3 draft picks the Jaguars got right and 2 moves they will regret

All things considered, the Jacksonville Jaguars had a productive draft. One reason they came out with a promising haul was that they filled several roster holes in free agency. Without boxing themselves in a corner, the Jags were able to follow their big board and land several players who could have a big impact in 2024. That said, it wasn't perfect.

While the team's brass was able to address most needs, they missed a couple. Also, there are a couple position groups that could still use depth. With that in mind, here's a look at three picks Jacksonville got right and two decisions that might not have been the best.

Draft picks the Jaguars got right in 2024

Draft pick the Jaguars got right: Maason Smith, DT

Let's get the elephant in the room out of the way. The Jaguars got flak for drafting defensive tackle Maason Smith not because he was a bad player but rather because cornerback was a bigger need at the time of the pick. Then again, the front office couldn't pass up the chance to take a prospect of Smith's caliber.

One of the biggest red flags surrounding Smith during the draft process was that 2021 was the last time he was fully healthy. He suffered an ACL the following year and wasn't truly himself until 2023. General manager Trent Baalke says Smith is back at full strength, though, and linebackers coach Matt House — his defensive coordinator at LSU the past two seasons — echoed that assessment.

But even if Smith is healthy, you could make the case he's still raw. You would be right but that's where defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen comes in. Nielsen's area of expertise is the defensive line. Under his guidance, Smith should be able to reach his ceiling.

On top of that, Smith will be learning behind fellow defensive end Arik Armstead. This is to say that he'll be in a position to succeed. If he does, questions about drafting him 48th overall will fade.