3 studs Jacksonville Jaguars could've drafted in Round 2 instead of Brenton Strange
• Strange could eventually become a key contributor
• But these 3 draft picks may have been much better early on
2. OLB Byron Young, originally went to the Los Angeles Rams at No. 77
The Jaguars tried to make upgrades to the pass rush in the offseason to no avail. They briefly flirted with the idea of reuniting with Yannick Ngakoue. They later set their eyes on Danielle Hunter but couldn't get a deal done with the Minnesota Vikings. They even brought in Calais Campbell and Jadeveon Clowney for visits but ended up passing on both of them.
Maybe if the Jags had drafted Byron Young, they wouldn't have had to look for outside options to bolster their pass rush. It's true that outside linebacker Josh Allen is having a monster season, and Travon Walker keeps getting better by the week. Also, it's possible that the team's brass didn't prioritize the pass rush because they had DaVon Hamilton, and K'Lavon Chaisson in the fold but Young would have been a great addition in the second round.
As a rookie, Young has played in 87 percent of the Rams' total defensive snaps, registering five sacks and two forced fumbles. The former Tennessee Vol is tied with YaYa Diaby and Will Anderson Jr. for the second-most sacks by a rookie this season. He's also posted 35 total pressures, not a bad return on a third-round selection.
Leaving aside Young's impact as a rookie, he would have solidified the Jaguars' pass rush rotation long-term. With Dawuane Smoot having signed a one-year deal, and former first-round pick K'Lavon Chaisson expected to leave next offseason, Young would have been a good No. 3 behind Walker and Josh Allen.