The Jacksonville Jaguars moved on from a handful of players in the offseason because they wanted more flexibility to address the larger scale roster. Among those who got the cut was veteran Christian Kirk. And while Parker Washington proved in 2024 that he can step into a featured role if needed, Mel Kiper Jr. of ESPN has the Jags drafting Kirk's replacement in his latest mock.
Kiper put together a two-mock round draft and had Jacksonville taking defensive tackle Mason Graham at No. 5 and wide receiver Emeka Egbuka in the second round.
Graham in the first round doesn't come as a surprise. After all, he's been linked to the Jags through the draft process. On the other hand, Egbuka in Round 2 would be interesting for a handful of reasons. For starters, the Jags do need help at wide receiver after parting ways with Kirk, Devin Duvernay, Josh Reynolds, and Tim Jones. Moreover, Jacksonville is entering the draft without a clear need and has the flexibility to address different positions in no particular order.
Regarding Egbuka, Kiper describes him as a smooth route-runner, one who could help the Jaguars fill the void left by Kirk's departure.
"Three or fewer wide receivers have gone in Round 1 just three times in the past 10 drafts. But the Jaguars would stand to seriously benefit if things go this way. Egbuka -- my No. 18 prospect -- is a smooth route runner and caught 10 touchdowns last season. Brian Thomas Jr. was terrific as a rookie, and taking Egbuka here would help make up for the loss of Christian Kirk and give Jacksonville a pair of young talented pass catchers to build the offense around."
The biggest knock on Egbuka is probably his less-than-ideal catch radius and lack of top speed. On the other hand, he's a superb route runner with a terrific change of direction. The former Ohio State Buckeye missed time with injuries in 2023 but didn't appear to be an issue last year. But despite his shortcomings, he's talented enough to be projected to go late in the first or early in the second.
Related story: Grade the pitch: The Jaguars trade Travon Walker for a measly draft pick
The Jaguars would sent messsage to Parker Washington if they draft Emeka Egbuka
Although the consensus thinks the Jags will go with Graham in the first round, there's lots of intrigue about who'll be the pick at No. 36. There are different directions they could take in the first round if Mason Graham isn't the pick. But if the Jags wanted to round out their wide receiver corps, their only options in the first round are Travis Hunter and Tetairoa McMillan. The former might be gone by the time the Jags are on the clock, and the latter could be had if they move out of the top 10.
Of course, the Jaguars could also go offensive line or edge rusher with the fifth overall pick. If that's the case, it would make sense to take a receiver in the second round. The aforementioned Emeka Ebguka, Matthew Golden, and Luther Burden III will be some of their options. All three are worthy prospects, but the pick would come down to whom the team's brass likes the most.
In Egbuka's case, he mostly lined inside at Ohio State because of the offensive gameplan. He could probably play in the boundaries too, but if the Jaguars plan to use him in the slot, that may not be great news for third-year pro Parker Washington.
A third-round pick in the 2023 draft, Washington saw minimal playing time early as a rookie but was thrust into action when Christian Kirk suffered a core injury late in the season. The former Penn State Nittany Lion was once again pressed into a featured role last year and fared well, registering 32 receptions for 390 yards with three touchdowns.
Washington would ideally be the first in line to replace Kirk, but there's no guarantee he will. After all, there's a new regime in Jacksonville, one that inherited him, so he might need to compete for a job. That's not necessarily a bad thing, though. The Jaguars are trying to elevate the team level, and having player earn their role will help them accomplish that.
Having said that, it's not a given that the Jaguars will draft Emeka Egbuka or anyone to play in the slot early in the round. But if they did, they would be sending a strong message to Parker Washington and the rest of the team: If you want to stay, you must prove yourself. Moreover, they would give Trevor Lawrence yet another weapon.
However you look at it, that's a pretty good outcome.
Here are other Jaguars stories you may also like:
manual