The Jacksonville Jaguars had one of the best offenses in the league in 2022. Trevor Lawrence played like a top 5 quarterback near the end of the season while Christian Kirk, Zay Jones, and tight end Evan Engram posted career numbers.
What’s scary (at least for opposing teams) is that the Jags could be even better in 2023, with Lawrence entering his second year in head coach Doug Pederson’s system and the potential reinstatement of wide receiver Calvin Ridley. The defense, on the other hand, could use some major upgrades this offseason.
The problem is that Jacksonville won’t have much cap space in free agency, so they’ll need to resort to the 2023 NFL Draft to restock all three levels on defense. On the bright side, this is a good year to load up on cornerback and safety talent, two positions the Jaguars could and must address in this four-round mock draft.
Jacksonville Jaguars Post-Combine Mock Draft – Rd. 1: Antonio Johnson, DB
Cornerback is the Jaguars’ biggest position need with a caveat: They have a solid outside tandem in Tyson Campbell and Darious Williams. What they need is someone who can line up in the slot, which makes Antonio Johnson an appealing prospect at No. 24 in the draft.
Something that stands out about Johnson — and not in a good way — is that he logged just one interception during his collegiate career. However, his lack of big plays shouldn’t stop deter teams from investing a first-round selection in him.
The former Texas A&M Auggie was listed at safety but also played nickel. He allowed a solid 69 percent completion rate in coverage and posted a Pro Football Focus run defense grade of 83.7. Joe Marino of The Draft Network believes that Johnson’s flexibility to line up in different spots in conjunction with his ability to cover and stop the run makes him an intriguing prospect.
Jacksonville Jaguars Post-Combine Mock Draft – Rd. 2: Andre Carter, OLB
Andre Carter played tight end in high school but switched to outside linebacker when he joined the Army. Looking back, changing positions paid off for the Texas native, as he went on to register 15.5 sacks for the Black Knights in 2021.
Even though Carter couldn’t build on his success, he still played well in 2022 and posted a Pro Football Focus overall grade of 80.7. He’s quite mobile for his 6’7″ frame and has the tools to develop into a solid pass rusher in the NFL.
At 260 pounds, Carter might need to add weight to thrive in the NFL. Moreover, he needs to develop a more complete pass-rush repertoire but he would be a great addition to the Jaguars’ pass-rush rotation in the second round.
Jacksonville Jaguars Post-Combine Mock Draft – Rd. 3 Jartavius Martin, CB
Taking defensive back Antonio Johnson in the first round would address what’s arguably the Jaguars’ biggest need this offseason. However, general manager Trent Baalke should strongly consider double dipping at the position and take another cornerback on Day 2 of the draft.
Jartavius Martin doesn’t have top speed but he can line up at nickel or safety, which would come in handy if Andrew Wingard, the No. 3 safety on the Jaguars’ depth chart, leaves in free agency. Even though Kyle Crabbs of The Draft Network projects Martin to be drafted in the second round, he could be available in the third due to how deep this cornerbacks class is.
Jacksonville Jaguars Post-Combine Mock Draft – Rd. 4: Tucker Kraft, TE
As of this writing, the Jags are expected to apply the franchise tag on Evan Engram, so they can wait to select a tight end until Day 3 of the draft. After all, Chris Manhertz and Dan Arnold are still slated to hit the open market.
Tight end Tucker Kraft should still be available at No. 121. The former South Dakota State Jackrabbit hauled in 65 catches for 770 yards in 2021 but an ankle injury forced him to miss five games last year. While he needs to work on his number of drops and his route running, he could develop behind Engram and Luke Farell, who is entering his third NFL season.
Jacksonville Jaguars Post-Combine Mock Draft – Rd. 4: Roschon Johnson, RB
The Jaguars got an additional fourth-draft pick in this draft after giving the No. 157 and No. 235 selections to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last year. With their extra selection, the Jaguars bolster the running back position.
Head coach Doug Pederson said at the NFL Scouting Combine that he would like to add another running back to the rotation and Roschon Johnson would be a solid pickup in the fourth round.
Johnson didn’t get as much playing time as potential 2023 first-round pick Bijan Robinson but made the most of his opportunities, toting the rock 93 times for 554 yards with five rushing touchdowns. He only had 392 total carries over the last four years, so he’ll enter the pros without much tread on the tires.