Jaguars implored to ease Trevor Lawrence's burden with obvious draft move

Even though defensive tackle Mason Graham is the favorite to land with the Jacksonville Jaguars at No. 5, there's not truly a consensus on who'll be the pick. That's why it hasn't been surprising to see chatter of running Ashton Jeanty getting the nod increase a week away from the NFL Draft. In fact, Pete Prisco of CBS Sports believes that taking the former Boise State Bronco may be the best course of action for the Jags.

Prisco made an apperance on 1010 and made a case for Jeanty to go at No. 5, pointing out that he would give the Jacksonville running game a boost while taking pressure off Lawrence's shoulders.

"I really do think Jeanty is special. I might take him and just say, 'Hey, run the ball. Run the ball, run the ball.' Take the pressure off the quarterback, and then take those big shots down the field to Brian Thomas and just work it out from there," Prisco argued. "Because there is nobody at five that makes me want to say, I won't take that back. It just, there isn't."

Prisco, "And so that's why I think they're kind of going through that process right now, and that's where they are. I think that's the mechanism right now, is, do you take the back? And if you do, you know what's the perception of it? Because I don't think there's a slam dunk guy for them to take at five."

Jeanty is the best running back in what is shaping up to be a stacked class. With him in the fold, opposing teams would have to bring additional players to the box, which would, in turn, present more favorable matchups for Trevor Lawrence in the passing game. Moreover, he could help grind the tough yards Jacksonville has routinely failed to get in third-down situations the past two years.

It's worth noting that Prisco is far from the only analyst who thinks the Jags are a realistic destination for Jeanty. Dan Brugler of The Athletic had him going to Jacksonville in his seven-round mock draft. Gennaro Filice of NFL Media also pictures the Jaguars rolling with the 2024 Heisman Trophy finalist.

Why the Jaguars may ultimately draft Ashton Jeanty

The general perception probably won't matter if the Jacksonville Jaguars think Jeanty is their guy. The real question is whether they would be getting better value with him than offensive lineman Will Campbell, defensive tackle Mason Graham, or pass rusher Jalon Walker. Maybe they will, that's why speculation about who'll be the pick continues less than a week away from the draft.

I previously stated that the Jags have bigger needs than running back and could easily wait to address the position because this year's class is loaded. Moreover, they have Tank Bigsby and Travis Etienne in the fold, so taking Jeanty with the fifth overall selection seems excessive. But the same is true about Graham and Walker. Is Jacksonville getting the most value with either one?

The draft will be stacked with defensive tackles, so the Jaguars can wait to Rounds 2 or 3 to take one. Similarly, they can wait to take a No. 3 pass rusher. With Travon Walker and Josh Hines-Allen in the mix, it's not a priority. The one position the team's brass may want to address at No. 5 is offensive tackle, because the dropoff will be steep in later rounds. If that's the route the Jags take, maybe Will Campbell or Armand Membou would make sense.

This is a long-winded way to say that don't be surprised if the Jaguars end up with Ashton Jeanty. After all, they're in need of difference-makers and he fits the bill.

Here are other Jaguars stories you may also like: