Jaguars urged to help Trevor Lawrence in NFL Draft (by making head-scratching pick)

The Jacksonville Jaguars addressed several key needs in free agency, but that doesn't mean that they can rest on their laurels in the 2025 NFL Draft. Quite the contrary, they must find a handful of players who can contribute on Day 1 and bolster the depth across the roster. Working in their favor is that they have 10 picks at their disposal. This begs the question, what route should the Jags take in the first round? Chris Simms of Pro Football Talk suggests they make the safe choice.

Simms told PFT colleague Mike Florio that Jacksonville should roll with Mason Graham at No. 5, pointing out that they don't have a game-changer on the interior defensive line.

"I don't think there's any doubt as defensive tackle," Simms responded when Florio asked him what position the Jags need to address in the draft. "I think that's why you continually see at No. 5. They, there are a lot of people in mock drafts, put Mason Graham, the defensive tackle from Michigan, there. This is a team that's got two pretty good edge rushers but was kind of pitiful up the middle throughout the year last year."

Simms continued, "I look at that to be one of the worst run defenses in football. They don't really have a guy in the middle there that you look at to go, 'Oh yeah, he's a problem or a game changer or anything like that.' So I think that's the one area I look at more than other. I know O-Line, they certainly can use something there, but I think D-Tackle is the most pressing need on their football team."

Maason Smith and Arik Armstead are currently the top defensive tackles on the Jacksonville depth chart. The former flashed late in his rookie campaign, and the latter is moving back inside after mostly lining up on the edge last year. Nevertheless, the Jags need to round out their rotation.

Aside from Smith and Armstead, the Jags have DaVon Hamilton, who showed potential early in his career but has left much to be desired. Bringing in someone like Graham would solidify the group.

Florio agrees that Graham should be the pick at No. 5 but also argues that the Jaguars need to draft someone on offense who can help Lawrence, bringing up running back Ashton Jeanty as a possiblity.

"I'd love to see them add somebody on the offense that it's going to make it easier for Trevor Lawrence to do the things they wanted to do, and that would be if they could stumble into an Ashton Jeanty or an Omarian Hampton," Florio said.

"Something like that, where we'd go, 'Oh, now bad news for ETN and [Tank] Bigsby if that happens.' But just a guy who is going to be that difference-making, home run hitter that's going to draw safeties of the line of scrimmage and make it easier for Trevor Lawrence to execute the system the way they expect them to do it."

The Jaguars have a dynamic backfield tandem in Tank Bigsby and Travis Etienne in the fold, but the latter is entering a contract year, so it would be a good idea to add his potential replacement in the 2025 draft. That said, taking Jeanty at No. 5 may be a bit too high. Below is Simms' full conversation with Florio.

Mason Graham makes more sense for the Jaguars than Ashton Jeanty

There's no doubt that the Jacksonville Jaguars could use a player of Ashton Jeanty's caliber, but they're better off adding a running back later in the draft, given how deep this year's class is. Even if he's better than both Tank Bigsby and Travis Etienne — he's the top running back of his class, and it's not close — selecting him at No. 5 will neglecting more pressing needs feels unecessary.

Sure, questions float about Mason Graham's leap into the NFL because of his less-than-ideal arm strength, but he fared well enough at Michigan to make you think that he can make an impact in the pros. In fact, he's the favorite to hear his name called when the Jags are on the clock.

But even if Jacksonville isn't sold on Graham, there will be other players at No. 5 that could offer more value than Ashton Jeanty, including Armand Membou, Jalon Walker, and Travis Hunter (if he's available).

That said, nobody would bat an eye if the Jaguars end up drafting Jeanty in the first round. After all, there are no clues about their draft strategy. This means that they could take the path everyone suspects the least.

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