The Jacksonville Jaguars will enter the 2024 NFL Draft with clear needs. In particular, they need to bolster their wide receiver corps and the cornerback room. Fortunately for them, both position groups are deep, so they could wait until Day 2 to take care of either one. Similarly, they could trade back a few spots in the first round, and still come out with a quality player.
The Jags currently hold the 17th overall selection. They showed last year that they're not opposed to moving back and getting a few extra picks along the way. That's why it wouldn't be shocking to see them once again trade back and target any of the next four prospects late in the first round or early in the second.
4. Cooper DeJean , CB - Iowa
Cornerback sits at the top of the Jaguars' list of needs heading into the draft. Even though they signed Ronald Darby after releasing Darious Williams in a cap-saving move, they should still prioritize the position in the draft. After all, Tyson Campell is coming off an injured-marred season, but even if he stays healthy, he may not be a great fit in Ryan Nielsen's heavy-press scheme.
Compounding the issue is that Campbell is set to become a free agent in 2025, so the Jags should plan ahead and take a cornerback in Rounds 1 or 2. While Terrion Arnold, Kool-Aid McKinstry, and Quinyon Mitchell would make sense, they could also move back and still have a shot at landing Cooper DeJean.
Following the end of the 2023 season, Cooper DeJean seemed like a surefire first-round pick. However, he now looks like a borderline top-32 prospect. One reason may be that he opted to skip the scouting combine because he was dealing with a foot injury. Meanwhile, other cornerback prospects wasted no time taking advantage of the opportunity to boost their stock.
While some teams (and scouts) think DeJean should move at safety, he's got the athleticism, size, and awareness to remain at cornerback and either play either zone or man coverage. The former Iowa Hawkeye could also contribute in the return game, but the Jags signed specialist Devin Duvernay in free agency, so they would have him focus on honing his skills at cornerback.
3. Chop Robinson, Edge - Penn State
Even though it's not a pressing need, the Jaguars could bolster their pass rush in the first round. Josh Allen is coming off a breakout season and Travon Walker made strides in Year 2. However, the rotation behind those two could use work. The front office signed Trevis Gipson, who posted seven sacks in 2021 but only one last year.
Gipson could turn out to be a low-risk, high-reward signing, but in case it doesn't pan out, the Jags should add reinforcements to their rotation. It would also protect them if Walker or Allen miss time. At No. 17, the Jaguars will have a shot at landing one of the top edge rushers in the draft.
The consensus sees Jared Verse, Dallas Turner, and Laiatu Latu — in no particular order — as the best three, but if they're all gone by the time the Jags are on the clock, trading down to select Chop Robinson would be an alternative.
At 6'3" and 255 pounds, Robinson has all the tools to develop into an impact player in the NFL. He showed just how athletic he is at the scouting combine, running the 40-yard dash in 4.48 seconds and posting a vertical jump of 34.5 inches.
Robinson was highly recruited coming out of high school but chose Maryland, where he played linebacker. He felt he was playing out of position so he transferred to Penn State, where he switched to defensive end. His biggest knock heading into the draft is his lack of production.
During his two-year stint with the Nittany Lions, Robinson only logged 9.5 sacks. While it's true that there's more to rushing the passer than just sacks, production usually carries over into the pros, and the Maryland native didn't put up great numbers. Another knock on him is that he has yet to develop a pass-rush repertoire. This could potentially make him slide in the draft. Then again, that may not necessarily be a bad thing.
If the Jaguars' coaching staff are willing to work with him and help him develop, they could then trade back a few spots and land him late in the first round or early in the second. They showed in 2022 that they're willing to bet on a developmental prospect when they drafted Travon Walker. They could now take a chance on Robinson.
2. Jackson Powers-Johnson, Center - Oregon
The Jaguars checked off a massive box when they signed veteran center Mitch Morse in free agency. Morse should be an upgrade over incumbent Luke Fortner, who's coming off an underwhelming season.
With Morse in the fold, center is no longer a pressing need, so the Jags can focus on making upgrades to wide receiver or cornerback. That said, they might also consider trading down, get extra selections, and nab Jackson Powers-Johnson late in the first round.
Powers-Johnson is the best center prospect of the class, but analyst Matt Miller doesn't expect him to go in the top 25. Brad Spielberger, formerly of Pro Football Focus, echoes that sentiment. This makes sense when you take into account that center isn't a premium position and teams can often find a good one in Rounds 2 and 3. Having said that, Powers-Johnson may be too good to pass up, even if the Jags are set at center.
The Pittsburgh Steelers, who have a need at the position, maybe the only realistic landing spot for Powers-Johnson, but if the Jags are confident he's going to make it past the Steelers, they should then trade back into the 20s and take the former Oregon Duck.
Powers-Johnson lined up at center, right guard and even defensive tackle (one game) in college. He could be a Day 1 starter in the NFL, but if the Jags are fine having him redshirt in his rookie season, they should then consider taking a flyer on him. That may be an unlikely scenario but could happen if there isn't a prospect they like at No. 17.
1. Adonai Mitchell, WR - Texas
One of the Jaguars' biggest blunders in free agency was letting wide receiver Calvin Ridley leave. While they weren't going to match the four-year, $92 million offer the Tennesse Titans made him, they could've kept him if they had used the franchise tag on him. Had he gotten the tag, Ridley wouldn't have hit the open market and Jacksonville would've kept their second-round round pick.
However, the Jags couldn't use the tag on Ridley because outside linebacker Josh Allen got it. Now, the front office will be tasked with finding Ridley's replacement. And in case you were wondering, no, Gabe Davis isn't it. Jacksonville expected him to play next to each other. Fortunately for them, this year's receiver class is loaded, so they'll have ample options.
If the Jags want to stay put at No. 17, Brian Thomar Jr. will most likely be available. But if they want to call dibs on one of the big three (Marvin Harrison Jr., Malik Nabers or Rome Odunze), they'll need to move up into the top 10. Conversely, the team's brass could trade down and still have a chance to land Adonai Mitchell.
Last year, Mitchell hauled in 55 receptions and 845 yards with 11 touchdowns at Texas. At 6'2" and 205 pounds, he's got the size to line up as an X receiver in the NFL. While he doesn't have elite speed, he's no slouch either, having posted a 40-yard dash of 4.34 seconds at the scouting combine. On top of that, he can run all routes, so he could contribute right out of the gate in Jacksonville.
Both Mitchell and former teammate Xavier Worthy are projected to go in the top 50, so the Jags could trade down a bit and still land him in the 20s. That said, there will be a handful of teams in need of help at receiver — the Cowboys, Chiefs and Bills come to mind — that could target him late in Round 1, so the Jags wouldn't be able to move back too many spots.
Still, the prospect of drafting a receiver of Mitchell's potential while accumulating draft picks is an intriguing course of action.