Free agency gives teams the opportunity to complement their roster but the best way to build sustained success is through the draft, especially in the first round. The more picks you get right, the higher your chances of winning are. The Jacksonville Jaguars, for their part, have their fair share of disappointments but also a handful of hits.
This begs the question, how would the Jags' last ten picks stack up when compared to each other? Some flopped almost right away. Others had success early on but faded. Then, there are those who still have plenty of upside. The following ranking takes all that into account to sort them out.
10. CJ Henderson, CB - Pick No. 9, 2020
The Jaguars thought they had found a replacement for All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey when they drafted C.J. Henderson ninth overall in 2020. However, the former Florida Gator wasn't able to live up to expectations. While he flashed early as a rookie, a groin injury cut his season shortly.
Henderson then underwent labrum surgery in the offseason and missed a considerable portion of training camp due to a myriad of issues. Three games into the 2022 season, the team's brass realized they had seen enough of him and traded him to the Carolina Panthers for a third-round pick and tight end Dan Arnold. In total, Henderson appeared in 10 games in Jacksonville, certainly not what the Jags had in mind when they drafted him.
9. K'Lavon Chaisson, Edge - Pick 20, 2020
Eleven picks after drafting C.J. Henderson, the Jags took K'Lavon Chaisson. At the time, the pick made sense, at least in theory. Chaisson was going to have the chance to hone his skills behind Calais Campbell, Yannick Ngakoue, and Josh Allen.
However, the front office traded Ngakoue and Campbell before the start of the 2020 season, which pressed Chaisson into a bigger role than expected. Add the fact that he was making the transition to defensive end, and he wasn't off to a great start to his NFL career. Unfortunately, things didn't change much the next three years.
After four years in Jacksonville, Chaisson had posted four career sacks. The only reason he kept getting chances in 2023 was because the Jags had nobody else, but once he became a free agent, they didn't make an effort to bringing back.
8. Taven Bryan, DT - Pick 28, 2018
The Jaguars got plenty of flak for taking defensive tackle Taven Bryan in 2018 because they were coming off an AFC Championship appearance but could've used an upgrade at quarterback. Blake Bortles had already proven he wasn't the long-term answer behind center and Lamar Jackson was still available. Yet, the Jags chose to bolster their defensive line.
Had the pick worked out, Jacksonville wouldn't have gotten as much criticism but it didn't. Bryan had an underwhelming four-year stint with the Jags while Jackson has gone on to earn league MVP honors twice. In Bryan's defense, he had that one great game against the Buffalo Bills in 2021, but that's it.
More recently, Bryan got a new one-year deal from the Indianapolis Colts after signing with them in 2023. He played for the Cleveland Browns the year before.
7. Devin Lloyd, LB - Pick 27, 2022
In fairness, linebacker Devin Lloyd hasn't been dreadful, but he hasn't been great, which is not what the Jaguars expected when they traded up and back into the first round to take him 27th overall. Lloyd had ups and downs as a rookie. Although he was benched at one point of his rookie season, he eventually got his job back.
Lloyd was a bit more consistent in his second season but still left a bit to be desired, failing to make any big plays. Working in his favor is that the Jaguars hired Ryan Nielsen as their defensive coordinator after the 2023 season. Under Nielsen, Lloyd should be able to make a leap. If he does, he should make a jump in this ranking.
6. Leonard Fournette, RB - Pick 4, 2017
Running backs don't have nearly the same impact they had 30 years ago. Since teams no longer build their offense around them and can find a good one in later rounds, the position has been devalued considerably. Yet, the Jaguars thought it was a good idea to draft Leonard Fournette fourth overall in 2017.
Make no mistake, Fournette was a good player coming out of LSU but it was puzzling to see the Jaguars draft him over Deshaun Watson and Patrick Mahomes. Leaving aside his draft slot, Lenny had a solid, but not great stint, with the Jags. Although crossed the 1,000-yard mark twice in Jacksonville, he only averaged more than 4.0 yards per carry once in a season.
A contract impasse, along with the ascension of a rookie James Robinson, led the Jaguars to release Fournette before the 2020 season began. Fournette went on to win a Super Bowl ring as a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers but he's coming off an underwhelming season with the Buffalo Bills and is currently without a team.
5. Anton Harrison, OT - Pick 27, 2023
Here's where picks are getting to get a higher ranking based on projection. Anton Harrison mostly lined up on the left side in college but made the transition to right tackle as a rookie last year. Even though he got off to a rough start to his NFL career, he progressively got better and by the end of the season, he looked like a seasoned veteran.
Harrison should keep improving whether he remains at right tackle or eventually switches back to left tackle. Either way, the Jags found a keeper in the former Oklahoma Sooner.
4. Travon Walker, Edge - Pick 1, 2022
Nearly every NFL hopeful has probably dreamed, at one point or another, about becoming the top overall pick in the draft and getting the spotlight. The downside is that such honor comes with lofty expectations. Players who are drafted first overall are expected to become All-Pros, and not everyone succeeds.
Having drafted Trevor Lawrence the year prior, the Jaguars passed on the NFL-ready Aidan Hutchinson and drafted Travon Walker first overall in 2022. At the time, the pick was criticized because Walker was seen as a project. While he had the tools to develop into a dominant pass rusher, he had a steep learning curve, as he made the transition from 4-3 defensive end to standup linebacker.
Walker had a relatively quiet rookie season while he adjusted to his new position. He got a stronger hold in 2023 and finished the year with 10 sacks. The former Georgia Bulldog has yet to reach his ceiling but he should get closer under defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen, who is known for getting the most out of his defensive lineman. In Nielsen's 4-3 scheme, Walker will once again line up with his hand on the ground. That should lead to another leap.
3. Travis Etienne, RB - Pick 25, 2021
The Travis Etienne pick raised eyebrows because the Jaguars already had James Robinson in the fold and he was coming off a 1,000-yard season. The fact that Etienne missed his rookie season with a Lisfranc injury made the selection look even worse. Granted, it wasn't his fault that he got hurt but it was fair to wonder if the Jags could've instead drafted someone who would have been able to contribute right off the bat.
But then, Etienne got back at full strength in 2022 and showed why he was a first-round pick, totaling 1,441 yards and making Robinson expendable. The following year, the former Clemson Tiger once again had more than 1,000 rushing yards but averaged fewer than 4.0 yards per carry. That was mostly the result of running behind a porous offensive line, though.
The Jaguars made upgrades to the offensive trenches after the 2023 season. That should lead to an uptick in production from Etienne, who's lived up to his draft billing and then some.
2. Josh Allen, Edge - Pick 9, 2019
Outside linebacker Josh Allen is proof progress isn't always linear. He registered 10.5 sacks and made the Pro Bowl as a rookie but had trouble recreating that kind of success in later years. While some of his struggles were due to outside factors (injuries, Urban Meyer), he wasn't nearly as consistent as he could've been from 2020-2022, by his own admission.
Heading into 2023, Allen vowed to improve but the Jaguars wanted him to perform at a high level before they gave him a new contract. He went on to have a career year, registering a team-record 17.5 sacks. After the season, he got the franchise tag. He should eventually get a long-term deal to ensure he remains in Jacksonville for the foreseeable future.
1. Trevor Lawrence, QB - Pick 1, 2021
It's hard to find a franchise quarterback but the Jaguars got one when they drafted Trevor Lawrence first overall in 2021. Although he's gone through several ups and downs in his young career, he's shown he's the long-term answer at the position.
Granted, Lawrence's still got room for growth and is partly at fault for his regressing in 2023. However, the Jaguars know they have the right quarterback in place, which is why they made upgrades to his supporting cast in the offseason. If he can stay healthy in 2024, the Jaguars will return to the playoffs and he'll join the conversation of the top 5 quarterbacks currently in the NFL.