In what was a relatively quiet period of the NFL offseason, the Jacksonville Jaguars were looking for a general manager after firing Trent Baalke earlier this year. After an exhaustive search, they hired James Gladstone. While he's surely thrilled that he got the job, he won't have much time to celebrate the achievement, as the Jags have to address several needs in the upcoming months.
Free agency is less than a month away, and Gladstone will no doubt bolster a few position groups. After all, Jacksonville has around $38 million in cap space and could create a bit more if they release or trade a handful of players. That will be more than enough to bring in a couple of savvy veterans.
That said, the Jaguars will probably leave the bulk of the work for the 2025 NFL Draft. Armed with 10 selections, Gladstone will have ample ammo to revamp the roster, which is precisely what he does in this three-round mock.
Round 1, pick 5: Tetairoa McMillan, Arizona wide receiver
Cornerback would make sense at No. 5, but the Jaguars can get Tyson Campbell a partner in crime in free agency. The Jaguars will have no shortage of options, whether it's Jaire Alexander or Byron Murphy.
For the sake of the argument, let's say Jacksonville does sign a corner in free agency, Tetairoa McMillan would be an intriguing selection in the first round. The former Arizona Wildcat isn't a burner but has enough speed to create separation. Moreover, he would give Trevor Lawrence and the offense the big target they've sorely been missing in the red zone the past few years.
Add the fact that McMillan can line up anywhere across the line of scrimmage, and drafting him fifth overall is a no-brainer.
Round 1, pick 37: Grey Zabel, North Dakota State offensive lineman
One of the biggest risers in this draft cycle, Grey Zabel would take care of one of the Jaguars' biggest needs this offseason. Their interior offensive line couldn't open lanes in the running game, so the front office will have a great opportunity to add a couple bigs in the draft.
Zabel's stock is soaring after an impressive outing at the NFL Scouting Combine, with talking heads going as far as saying that he will go in the top 20. If he does, that would be a massive leap from Round 3, where he was projected after the 2024 season.
While there's no doubt that the former North Dakota Bison is better than originally advertised, it's hard to imagine him going in the first round, especially when you take into account that clubs will prioritize other positions with higher value at that point of the draft. Then again, the Jaguars don't take any risks and draft him early in the second round.
Round 3 pick 70: Tyleik Williams, Ohio State defensive tackle
The Jaguars would surely love to draft Mason Graham fifth overall regardless of how big or small his hands are. Then again, they have bigger needs than defensive tackle. Moreover, they have the promising duo of Maason Smith, Jordan Jefferson, and DaVon Hamilton in the fold. Furthermore, Arik Armstead will switch back to defensive tackle after mostly playing on the edge last year.
Then again, Jacksonville won't pass up the chance to fortify the trenches and pick Tyleik Williams with the first of their three-round picks. The former Ohio State Buckeye needs to be more consistent and work on his hand usage but is an intriguing rotational piece with plenty of upside. At No. 70, it feels like a good pick.
Round 3, pick 88: Seth McLaughlin, Ohio State center
Right guard is probably the team's biggest need up front, but the Jaguars shouldn't stop there. They should add a couple more hog mollies in the draft, which is feasible when you take into account that they have extra selections in the third, fourth, and sixth rounds.
With their second pick in Round 3, they choose center Seth McLaughlin, who made 24 starts at Alabama before bolting for Ohio State in 2024 and starting 10 games. His biggest downside is that he's coming off a serious leg injury but should make a full recovery.
McLaughlin could develop behind center Mitch Morse and guard Ezra Cleveland while he recovers (if he needs time ) and join the starting lineup in 2025. Simply put, the Jags need maulers in the trenches, and they would get one in the former Buckeye.