You can never have enough depth at any position. After all the backups are just one injury away from stepping on the football field. The Jacksonville Jaguars, in particular, could use depth at nearly all positions but they're set at offensive tackle with Walker Little and Anton Harrison.
Sure, the Jags could invest a mid or late-round pick on a developmental prospect, but using the fifth overall selection on an offensive tackle seems excessive. That's precisely what a rival scout thinks they should do.
John Shipley of Sports Illustrated shared several nuggets from the NFL Scouting Combine. A scout from an NFC team told him that Jacksonville should go after Will Campbell in the first round, pointing out that the offensive line needs reinforcements.
"Offensive line, Lawrence has gotten beaten to a pulp for a few years now," the NFC scout said via Shipley. "Their tackles are OK, but they could get better. And the interior offensive line doesn't push anyone around. I would take [Will] Campbell and just find a spot for him somewhere. They need to get a lot better there."
In his defense, the scout makes some valid points. Little and Harrison are far from elite, and the interior offensive line is in dire need of upgrades. That said, drafting Will Campbell at No. 5 would be a puzzling decision when you take into account that Jacksonville would be overlooking more pressing needs to bolster a position that doesn't currently require upgrades with a premium pick.
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Why drafting Will Campbell at No. 5 doesn't make sense for the Jaguars
Will Campbell is one of the top offensive linemen in this year's draft. There's no doubt he could be a Day 1 starter. Having said that, some teams see him as a better fit at guard than offensive tackle because of his less-than-ideal arm length. He believes he could still play on the edge at the NFL level but teams may not agree with him.
Heck, Armand Membou might have a stronger case to be the first offensive lineman drafted after an impressive outing at the NFL Scouting Combine. Like Campbell, he's been linked to the Jags.
But for the sake of the argument, let's say the Jaguars move Campbell to guard. Given the position value, at No. 5 may be too early to bolster the interior trenches. This is especially true when you take into account that this class will be loaded with interior offensive linemen. The Jags could easily get a starting caliber player in Round 2 or 3 and double dip in a later round.
Moreover, by addressing the right guard position with the fifth overall selection, Jacksonville will have a harder time taking care of other needs in later rounds. Sure, they can get an offensive lineman with starting potential in Round 2, but the same isn't true at cornerback.
The bottom line is that the Jacksonville Jaguars have no shortage of options with the No. 5 pick, but one they can skip because of how deep this class will be is offensive guard. Simply put, it's a luxury they cannot afford.
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