The Jacksonville Jaguars made the playoffs and won the AFC South last year. Not surprisingly, owner Shad Khan is confident that they'll pick up where they left off with general manager James Gladstone and head coach Liam Coen leading the way. Having said that, the team's brass will need to add reinforcements in the Draft if they want to build off their 2025 success.
Specifically, the Jags need to address the interior defensive line and the pass rush. Heck, nobody would bat an eye if they took care of either need with the No. 56 overall pick, their first selection in the draft. For that reason, it's a bit surprising to see them go linebacker in CBS Sports' latest three-round mock.
The Jaguars choose Alabama linebacker Deontae Lawson in CBS Sports' mock draft
Ryan Wilson of CBS Sports did a three-round mock draft and had the Jags taking Alabama linebacker Deontae Lawson. On paper, the pick makes sense when you take into account that Jacksonville just lost Devin Lloyd to the Carolina Panthers in free agency.
Lawson could be a capable replacement because of his athleticism and his ability to stymie the run. Moreover, he excels against running backs and tight ends in coverage. On the other hand, the former Crimson Tide lacks the size to shed blocks, and his overall technique needs refinement.
Basically, Lawson's skill set would allow him to do what Jaguars defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile needed from him. That said, there will probably be other linebacker prospects with bigger upside than him when the Jags are on the clock. Jacob Rodriguez and Anthony Hill Jr. come to mind and have previously been connected to Jacksonville.
Moreover, defensive tackle and the pass rusher are bigger needs than linebacker right now. Sure, Wilson has the Jags taking defensive lineman Chris McClellan in the third round, but they need more than one player to fortify the line of scrimmage. With their other top picks in the third round (No. 88 and No. 100), Jacksonville took safety Genesis Smith and wide receiver Brenene Thompson.
Couple that with the fact that Jacksonville has Ventrell Miller ready to step in Lloyd's place, and it's easy to see why they may not take a linebacker at No. 56. Granted, you cannot force a pick, and the last thing the Jags want to do is draft for needs. That said, they may have better options than Lawson in Round 2.
Why the Jaguars could draft Deontae Lawson in Round 2
In CBS Sports' mock, Jacob Rodriguez goes to the New York Jets at No. 33, while the Chicago Bears chose Anthony Hill Jr. with the No. 57 selection, just one pick after the Jaguars. There's a chance the draft could play like that because every team has a different big board and grades for each prospect.
And if the Jaguars went with Deontae Lawson at No. 56, they could still address other needs with any of their three draft picks in the third round. However, the talent pool at defensive tackle this year isn't that great, so they might be better off adding reinforcement at the position early. On the other hand, this upcoming crop of pass rushers is deep, so they could come out of Round 3 with a game-altering talent to round out their rotation.
In the end, there are many ways the draft could play out. As long as the Jaguars replenish the roster and give Anthony Campanile plenty of talent to work with, there won't be many reasons to complain.