PFF wants the Jaguars to join the trade fun on Day 1 of the 2024 NFL Draft

• PFF wants to see several trade take place on Day 1 on the draft, and they want the Jaguars to be part of the fun

NFL Commisioner Roger Goodell poses with Jaguars fans during the first round of the NFL Draft
NFL Commisioner Roger Goodell poses with Jaguars fans during the first round of the NFL Draft / George Walker IV / Tennessean.com
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The Jacksonville Jaguars will enter the 2024 NFL Draft with one pick in each of the first three rounds. However, Brad Spielberger of Pro Football Focus wouldn't be shocked if they acquire more picks due to general manager Trent Baalke's affinity to trade down and rack up extra assets.

Spielberger recently drew up a list of scenarios he would like to see take place on Day 1 of the draft. He wants the Jaguars to trade the 17th overall selection to the Los Angeles Chargers for picks No. 23 and 63. At first glance, this doesn't make sense because the Bolts don't hold the 23rd pick. However, Spilberger accounted for that by projecting them to trade the fifth overall pick (they currently hold it) to the Minnesota Vikings for Nos. 11 and 23.

Nobody would bat an eye if the Jaguars moved down on Draft Day. After all, they had nine picks last year but came out with 13 selections after a series of trades. More specifically, they moved back twice in the first round. Jacksonville originally held the 24th overall pick but traded down to 25 and later to 27, where they selected offensive tackle Anton Harrison. Here's what Spielberger had to say about his scenario.

"The Chargers use the hypothetical extra first-round pick they acquired from the Minnesota Vikings in the above J.J. McCarthy trade to make a small jump up with the Jacksonville Jaguars for the second interior defender off the board, getting ahead of prospective teams like the Cincinnati Bengals and Miami Dolphins who have a need along the interior defensive line.

Jaguars general manager Trent Baalke very sharply traded down multiple times in the first round of last year’s draft before ultimately selecting tackle Anton Harrison, who many believed to be their preferred target all along, and he looked the part as a rookie at right tackle."

Other trades involve the New Orleans Saints trading up to No. 9 to select offensive tackle Olu Fashanu, the Green Bay Packers getting the 21st pick to draft cornerback Cooper DeJean, and the Kansas City Chiefs moving up to No. 28 to take offensive tackle Kingsley Suamataia.

The Jaguars could realistically trade down in the 2024 NFL Draft

Throughout draft season, it's been speculated that the Jacksonville Jaguars could trade up to acquire Rome Odunze. They would also have to move up if they targeted fellow receiver Malik Nabers, but the Jags have rarely been discussed as a candidate to trade down. At No. 17, they would be in a position to take one of the top cornerback prospects or a receiver such as Brian Thomas Jr. or Keon Coleman.

On the other hand, Jacksonville would still have their fair share of options if they moved down to No. 23. Thomas and Coleman could still be available and the prospect of getting an extra third-rounder after losing one as part of the Calvin Ridley trade may be too good to pass up. The downside of moving down is that players such as pass rusher Dallas Turner or Byron Murphy II could be gone by then.

After revamping several position groups in free agency, wide receiver, cornerback, and the pass rush remain their biggest needs. Moving up or down in the first round may depend on which one they want to prioritize. That said, they should be in a favorable position to address all of them in the first three rounds and add depth in the later rounds. Having an extra third-rounder would most definitely help, though.

The Jacksonville Jaguars come out of free agency with a promising haul. They now need to put the finishing touches on the roster in the NFL draft. It won't matter if they trade up or down as long as they acquire a handful of playmakers.

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