Less than 32 hours away from the NFL Draft, there's no clarity on what the Jacksonville Jaguars are planning to do at No. 5. That said, signs point toward running back Ashton Jeanty being the pick, and Dane Brugler of The Athletic explains why the former Boise State Bronco would be the best choice.
Brugler made an appearance on 1010 XL and said that Jeanty is that Jeanty will be the best prospect available when Jags are on the clock, pointing out that Mason Graham could turn out to be a fine player but doesn't have nearly as much upside.
"After [Cam] Ward, after [Travis] Hunter, after Abdul Carter are off the board, the only player who maybe realistically belongs in the top 5 in terms of just talent is Ashton Jeanty," Brugler said. "I mean, Mason Graham is a good player, but when I think of top five defensive tackles, I think of Quinnen Williams, I think of that style, that type of player, in terms of impact. And so basically, Graham would not be a bad pick, necessarily, but in order to get that top 5 bang for your buck."
Brugler continued, "I've heard all the arguments against it, in terms of the running back position, and should they address other needs, and then you drop the running back in later. I get it, but I don't think the Falcons regret drafting Bijan Robinson when they did. I don't think the Lions regret drafting Jahmyr Gibbs in the top 12 like they did. And so this is a draft, it's just It's light at the top. And so if you really want to get a top 5 pick and bang for your buck, Jeanty deserves a lot of consideration there."
As recently as March, Graham was the favorite to get the nod at No. 5. However, questions have surfaced about his viability in the NFL. In particular, his lack of arm strength and dearth of explosive plays have been flagged. Now, the Jags are projected to roll with Jeanty.
Jeanty excels at breaking tackles, posting a nation-leading 163 missed tackles last year. On top of that, 1,733 of his 2,601 yards came after contact. In Jacksonville, he would force defenses to bring extra players in the box, which would, in turn, leave Brian Thomas Jr. and Dyami Brown with more favorable matchups.
After (Travis) Hunter, after Abdul Carter come off the board, the only other player who maybe realistically belongs in the top 5 is Ashton Jeanty."
— 1010 XL / 92.5 FM (@1010XL) April 22, 2025
The Athletic's Dane Brugler explains why he believes the Jaguars should exit their comfort zone with the #5 overall draft pick.… pic.twitter.com/ujNja05aKW
Ashton Jeanty over Mason Graham should be a no-brainer for the Jaguars
There's been chatter about the Jacksonville Jaguars trading up to get a shot at landing Travis Hunter. Similarly, they could be looking to move down a few spots and amass a few extra picks. But the Jags could ultimately stay put and take the best player available. That would probably be Ashton Jeanty.
While Mason Graham is the top defensive tackle in this year's draft, this class is loaded at the position, so the Jaguars can afford to wait until Rounds 1 or 2 to select one. Granted, the running back class is also stacked. Moreover, Jacksonville already has Tank Bigsby and Travis Etienne in the fold. However, Jeanty is arguably more explosive.
And as Dane Brugler noted, Jacksonville would be getting more bang for their buck with the 2024 Heisman Trophy finalist, especially when you take into account that there doesn't appear to be much of a difference between Graham and Walter Nolan, the second-best defensive tackle prospect.
If you had told someone after the 2024 season that Ashton Jeanty would be the pick at No. 5, you would've probably gotten a blank stare. Now, it looks like a realistic possibility, and that's because he'll probably be the best option. Brugler is far from the only analyst who believes that's the case.