The Jacksonville Jaguars have several needs to address this offseason. One that isn't brought up often is safety, but they'll probably need to bolster the position if Andre Cisco leaves in free agency, which is a real possibility even after the bump to the salary cap. The Jags will have no shortage of options, but Chris Trappaso believes they'll take an unexpected path.
Trapasso recently did a mock draft and had Jacksonville picking safety Nick Emmanwori at No. 5, pointing out that he would be a worthy replacement for Cisco.
"With Andre Cisco a free agent, the Jaguars address the safety position with one of the freakiest athletes in the entire draft, who proved to be a damn good football player in 2024."
Emmanwori was a highly productive player in 2024, registering 83 tackles, six passes defensed, three tackles for a loss, and two defensive touchdowns in 13 games. At 6'3" and 227 pounds, he's got elite traits at the position. That said, he needs to improve in coverage, and his awareness against the run could be better. Cory Giddings of the Bleacher Report projects the former Gamecock to go in the second round and Trapasso himself has him ranked 62nd on his draft board.
Here's some of what Giddins had to say about Emmanwori in his report:
"Nick Emmanwori projects as an early-round pick with the potential to become a highly versatile defender, particularly in run-heavy defensive schemes or as a hybrid safety-linebacker. His size and physicality make him a perfect fit for matchups against tight ends and in-the-box play, though he will need to develop better coverage skills and range to maximize his potential at the next level."
Why safety could be a need for the Jaguars this offseason
Cisco is scheduled to hit the open market, and there's no guarantee he'll return to Jacksonville. If that's the case, safety will become a need. Then again, the Jaguars might prioritize other positions in the offseason. They also need to fortify the interior defensive line, round out their pass rush, and find a starting cornerback opposite Tyson Campbell.
On offense, the Jaguars must make upgrades to the interior offensive line, and and add depth at receiver. This is a long-winded way to say that safety could take a backseat to other needs in both free agency and the draft.
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Nick Emmanwori would be an unexpected pick for the Jaguars at No. 5
When you take into account that Nick Emmanwori has a second-round grade, drafting him fifth overall would be an unexpected move. Keep in mind that this is the first time someone has the Jacksonville Jaguars picking the South Carolina product. This isn't to say that it won't happen, but they've routinely been linked to defensive tackle Maason Graham, wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan, and two-way star Travis Hunter.
Moreover, it isn't common for safeties to go so early in the draft. Again, nobody is saying that Emmanwori isn't a playmaker but rather that it may be a bit too early for Jacksonville to take him or any other safety at No. 5 because of positional value. It would certainly make sense if Cisco leaves and Jacksonville doesn't sign Jevon Holland in free agency. That said, the team's brass could easily trade down a few spots, get a couple draft picks, and still land their guy.
It's also worth noting that this year's safety class is deep so the Jags could wait until Rounds 2 or 3 to take care of it. Simply put, they may have better options to address the position, and while Emmanwori is a promising prospect, Jacksonville is probably better off taking a cornerback or beefing up the defensive trenches at No. 5.