It wasn't long ago that defensive tackle Mason Graham was the favorite to go to the Jacksonville Jaguars at No. 5. But just days ahead of the NFL Draft, speculation about running back Ashton Jeanty has ramped up. And while there's no doubt that the former Boise State Bronco would turbocharge the Jags' backfield, their perceived interest may be just a smokescreen to incentivize teams to trade for the fifth overall pick.
Jeremy Fowler of ESPN recently discussed Jacksonville's interest in Jeanty, pointing out that they could be a wild card at No. 5. However, not everyone is buying the Jags' sudden interest in the 2024 Heisman Trophy finalist.
Adam Schefter of ESPN, for one, thinks that they could target Tetairoa McMillan due to head coach Liam Coen's soft spot for wide receivers in the draft. Similarly, Tom McManus of 1010 XL isn't so sure that Jeanty will be the pick at No. 5.
One theory that's made the rounds in social media is that Jacksonville is drumming up the interest in Jeanty to get either the Chicago Bears or the Dallas Cowboys to trade for the No. 5 pick, so the Raiders don't draft him one pick later.
The Raiders appear to have a strong interest in Jeanty, so Chicago or the Cowboys would need to get ahead of them to draft him. Heck, Las Vegas could move up one spot to ensure neither the Bears nor Dallas steals their target.
Of course, the Jaguars' interest in Jeanty may turn out to be legitimate, but they probably won't mind trading back a few spots if another club makes an appealing enough offer on draft day.
What's better for the Jaguars, drafting Ashton Jeanty or trading down?
There's no doubt that Ashton Jeanty would give the Jaguars offense a spark. He would force opposing teams to bring an extra defender to the box, which would, in turn, present more favorable matchups for receivers Brian Thomas Jr. and Dyami Brown. On the other hand, the front office, led by first-time general manager James Gladstone, may not want to pass up the chance to hoard extra assets.
Pete Prisco had already suggested a proposal in which the Jags trade the fifth overall selection to the Chicago Bears in exchange for picks No. 10 and No. 39 (or 41). If the Dallas Cowboys don't want to miss out on Jeanty, they could offer Jacksonville an even better package. Heck, the Denver Broncos and Pittsburgh Steelers could be dark horse teams that could inquire about the No. 5 pick.
For the sake of the argument, let's say that the Jaguars end up trading down. Defensive tackle Mason Graham, offensive tackle Armand Membou, and pass rusher Jalon Walker will probably be off the board, but Tetairoa McMillan or Will Johnson could still be available.
Of course, there's another scenario in which the Jaguars draft Ashton Jeanty, but if other teams are legitimately buying the notion that he'll be the pick, they may have no option but to trade for the No. 5 pick. Either way, this appears to be a win-win situation for Jacksonville.