Jaguars are on the clock! A whole lot of defense in annual sports staff mock draft

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The NFL draft begins on Thursday night and the News4JAX sports staff is unveiling its annual mock draft. The Jaguars are currently without a first-round pick for the first time in franchise history after their trade for Travis Hunter. Our mock here could include trades up or back. After our selections, we let NFL IQ analyze our selections and assign us a grade.

Kyle Ashley

Trade: I started out with a trade. I sent pick Nos. 56 and 81 to the Raiders to move up and for No. 36.

Trade 2: Then I made another move. I traded with the Chargers, turning 88 into 110 and 123. From there, here’s how the rest of my draft played out:

Pick, Position, Player, School

36. (from Raiders) Edge Cashius Howell, Texas A&M

100. LB Bryce Boettcher, Oregon

110. (from Chargers) DL Kaleb Proctor, SE Louisiana

123. (from Chargers) S Jalon Kilgore, South Carolina

124. TE Justin Joly, NC State

164. OT Keagen Trost, Missouri

166. CB Charles Demmings, Stephen F. Austin

203. WR Eric Rivers, WR, Georgia Tech

233. DL David Gusta, Kentucky

240. OG Micah Morris, Georgia

245. RB Roman Hemby, Indiana

Thoughts: It’s not perfect, but it’s solid and it feels like a draft with a clear plan. Moving up to get Howell is exactly the kind of move you make to address the edge. That set the tone early. I probably ended up with a few too many picks and could’ve traded back again for more value. But at some point you stop playing the board and start picking your guys. That’s what this became. Be aggressive when it matters, then fill in the gaps. Linebacker, secondary, offensive line, just adding pieces that fit and hit key needs for the Jaguars. Could it have been cleaner? Probably. Could I have gotten more value? Maybe. But at the end of the day, it’s a class that adds impact up front, builds depth, and brings in a group that can contribute.

NFL IQ grade: 📊

Summary: This draft a strong middle section — Proctor (DT), Kilgore (S), and Gusta (DT) all address real needs at fair value, and Howell is a legitimate edge rusher. But the draft is hurt by three issues: (1) Trade 1 is a significant overpay — burning both the second and first third to move up 20 spots for a second-round prospect is too aggressive for a team that needs depth; (2) Boettcher is a reach at 100; and (3) Eric Rivers is a UDFA being drafted in Round 6, which wastes a pick. The DL need is addressed (Proctor and Gusta), which is a win, but the trade cost to open the draft is hard to overlook.

Overall Grade: C+

Justin Barney

Trade: I sent picks No. 56 and 124 and next year’s fourth and fifth to the Chiefs for pick Nos. 40 and 210.

Pick, Position, Player, School

40. (from Chiefs) DL Christen Miller, Georgia

81. RB Mike Washington Jr., Arkansas

88. DL Gracen Halton, Oklahoma

100. TE Oscar Delp, Georgia

164. OT Travis Burke, Memphis

166. OG Beau Stephens, Iowa

205. Edge Mason Reiger, Wisconsin

210. (from Chiefs) CB Thaddeus Dixon, North Carolina

233. S DeShon Singleton, Nebraska

240. WR Colbie Young, Georgia

245. LB Eric Gentry, Southern Cal

Thoughts: I went against previous mocks of mine and moved up slightly (from 56 to 40) and addressed defensive line with Georgia’s Miller (pictured below). I attempted to get a better spot in the 20s, but it was cost prohibitive. Miller is a player who could eventually take DaVon Hamilton’s spot and provide better pass rush. RB is another spot I targeted earlier than I would have liked, but Washington has true RB1 potential. Two players who I’ve added in multiple mocks – Oklahoma DL Gracen Halton and Georgia TE Oscar Delp – are back in this edition. Halton would spell new addition Ruke Orhorhoro on occasion. I waited way too long to address corner and linebacker, positions I could see the Jaguars target on Day 2. I don’t hate this mock, but I would have preferred to grab an edge, linebacker and corner earlier.

NFL IQ grade: 📊

Summary: This nock is the best of the three. The trade is fair, and — critically — Christen Miller at 40 directly addresses the most important need on the roster (interior DL). Doubling down with Halton at 88 adds rotational depth. Oscar Delp is a high-ceiling TE value pick, and the late rounds are mostly solid. The draft is hurt by two issues: (1) Eric Gentry is a UDFA being drafted in Round 7, wasting a pick at a position of need; and (2) mortgaging a 2027 fourth and fifth adds future risk. But the core of this draft — Miller, Delp, Washington Jr., Singleton — is the strongest haul across all three mocks.

Overall grade: B

Jamal St. Cyr

Trade: Nos. 56, 100 and 245 for the No. 46 pick of the Bucs.

Trade 2: Nos. 81 and 124 for Cleveland’s No. 70.

Trade 3: Nos. 164, 203 and 240 for the Cowboys’ No. 152.

Pick, Position, Player, School

46. (from Bucs) Edge Malachi Lawrence, UCF (pictured above)

70. (from Browns) LB Kyle Louis, Pittsburgh

88. OT Austin Barber, Florida

152. (from Cowboys) DT Tyreak Sapp, Florida

166. OG Beau Stephens, Iowa

206. TE Dae’Quan Wright, Ole Miss

233. WR Kaden Wetjen, Iowa

Thoughts: I prioritized talent over volume, making three trades over the course of the draft and going from 11 picks down to seven. Each pick addressed a different need on the roster. The trade up for Malachi Lawrence gives the Jags a legit third pass rusher. Pass rush is the key to making a deep playoff run. Lawrence, combined with Travon Walker and Josh Hines-Allen, gives the Jags a talented rotation. I made another slight jump up to fill the hole at linebacker, landing one of my favorites in this year’s draft class in Kyle Louis. Was able to bring Austin Barber back home to Jax, and then draft Beau Stephens to bolster the O-line. Also added another Gators alum in Tyreak Sapp. He was an edge in college. I listed him as a DT because he will bulk up in a three-tech in the NFL to give the Jags some more pass rush juice. I finally added to the tight end room with Wright at pick 206. He is a big body that can block. My last pick is Wetjen. This is a pick for special teams. Wetjen is a dynamic kick and punt returner. With Parker Washington playing a bigger role on offense this season, that opens up the need at returner, and that is where Wetjen comes in. Overall, I like my draft class.

NFLIQ GRADE: 📊

Summary: This mock has some real strengths — Lawrence at 46 is a legitimate haul, Louis fills the LB void, and Barber/Stephens add OL depth. But the draft is undermined by three issues: (1) the costly Trade 3 to move up for a sixth–sixth round edge rusher, (2) Sapp doesn’t address the DT interior need, and (3) burning a seventh-round pick on a UDFA-caliber WR. The Jaguars also never addressed their most critical need — interior DL/DT — in a meaningful way.

Overall grade: C+