Jaguars urged to draft Ohio State standout in 2025 to replace Brandon Scherff

The Jacksonville Jaguars did a good job of fortifying the roster in 2024 even if their record doesn't reflect it. That said, they'll need to address a handful of needs next year if they want to bounce back from what's been a disappointing season. The right guard spot, in particular, should be among their biggest priorities and Alex Ballentine of Bleacher Report offered an intriguing suggestion.

Ballentine drew up a list of needs for every AFC team after Week 14 and argues that Jacksonville should draft Donovan Jackson in 2025 to shore up the right guard spot, pointing out that the Ohio State standout could be the perfect heir apparent for Brandon Scherff.

"The Jaguars have a lot of work to do to rebuild around Trevor Lawrence, but ensuring he has quality protection and a functional run game are paramount.

That's why finding an eventual replacement for Brandon Scherff needs to be a priority. Donovan Jackson got bumped out to left tackle after Josh Simmons' injury at Ohio State, but he projects as a mauling guard in the NFL."

A Second-Team All-Big Ten two seasons in a row, Jackson needs to clean up his "erratic" footwork but has the movement skills and power to develop into a quality guard in the NFL, according to B/R scout Brandon Thorn.

That said, Thorn thinks Jackson will need time to develop but is talented enough to "compete for a job as a rookie and potentially start within his first contract."

Currently, Scherff is slated to become a free agent next year. A first-round pick in the 2015 draft, he signed with the Jaguars in 2022 and has become a mainstay of the offensive line. However, he hasn't been nearly as dominant as he was early in his career and will be 33 in 2025. That could prompt the team's brass to let him hit the open market.

Whether Scherff stays or leaves, he's set to count $14 million against the cap after restructuring his contract in 2023. One way the Jaguars could decrease his cap hit is by giving him an extension and spreading the hit to future years. The issue with that route is that the former Iowa Hawkeye would be just a short-term fix, and the team would still need to look for his potential replacement. That's where investing a second or third-round pick on a guard would come in handy.

Why the Jaguars should draft a guard (but Donovan Jackson may not be the answer)

The Jacksonville Jaguars must replenish the right guard position, but the trouble with taking Donovan Jackson is that he's mostly lined up on the left side, so he would have to switch positions, which sounds easier than it really is. This isn't to say that he can't pull it off, but the Jags may be better off going with a prospect who already plays right guard, and there will be no shortage of them in next year's draft.

Tate Ratledge, Ar'maj Reed-Adams, and Jaedan Roberts all play right guard and should be available in the third round. And that's the thing, you can always find quality guards in Rounds 2 and 3. The Jags happen to have an extra third-rounder after moving down a few spots in the 2024 draft.

And if the Jaguars aren't thrilled with this incoming guard class, they can attempt to sign Trey Smith in free agency. It probably won't come up cheap, but he's a proven commodity that can give the offensive line a massive boost right off the bat.

The bottom line is that the Jaguars cannot afford to neglect the right guard spot in 2025. They'll have ample choices aside from Donovan Jackson.

More Jaguars analysis here: