The Jacksonville Jaguars entered the offseason with clear needs. They'll have the chance to address some in free agency but they'll probably take care of most in the 2025 NFL Draft. After all, there are many intriguing paths the Jags can take with the fifth overall pick. The consensus thinks they'll go with Michigan cornerback Will Johnson, but Jordan Plocherand and Josh Liskiewitz of Pro Football Focus think another former Wolverine is their ideal prospect.
Plocherand and Liskiewitz drew up a list of the ideal prospects for each NFL team and picked defensive lineman Mason Smith for Jacksonville. They argue that Jordan Jefferson was fine as a rookie, but the Jags don't have any game-changers in the interior trenches.
"While Michigan‘s Mason Graham isn't likely to have the elite heigh/weight/speed measurables Jaguars general manager Trent Baalke traditionally craves, his consistent, high-end production is unmatched. His 92.4 run-defense grade led all defensive interior players in college football this past season, as did his 32.4% positively graded play rate on runs. Additionally, he saved his best for last against rival Ohio State, as he posted an impressive five run stops with a positive grade on a ridiculous 50% of run plays with zero downgrades."
As PFF noted, Jaguars general manager Trent Balke has an eye for defensive linemen with specific physical traits. Heck, that's one of the reasons he picked Travon Walker over Aidan Hutchinson in the 2022 NFL Draft. That said, it would make sense for him to draft against type this time around.
After all, Graham checks all the boxes — size notwithstanding — you want in a big. Granted, he needs to work on his hand usage but that's common in defensive linemen making the leap to the pros. In Jacksonville, the Rose Bowl MVP would join a rotation that includes Maason Smith and Arik Armstead, who'll once again be lining up inside after mostly playing on the edge in 2024.
With Graham in the mix, the Jags could move on from DaVon Hamilton, who was underwhelming last season.
Why drafting Mason Graham at No. 5 makes sense for the Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars have a dependable corner in Tyson Campbell but don't have an answer on the opposite side of the field. Montaric Brown and Ronald Darby took turns last year but neither is a viable option moving forward. Will Johnson at No. 5 would take care of that.
On the other hand, the Jags could also address the cornerback position in free agency. D.J. Reed, Paulson Adebo, and Byron Murphy will be available. Signing any of them would allow Jacksonville to go the Best Player Available route in the draft, which takes us back to Mason Graham.
There's no doubt that the pass defense was an issue for Jacksonville last year, but you could make the case that the interior defensive line was a bigger weakness. After all, the Jags couldn't stop the run or create pressure inside. Maason Smith flashed toward the end of his rookie season and should be expected to keep improving. It will also help that Arik Armstead will play defensive tackle. However, the team's brass must round out the rotation, and there may not be a better option than Graham.
This is to say that taking Graham at No. 5 would most definitely make sense, even if he's not a flashy prospect. Then again, there are other viable routes the Jags could take in the offseason, so it will be interesting to see which way they decide to go.