The race for the first overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft is at full steam. At one point in the regular season, the Jacksonville Jaguars were on pace to clinch it but moved away from it after a handful of games. Following the 19-14 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders, though, the Jags are in a position to end up with a higher selection. That should give them ample flexibility and lots of options.
Before the Raiders game, Jacksonville had the No. 4 pick but held the third overall selection after the loss. The New England Patriots and the New York Giants are the only teams ahead of them, and the latter will probably take a quarterback. The Pats already have one, so they could either set their sights on whatever prospect they want. Two-way star Travis Hunter could be one of them.
But even if New England takes Hunter, the Jaguars would still have ample options at No. 3. They could target Will Johnson if they want a cornerback opposite Tyson Campbell. Tetairoa McMillan would also bolster their wide receiver corps. On the other hand, the interior defensive line could go from good to great with Mason Graham.
Another path would be to trade the selection and acquire extra picks in the process. The bottom line is that they'll have ample options because they have different needs rather than a big one.
Throughout the season, there's been chatter about Jacksonville trading Trevor Lawrence and possibly taking a quarterback early in the draft. However, that's not feasible because they already gave him a massive extension, and moving on from him would come with massive cap implications. Aside from the quarterback position, the Jags have a top-not receiver in Brian Thomas Jr., a dependable cornerback in Tyson Campbell, and a pair of pass rushers in Travon Walker and Josh Hines-Allen.
If that wasn't enough rookie defensive tackle Maason Smith has shown promise in recent weeks, so once you look at the Jaguars roster, it's clear that the team's brass could go with the best player available at No. 3.
The Jaguars' odds of drafting Travis Hunter have gone up
Now, there are two games left in the season, and many things could still happen between now and then. Having said that, the Jacksonville Jaguars should be thrilled about the possibility of having a chance to land Travis Hunter or at least get a high spot in the 2025 draft. Sure. the loss to the Las Vegas Raiders stings, and so does the lost season. However, the Jags should already be planning for next year.
Next on Jacksonville's schedule are a couple of games against AFC South opponents, the Tennessee Titans in Week 17, and the Indianapolis Colts in the season finale. The Jaguars will try to play for pride, but nobody would bat an eye if they lose one of both contests. That would put them closer or at least in a better position to draft the player they want in the first round.
The bottom line is that you will be hard-pressed to find a player or a coach who is looking to lose, but that's the Jaguars' best course of action the next two weeks after a disappointing 2024 season.