JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The NFL draft is here and the Jaguars are about to go on the clock!
The mock drafts have largely given the Jaguars help at cornerback or receiver, with a few others going on the offensive or defensive lines. The News4JAX sports staff makes its first-round selections for the Jaguars. For more draft coverage, check out our NFL draft primer here.
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Jamal St. Cyr — Clemson CB Nate Wiggins
With the 17th pick, the Jaguars will select Clemson cornerback Nate Wiggins. I expect Terrion Arnold and Quinyon Mitchell to be drafted before the Jaguars are on the clock. Kool-Aid McKinstry will still be available but the Jaguars didn’t like the flavor, so they opted to go with Wiggins. The main knock against Wiggins is his weight. At his pro day, Wiggins weighed 182 pounds. That is 10 pounds heavier than he weighed in at the combine. That 182 is probably closer to his playing weight. Wiggins is an ‘all-gas-no-brakes kind of player.’ He has an elite mentality and will be a good man coverage corner in the NFL. He is perfect for what the Jags want to do and is an A+ pick from me.
Alessandra Pontbriand — Alabama CB Terrion Arnold
I am holding firm that the Jaguars will draft a cornerback at pick No. 17. I think helping the defense is an immediate need for the team, so draft a cornerback to help. Alabama’s Terrion Arnold seems to be a mid-first round draft pick. He also has been linked to the team many times. If he’s still available at 17, I think the Jaguars will draft him. Arnold is a smart player. He is elite in man coverage and a very physical athlete. I think he will pair well with the defensive backs on the roster too. Frank Frangie also says the Jaguars should draft a corner, and he also chose Arnold. So, if that doesn’t convince you, just wait until you hear a cornerback chosen when the 17th pick of the 2024 NFL draft is in.
Justin Barney — Toledo CB Quinyon Mitchell
I would love to see the Jaguars draft an elite, blue chip receiver but that means going up inside the top eight to do that. I think that’s going to be cost-prohibitive to get up that high. And let’s face it, Jacksonville’s history of drafting receivers in the first round has been awfully awful. The more likely scenario would be moving up from No. 17 to No. 12 or 13 to land the draft’s top corner in Quinyon Mitchell. His story from unheralded recruit in Williston to surefire first-round pick is remarkable. His four-interception game in 2022 against Northern Illinois is the highlight, but he is a ballhawk who could start from Day 1 in Jacksonville. An outside corner pairing of Tyson Campbell and Mitchell would have the potential to be lockdown for the next six years.