3 Michigan players the Jaguars need to scout in the 2024 CFP National Championship

1. Zak Zinter, offensive lineman

Fortifying the trenches should supersede all Jaguars' needs in the offseason. Specifically, the team's brass must prioritize bolstering the interior offensive line. The group has struggled to give Trevor Lawrence enough time to throw and they're a big reason they've had a hard time getting the running game going, consistently failing to open holes for Travis Etienne.

Center is probably the spot that requires the most attention but right guard could also use a boost.
Veteran Brandon Scherff has been serviceable but his play hasn't reflected the top-market contract he inked in 2022. Unless he takes a pay cut, he could be a cap casualty but even if he returns, the Jags cannot afford to pass on the chance to add reinforcements to the interior trenches. Zak Zinter would most definitely be a breath of fresh air.

Unlike Moore or Colson, Zinter won't be suiting up for the Championship game, as he broke his tibia during the Wolverine's Week 13 win over Ohio State. This entry, thus, may feel a bit like cheating but his absence from the game shouldn't deter the Jaguars from adding him to their draft board. Especially when you take into account that his recovery timeline is set at three months, so he'll have ample time to heal.

Zinter, a third-star recruit coming out of high school, progressively saw his playing time go up during his four-year stint in Michigan. As a junior, he only gave up nine pressures, and he was even better in 2023, allowing just five pressures, no sacks or hits.

Although Zinter has a few flaws — he tends to drop his head when blocking — most of them are correctable with coaching. When you take his strengths into account, he's a prospect worth using a mid-round pick on.

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