This offseason, the Jacksonville Jaguars have made it a priority to put Trevor Lawrence in a position to succeed. However, the new regime hasn't neglected the defense, signing cornerback Jourdan Lewis and safety Eric Murray in free agency. That said, Anthony Campanile's unit could use further upgrades. The Jags get them in The Athletic's latest mock draft.
Dane Brugler of The Athletic did a seven-round mock draft and had Jacksonville taking Ashton Jeanty at No. 5, pointing out that he would give them plenty of value.
"If the Jaguars had a chance at a high-level corner here, that is the direction they should go. But this draft is light at the top and Jeanty is the best player available. He would give the Jacksonville offense an immediate upgrade."
All things considered, this isn't a surprise pick when you take into account that the former Boise State Bronco is the kind of playmaker that could have an immediate impact on offense. In fact, several other mocks have him going to the Jags. Here's the skinny.
What stands out about Brugler's mock is the prospects he projects the Jaguars to choose in Rounds 2 and 3: With the 36th overall selection, they choose Ole Miss cornerback Trey Amos. He would be a much welcome addition to a secondary that's in dire need of reinforcements.
As noted before, the Jags signed Lewis in free agency, and Jarrian Jones showed promise in his rookie campaign. With Tyson Campbell in the mix, using a Round 2 pick on a cornerback may seem unnecessary, but injuries exposed the team's lack of depth last year. Although he needs to work on his overall technique, Amos has the physical tools to develop into a high-impact player in the NFL.
Later in the third round, the Jags select Penn State safety Kevin Wiston Jr. With Andre Cisco leaving in free agency, they could certainly use the former Nittany Lion. Sure, they locked up Murray in free agency, but as reliable as he is, he's already reached his ceiling and may not be part of the team's long-term plans.
Meanwhile, Winston is the kind of versatile safety that excels at stopping the run or dropping in coverage. In Jacksonville, he would give Campanile lots of flexibility to deploy him in different and creative ways.
Drafting Ashton Jeanty is fine, but the Jaguars cannot neglect the defense
It's easy to forget it, but the Jacksonville Jaguars had one of the worst defenses in the NFL last year. But despite their struggles, they only brought in Jourdan Lewis and Eric Murray in free agency. Then again, that's probably because the'll address the front four and the rest of the defense in the 2025 NFL Draft. General manager James Gladstone said as much, pointing out that signing more veterans would take away playing time from the incoming rookie class.
Circling back to Dane Brugler's mock, nobody would bat an eye if the Jaguars come out of the draft with a similar haul. Heck, defensive tackle Mason Graham could be the pick at No. 5 instead of Jeanty. But even if Jacksonville goes offense in the first round, they have enough picks to get defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile the pieces he needs to get the job done.
The bottom line is that the Jaguars can pass on defense in the first round and still make the upgrades their defense needs.