Top 5 worst first-round draft picks of the Jacksonville Jaguars in the last 20 years

No. 4 top worst 1st-round pick in Jacksonville Jaguars since 2000: CJ Henderson

The Jaguars were back in the top ten in 2020, picking at the No. 9 spot. They had quite a few needs to address with their two first-round picks; Cornerback, offensive line, and wide receiver were their focal point that year. 

With the No. 9 selection in the first round of the 2020 NFL draft, David Caldwell and the Jags pick University of Florida cornerback Christopher C.J. Henderson. 

Henderson appeared in ten games for the Jaguars before being traded to the Carolina Panthers for tight end Dan Arnold and a third-round pick in 2022. In his one-and-a-half season, Henderson had one interception and 36 tackles. He was constantly out of position on plays and allowed many receptions to opposing wide receivers. He left the Jaguars with an AV of 4. 

The Jaguars used their second pick in the first round in 2020 to fortify their defensive line. With the 20th pick, they selected Louisiana State University defensive end K'Lavon Chaisson. Chaisson is in the final year of his rookie contract and has been a marginal role player for the Jaguars. In his three years so far, he has an AV of 7.

The Jaguars needed to build their offensive line and add a playmaking wide receiver in that draft. Tristan Wirf was blazing up draft boards in 2020 after a video of his extreme athleticism went viral. He did a standing broad jump, vaulting his six-foot-five 320 lb frame four feet out of a swimming pool. Check it out here in the video.

Wirf started all 46 games for the Buccaneers since being drafted, was an all-conference tackle in 2021 and 2022, and won a Super Bowl. He has an AV of 37 in three years in the league. 

Later that draft, a wider receiver named Tee Higgins out of Clemson checked all the boxes the Jaguars were looking for. They passed on him and took Chaisson instead. Higgins was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals, where he has pulled in 215 catches for over 3000 yards for an AV of 27. Watch this highlight from his college days at Clemson with Trevor Lawrence.

Imagine what Lawrence could have done last year with Wirf protecting his blindside and reuniting with his star Clemson receiver in the NFL. It could have been magic. If you are keeping score, that's another -53 for Caldwell, bringing his total on our list to -110 AV in two years.