The Jacksonville Jaguars said early in the offseason that they would prioritize the offensive line. They put their money where their mouth is. They added a pair of starters and depth in free agency, and later used a third-round pick on Wyatt Milum. And with one of their last picks in the NFL Draft, the Jags have selected Jonah Monheim.
With pick No. 221, Jacksonville selected the versatile Monheim, who lined up virtually everywhere across the line of scrimmage at USC. He played center in 2024 and left tackle the year prior. Before that, he saw playing time inside and outside on the right side. The former Trojan's flexibility to play multiple spots will be welcomed in Jacksonville.
What should the Jaguars expect from Jonah Monhiem in 2025?
At 6'4" and 302 pounds, he's kind of lean and will need to bulk up to thrive in the NFL. Working in his favor is that he's got the athleticism to mirror and contain opposing pass rushers. That said, his less-than-ideal frame could make him struggle against bigger defensive linemen.
Either way, Monheim has the potential to carve a role with the Jaguars due to his quickness and experience playing multiple positions. Brandon Thorton of the Bleacher Report scouting department had a fifth-round grade on him, noting that the former USC standout could compete for a backup role in the interior offensive trenches.
"Overall, Monheim offers good athletic ability, use of leverage, experience and proven versatility to be an asset on the move in the run game and matched up against speed/sub-package rushers in pass protection while bringing enough play strength to compete for a backup role on the interior as a rookie with most of his upside coming at center. "
In Jacksonville, Monheim will join a group that includes Robert Hainsey, Luke Fortner, Chuma Edogba, Ezra Cleveland, Cooper Hodges, and Patrick Mekari.
Hainsey, Cleveland, and Mekari are slated to start on the interior offensive line. If the Jaguars see Monheim as a center, he'll need to compete with Fortner for the backup job behind Hainsey, who signed a three-year deal worth $24 million in the offseason.
Fortner is slated to become a free agent in 2026, so Monheim could potentially replace him as the backup center. That would probably be the best case scenario. Of course, he could end up struggling and not making the team. Conversely, he could exceed expectations and challenge Hainsey for the starting spot. Something in between is a more realistic scenario.
Looking back, the offensive line had been one of the Jacksonville Jaguars' biggest weaknesses the past two years. That's why it was nice to see them pour some many resources, including Jonah Monheim, in the past few months.