The Jacksonville Jaguars entered 2024 with high expectations after failing to qualify for the playoffs one year earlier. Unfortunately, they weren't up to the challenge and came crashing down. Not surprisingly, head coach Doug Pederson and general manager Trent Baalke got their walking papers. Not everything was doom and gloom last season, though
What ended up being Baalke's last draft class turned out to be a productive down. Sure, the jury is still out on a handful of picks, but it's fair to say that Jacksonville came out with a promising haul.
With that in mind, here's a grade for each of the selections picks the Jags made last season.
Round 1, pick 23: Brian Thomas Jr., Jaguars wide receiver
The Jaguars at one point considered trading into the top 10 to draft either Rome Odunze or Malik Nabers. They ultimately chose not to and instead agreed with the Minnesota Vikings to move down six spots in exchange for three draft selections, a fourth last year, and a third and fourth in 2025.
In retrospect, the trade was highly beneficial for the Jags, as they still managed to land their guy, Brian Thomas Jr., with the 23rd overall selection. Right off the bat, he made a strong impression, showcasing the top-end speed that made him a staple of the LSU offense.
From Day 1, Thomas played like a vested veteran and gave Jacksonville the verticality its offense had sorely missed for more than a decade. He finished his rookie campaign with 82 catches for 1,282 yards and two touchdowns. The Lousiana native should have an even better sophomore campaign with Trevor Lawrence slated to return behind center.
Grade: A+
Round 2, pick 48: Maason Smith, Jaguars defensive tackle
Players' readiness is always variable coming out of college, and Maason Smith is proof of it. The former LSU Tiger earned comparison to Jaguars legend Calais Campbell during the predraft process, However, he's got a long way to go before he becomes a player of The Mayor's caliber.
Smith got off to a slow start to his rookie campaign and was even a healthy scratch early in the season. But something suddenly clicked, and he put it all together, finishing the year with three sacks, good for the third most on the team behind Travon Walker and Josh Hines-Allen.
In Year 2, Smith will get a chance to prove that his strong finish to 2024 wasn't a fluke but rather a sign of things to come.
Grade: C+
Round 3, pick 96: Jarrian Jones, Jaguars cornerback
Cornerback was one of the team's most pressing needs last year after releasing Darious Williams in a cap-saving move. But despite having a myriad of choices in Rounds 1 and 2, they waited until near the end of the third round to choose Jarrian Jones. Their patience paid off, as the former Florida State Seminole went on to have a promising rookie campaign.
Even though Jones had a limited workload to start the year, he made the most of his playing time and progressively earned a bigger role. He ended up settling at nickel and fared well when opposing quarterbacks tested.
The Jaguars would be wise to keep Jones in the slot, so he can build off of his rookie year. However, he could an extended look outside with Jourdan Lewis arriving in free agency. Both of them thrive inside, so it will be interesting to see who'll line up in the boundaries opposite Tyson Campbell.
Grade: B-
Round 4, pick 114: Javon Foster, Jaguars offensive lineman
On paper, this pick made sense. Cam Robinson and Walker Little were entering contract years in 2024, and Jacksonville needed depth at offensive tackle in case either one (or both) departed. However, it didn't pan out in practice.
The Jaguars were pushed around at the line of scrimmage last year, so it was telling that they didn't feel comfortable giving Foster playing time. The former Mizzou Tiger suited up for just four games and didn't play a single snap on offense.
The team's brass beefed up the offensive trenches in free agency and could continue to make further upgrades in the draft. If that's the case, Foster could be a victim of the numbers game.
Grade: F
Round 4, pick 116: Jordan Jefferson, Jaguars defensive tackle
Double-dipping at defensive tackle seemed like a reasonable strategy because it was one of the Jags' most glaring weaknesses last year. However, Jordan Jefferson didn't do much of note in his rookie season. Then again, this is understandable when you take into account that he was a fourth-round selection.
Jefferson was nothing more than a rotational piece last year. He did flash potential at defending to run but may have an uphill battle to earn significant playing time in 2025 if he doesn't show notable improvement.
Grade: D
Round 5, pick 153: DeAntre Prince, Jaguars cornerback
It would be unrealistic to expect a fifth-round pick to become an All-Pro right off the bat, but the Jaguars would've surely liked to see more from DeAntre Prince last year. The former Ole Miss Rebel spent most of his first NFL season on the sidelines and only saw an uptick in defensive snaps near the end of the year.
At this stage of his career, Prince doesn't appear to be much more than a depth piece. Nobody would bat an eye if he lands in the practice squad in 2025.
Grade: C
Round 5, pick 167: Keilan Robinson, Jaguars running back
Availability is the most important ability in the NFL. You can be the most talented player in the world, but that isn't of much use if you cannot get onto the football field. Such was the case of Keilan Robinson, who showed big-play capability at Texas but dealt with a toe injury in 2024 to miss the whole year.
Maybe Robinson will put his skills on display this offseason, but if he doesn't, he may be on the roster bubble.
Grade: F
Round 6, pick 212: Cam Little, Jaguars kicker
The Jaguars had a revolving door at kicker since Josh Lambo got hurt in 2020. After several futile attempts, they finally found stability at the position when they drafted Cam Little last year.
While you never know how a pick will turn in the NFL, there were signs Little was going to excel. Back at Arkansas, he went 7-of-11 in attempts from 50 yards out. Moreover, he set a record for the highest career completion rate. This is to say that he was the real deal at the collegiate level, and his success carried over into the pros.
Little completed 27 of 29 field goals and went 5-of-6 in kicks of 50 yards or more. With him in the mix, the Jaguars won't have to worry about the kicker position for the foreseeable future.
Grade: A
Round 7, pick 236: Myles Cole, Jaguars defensive end
On Day 3 of the draft, teams are looking for hidden gems, but they'll strike out more often than not. Think about it, there's a reason why these players weren't drafted earlier. This is a long-winded way to say that you shouldn't expect much from a seventh-round selection, aside from maybe playing special teams and becoming a decent backup.
For this reason, it's hard to be critical of the Jags' decision to select Myles Cole at No. 236. Sure, he had jaw-dropping athletic traits coming out of Texas Tech but was otherwise raw. Working in his favor is that he's got a higher ceiling than other late-round picks, so he may stick around in Jacksonville for a couple more years.
Grade: C-