picks this April, which can afford them the luxury of pulling off a blockbuster deal that would shake up the NFL landscape. Much like the Giants, they too need an elite pass-rushing prospect. By trading the 16th and 19th overall picks, they put themselves in the driver’s seat where they would have the pick of the litter.
In this scenario, not only does Philadelphia move up to number one, but they still manage to keep the 15th pick, which they could use to address one of their other needs such as a wide receiver.
Meanwhile, the Jaguars would surrender the top choice and forfeit the chance to land one of the top prospects but would receive two first-round picks in return and could address two weaknesses simultaneously. That’s a big reason why this potential deal would work out well for both parties involved.
Just imagine it, Jaguars fans: Baalke could draft both Northern Iowa’s Trevor Penning and Alabama’s Jameson Williams, who tore his ACL during the College Football Playoffs but was one of the top receivers at the collegiate level in 2021. In one fell swoop, Lawrence would get a wideout and a starting tackle.