The Jacksonville Jaguars are in a great spot as an organization right now. They surprised everyone and made the playoffs (and won a playoff game) after starting the season 2-6.
So, where do they go from here? Well, nobody expects it to be a one-and-done for a variety of reasons. The biggest reason is the fact that they have a franchise quarterback in Trevor Lawrence so they can keep building on that over the years.
This could be the beginning of the greatest era in Jacksonville Jaguars' history if they are very smart with their moves in the coming months (and years).
The next step is the 2023 NFL Draft which is a place with the potential for lots of bad mistakes. These are five to avoid at the most important NFL event of the year:
Mistake #1: Moving pick 24
The Jacksonville Jaguars should absolutely not move the 24th pick.
The Jacksonville Jaguars should really hesitate to trade pick 24. Unless they are moving up, they should keep that selection and make it because they can get a really good player there. If they do their homework, they can even get a star that is a big piece to potential Super Bowl winning success.
There are going to be all sorts of elite prospects sitting there for them to consider if they play their cards right. From tight ends, to offensive linemen, to great players on defense, this is a sweet spot for them to be in after how good they were in 2022.
Whoever they draft there will likely be a starter for them in 2023 which could be a big year for them in a lot of ways.
They need to keep the pick unless the return for it will make them a significantly better team in 2023. It would need to be a lock that they won the trade because the return is too good to be true.
Mistake #2: Taking a wide-receiver in the first round
The Jacksonville Jaguars need to avoid selecting a WR in round one.
The Jacksonville Jaguars could probably use another wide receiver but they might not even think so. The worst thing that they could do in this draft is select a wide receiver. After trading for Calvin Ridley during the season and getting him back now, they really don't need to waste a high pick on that.
The depth at the position in the organization is decent and the depth at the position in the draft is good enough to consider one later on with a different selection.
If they are dead set on a skill position with pick 24, a tight end would be a much bigger need for them as we don't know the long-term future of Evan Engram with this team. Hopefully, he does stick around in the long term because Lawrence loves having him but they might want to think about another one.
As long as they don't use pick 24 on a wide receiver, they should get a major need with this selection which could be the difference in a deep playoff run or not.
Mistake #3: Don't draft a RB in top four rounds
The Jacksonville Jaguars don't need a RB in the first four rounds.
The Jacksonville Jaguars had a good year from rookie Travis Etienne in 2022. He was as productive of a running back as the Jaguars could have asked for with the way that their season ended up going.
Coming into 2023, they believe that they are going to be a good team again and Etienne is going to be a big part of it.
As far as getting him a running-mate, they'd be better off spending some money on a reliable player than drafting an unknown in the first four rounds.
If they want to take a chance on someone in the later rounds that is fine but it would be a mistake to take one in the first four rounds. There are plenty of needs that can be addressed in the first four rounds that are much more impactful than a second running back.
Mistake #4: Not prioritizing defense
The Jacksonville Jaguars need to prioritize defense in the 2023 draft.
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a team with a growing offense. Trevor Lawrence, as mentioned before, has been growing his game well over the last year or so and now he has weapons to work with.
With that in mind, they had the 24th ranked defense in 2022 which isn't idea. They made it as far as they did with that group but they can get even further if they improve this unit.
It would be a mistake for the Jaguars to not prioritize defense with their selections. There are all different types of players that they can take in this draft.
They need an edge rusher, some linebackers, and cornerbacks in addition to safeties. They aren't bare on defense but it could be upgraded. The 2023 NFL Draft would be a great place to address some of those needs.
Mistake #5: Not drafting to win right now
The Jacksonville Jaguars need to draft as if they are trying to win now.
The Jacksonville Jaguars were so good down the stretch in 2022. They got into the playoffs by winning the AFC South in the final game of the season over the Tennessee Titans.
The following week, they were losing by 27 to the Los Angeles Chargers before storming back to win that game. It took a big effort from the eventual Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs to take the Jaguars down. It left a lot of people wanting more.
Now, the organization needs to act like a winning team. They need to draft like they are trying to win the Super Bowl right now because that is what their goal should be for the next handful of years. The days of them picking first overall are gone for a while.
If the tiebreaker on a potential draft pick is needed, they should go with whoever is more NFL ready because they can use him now. That could make a huge difference right away.
The Jaguars are going to be a good team but they can become an even better one with a solid draft. If they avoid these mistakes while making good picks, they will be very happy with it.