Jaguars make questionable pick at No. 25 in recent 2021 Draft NFL re-do

From the moment Trevor Lawrence declared for the 2021 NFL Draft, the odds of the Jacksonville Jaguars selecting him first overall were close to 99.9 percent. However, it was less certain who the Jags would take with their second-round pick, the 25th overall. Ultimately, they ended up taking Travis Etienne but in a recent draft do-over, they choose… another running back? Yikes.

Ryan Fowler of The Draft Network recently drew up a 2021 draft re-do and the Jags take Najee Harris in it. Regarding the pick, Fowler liked the running back’s ability to do it all in his rookie campaign.

"A versatile talent, Harris did EVERYTHING for Pittsburgh in his debut season. A bell-cow back, this could have been a reality had Pittsburgh addressed the QB spot. I am, however, looking forward to Travis Etienne returning to 100%. He’s an electric ball-carrier that should thrive adjacent to his college teammate in Lawrence."

Etienne missed his rookie year after sustaining a Lisfranc injury in the preseason. While he will have to wait until the 2022 campaign to make his NFL debut, he showcased his explosiveness and burst that made him a top running back prospect during last year’s training camp. Meanwhile, Harris racked up 307 carries for 1,200 yards with seven touchdowns. He also caught 74 passes for 467 receiving yards and three touchdowns in 2021.

Drafting a running back still doesn’t make sense for the Jaguars.

Look, there’s no doubt Etienne can become a key contributor for the Jaguars once he’s healthy. However, the team’s decision to take him, Harris, or any other running back in the first round is still questionable. Due to the relatively short shelf life of the position, you are better off taking one in the middle or later rounds. Unless you know for a fact that you will end up with a playmaker of Adrian Peterson or LaDainian Tomlinson, you should refrain from taking a running back early in the draft.

Keep in mind that Urban Meyer told the media the Jags were zeroing in on wide receiver Kadarius Tooney before the New York Giants drafted him 20th overall. Had he been on the board when Jacksonville was on the clock, there’s a good chance he would have been, not Etienne, the pick at No. 5.

In the end, it doesn’t matter who you take in the first round as long as you get a contributor. If Etienne can give the Jaguars a boost, they won’t have second thoughts about drafting him. Nevertheless, if they could do it all over, they should consider taking someone else.