3 cornerbacks the Jacksonville Jaguars could target in Round 2 of the 2023 NFL Draft
By Beau Adams
The Jacksonville Jaguars have a need at cornerback to address in the upcoming NFL Draft. Thankfully, this year's draft has a deep well of cornerback prospects because most mock drafts have the five top cornerbacks off the board before the Jags are on the clock with the 24th overall pick.
This means that the Jaguars could overdraft a corner with a second-round grade at No. 24 or trade multiple picks to move up in the first round. Neither is an ideal or feasible option for the Jags. They likely will use their first-round pick on a tight end and use their second-round pick on a cornerback. They will need to do an in-depth evaluation of the second-round cornerback talent. Let's look at the top three cornerbacks the Jags should target with their second-round pick.
The Jags have the 56th overall pick in the draft but have two 4th and 6th-round picks they could potentially use to trade up for the right cornerback. There are three standouts the Jags could get in the second round, the first is a guy I like to call THT.
3. cornerback the Jacksonville Jaguars can draft in Round 2: Tre'Vius Hodges-Tomlinson
Cornerback #17. Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson. player. 466. . . 75. Overall Rank 81
THT is dynamite
Tre'Vius Hodges-Tomlinson is a standout defensive back from TCU. The 2022 Jim Thorpe Award winner has tremendous ball skills. Check out one of his three pass breakups in the College Football Playoff Semifinal win over Michigan here.
TCU CB Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson doing a great job not getting lost in this route combo and then undercutting the route for the PBU.
— Seven Rounds in Heaven (@7RoundsInHeaven) December 31, 2022
Hodges-Tomlinson, who won the Thorpe Award and is headed to the @ShrineBowl, looks like one of the top nickels in the 2023 NFL Draft class. pic.twitter.com/z2kJpnmyZY
Hodges-Tomlinson arrived in Fort Worth and instantly became a difference-maker for the Horned Frogs. He would do the same for Jacksonville. His Scouting reports all say he is physical in man coverage and has excellent speed. He ran a 4.41 40, putting him in step with Vikings WR Justin Jefferson.
TCU, like the Jaguars, plays mostly man coverage, a style THT could play comfortably in Jacksonville. Scouts note he is a highly athletically-gifted player with outstanding man coverage skills, exactly what the Jaguars need.
As for the downside of Tomlinson, his lack of size is the most prominent critique. He is only 5'8" and 173 pounds. Second is his history of missed tackles. These are the two main drawbacks that have him slipping late into the second round.
Despite his shortcoming, THT would be an ideal fit in Jacksonville. An impact player that will work well in the Jag's defensive scheme and will adjust quickly to NFL life. He is the nephew of legendary NFL Hall of Famer LaDanian Tomlinson, that alone is a good reason to make him a Jaguar.