Teams looking for linebacker help are paying attention to what the Jacksonville Jaguars decide to do with Devin Lloyd. The 2022 first-round pick is coming off a banner season and is scheduled to be a free agent.
If Lloyd's available in the open market, he'll have no shortage of suitors. Most of them will have no trouble meeting his contract demands, which will most definitely make it difficult for them to retain him. The silver lining is that this is a good year to draft a linebacker. The Jags could still end up with a good one despite the fact that they gave up their 2027 first-round pick as part of a package to trade up for Travis Hunter last year.
One linebacker prospect, in particular, has started to rise on big boards after an impressive outing in the Panini Senior Bowl. An NFL analyst just had Jacksonville taking him in Round 2.
Jacob Rodriguez was mocked to the Jaguars as a potential Devin Lloyd replacement
Chad Reuter of NFL Media did a three-round mock draft and had the Jaguars taking Jacob Rodriguez at No. 56. He doesn't offer a reason for the pick, but it's easy to connect the dots.
As noted before, Devin Lloyd could leave in free agency. Rodriguez gives the Jaguars an immediate plug-in that can play next to Foyesade Oluokun. Ventrell Miller would be the first in line to replace Lloyd, but that shouldn't stop the front office from replenishing the linebacker corps.
An unranked prospect coming out of college in 2021, Rodriguez ended up attending Texas Tech. Throughout his stint with the Red Raiders, he showed sideline-to-sideline range and the instincts to track whoever is carrying the football.
On the other hand, Rodriguez isn't seen as a Round 1 pick because he lacks the ideal size at the position, which allows offensive linemen to neutralize him at the line of scrimmage. Moreover, he doesn't have top-notch athleticism.
Nevertheless, Rodriguez showed in the Senior Bowl that his skill set can carry over into the NFL. It's also worth noting that he's been mocked to Jacksonville before. Similarly, he's previously been floated around as a Devin Lloyd replacement.
Why the Jaguars may or may not draft Jacob Rodriguez
Before the Senior Bowl, the consensus saw Jacob Rodriguez as a Round 3 pick. Just because his stock went up doesn't mean he'll be a second-round pick on teams' boards. Regardless, the Jaguars need to keep an eye on him, especially if he slides.
After all, Devin Lloyd is trending toward leaving, but Jacksonville also needs to add reinforcements at defensive tackle, the pass rush, and cornerback. This could force the team's brass to prioritize them before they address the linebacker position.
Still, the prospect of drafting Jacob Rodriguez as an heir apparent to Devin Lloyd is too good to pass up, and the Jaguars shouldn't hesitate to turn the draft card with his name if he's available when they're on the clock in Rounds 2 or 3.