Jaguars must walk away from the draft with one of Georgia’s D-Linemen

The Jacksonville Jaguars need to walk away from this year’s NFL Draft with at least one player from Georgia’s defensive line.

The Jaguars’ defense, under new coordinator Mike Caldwell, will be looking to get to the quarterback, and to do that, the pass rush must improve. There’s a nice core that’s been assembled over the past few years, with Pro Bowl defender Josh Allen at the center of it. The team also boasts a promising defensive line consisting of Dawuane Smoot, Folorunso Fatukasi, Roy Robertson-Harris, and Malcom Brown. This unit will be coached by Brentson Buckner, one of the league’s best defensive line coaches.

While all of this should excite Duval, the team must continue to add talent to their defensive line. It is where everything begins and ends for the defense, so why not pluck one of Georgia’s premier prospects that will be available in Las Vegas? The college football national champions featured one of the most formidable units in the country last season, with essentially most of their contributors declaring for the NFL.

The Jaguars possess the first and 33rd overall selections, barring a trade. That allows them the opportunity to pick up at least one of the three heralded prospects, especially if the team trades down come Thursday.

The Jaguars acquiring Jordan Davis will take some finessing

• Jordan Davis, DT, 6’6″, 341 lbs.
• 11.5 career tackles for a loss
• 7 career sacks
• 2021 Consensus All-American

Jordan Davis made the most of his NFL Combine outing and impressed throughout the event. His 40-yard dash time of 4.78 was the talk of the town all weekend, and rightfully so. A behemoth, such as Davis, running at that speed was awe-inspiring and helped him go from a late first-round or early second-round choice all the way up to the top 15 across several draft boards.

While adding an imposing run stopper that will shut down the middle for any opposing offense would be optimal, being a mid-first rounder will put him out of reach for Jaguars general manager Trent Baalke. Unless Baalke can move down, which right now appears doubtful and will surely keep the first pick (more on that later), Jordan is the least likely of Georgia’s defensive line to join Jacksonville.

Luckily for Baalke, there are still two realistic options he has in a couple of days.

What if Devonte Wyatt falls out of the first round?

• Devonte Wyatt, DT, 6’3″, 307 lbs.
• 12 career tackles for a loss
• 2 forced fumbles
• 3 pass deflections

Devonte Wyatt was fifth in the SEC with two forced fumbles and wreaked havoc this past year. Wyatt could come in and provide an instant pass-rush presence from the 3-tech position. The Jaguars will need to generate pressure from the inside, and Wyatt will provide just that. In fact, he’ll be difficult in one-on-one situations for blockers; he’ll likely need double teams to be accounted for.

Another strength in Wyatt’s game is his versatility, a trait that his teammates across the Georgia defensive line share. His speed, quickness, and ability to disengage blockers make him an asset on the edge. By the same token, he consistently blew up the interior and displayed an ability to disrupt the offensive backfield. He tallied 23 pressures last year.

In order for the Jaguars to land Wyatt, they’ll need a little bit of luck. Right now, Wyatt is being projected by several outlets to go either 31st to the Cincinnati Bengals or at number 30 to the Kansas City Chiefs. If Wyatt advances past those two picks, the Jaguars would be fools not to take him at 33.

Then there’s Wyatt and Jordan’s teammate who has shot up draft boards these past few weeks.

Should the Jaguars draft Travon Walker first overall?

• Travon Walker, EDGE, 6’5″, 275 lbs.
• 13 career tackles for a loss
• 9.5 career sacks

What will the Jaguars do with the first overall pick? It appears it’s down to three players: Ikem Ekwonu, Aidan Hutchinson, and Travon Walker. The latter has shot up draft boards, and he shouldn’t be ruled out as a realistic possibility. Many media personalities, such as Peter Schrager, have also stated that Walker to the Jaguars is in play.

Walker’s natural gifts, such as raw power, explosiveness, and sideline-to-sideline speed, combined with his versatility, make him a can’t-miss prospect. On a Jaguars defensive line that features several promising players, Walker’s strengths can be put to use, especially on the outside as a pass-rushing linebacker in Caldwell’s defense.

Along with getting to the quarterback from the outside, Walker can also be a disruptive force inside, possessing impressive moves, which include a noteworthy spin and an explosive first step, One of his best traits is his tackling. He can penetrate an offensive line with ease, and it will take multiple blockers to slow down Walker.

The first pick is truly a toss-up this year, a highly different situation from last year, when the Jaguars chose quarterback Trevor Lawrence. The fact is, any of Georgia’s defensive linemen would benefit the Jaguars, whether it be in run-stopping, pass-rushing, or sheer presence.