JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The NFL draft is in the books, and now we’re analyzing what we thought of Jacksonville’s overall draft class. Jamal St. Cyr and Justin Barney react to the three days of picks and offer our best, worst, and overall grade for the Jaguars.
The Jaguars draft class
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Round, Pick No., Position, Player, College
2. (56) TE Nate Boerkircher, Texas A&M
3. (81) DL Albert Regis, Texas A&M
3. (88) OG Emmanuel Pregnon, Oregon
3. (100) S Jalen Huskey, Maryland
4. (119) Edge Wesley Williams, Duke
5. (164) TE Tanner Koziol, Houston
6. (191) WR Josh Cameron, Baylor
6. (203) WR CJ Williams, Stanford
7. (233) Edge Zach Durfee, Washington
7. (240) LB Parker Hughes, Middle Tennessee
Jamal’s thoughts
Favorite pick: G Emmanuel Pregnon, Oregon (88).
I mocked this pick to the Jags at 56 on Wednesday. This dude plays nasty, and I love it. If he had been drafted at 56, I would have loved it, and I love it even more in the third round. Somehow, someway, he is going to find a way onto the field for the Jags this season. I believe that.
Least favorite pick: TE Nate Boerkircher, Texas A&M.
I understand the logic behind the pick. I understand the vison for the player. I just don’t love it at 56. He wasn’t used much as a receiver at Texas A&M, so his impact in the passing game is purely a projection. If he doesn’t develop as a pass catcher, he would have to be one of the, if not the best, run blocking tight ends in the NFL to make drafting him at 56 worth it.
One who got away: DT Domonique Orange, Iowa State (82nd to Vikings).
Big Citrus. His nickname is Big Citrus. He belongs in Florida. On a more serious note, he is a big run-stuffing defensive tackle. I would have taken him over Regis. Conveniently, he went one pick after the Jags took Regis. I don’t hate the Regis pick, he is a good player. I just would have gone Iowa State for the pick instead of double-dipping at Texas A&M.
Thoughts: The Jaguars’ draft class left me scrambling trying to track down who some of these guys were. Overall, they addressed needs on the roster. Was it with the players I would have picked? No. But it is tough to argue with logic behind the picks. Each one of their picks can be described as one word: Physical. The message is clear: The Jags want to build a physical team. This class really could have some juice. Josh Cameron is a physical freak and a dynamic returner. He is a close second on my favorite pick scale. Cameron and Pregnon helped to boost my grade for this class.
Overall grade: C+
Justin’s thoughts
Favorite pick: Three of them. G Emmanuel Pregnon, Oregon (88), TE Tanner Koziol, Houston (164), WR Josh Cameron, Baylor (191).
Pregnon is not the sexiest of picks (interior linemen never are) but he has the potential to contribute quickly, and he could be a long-term answer at right guard in place of Patrick Mekari. Pregnon was a first-team All-American and graded out as one of the best pass and run blocking guards in college. I’d seen quite a few mocks where Pregnon was a high second-rounder. Really love this pick. Jacksonville lacked an Evan Engram-esque tight end in its offense last season. Koziol is a catch machine and provides a fourth-WR volume. Coleman is a truck. He excels as a blocker and can even return punts. He’s likely to fill the role Tim Patrick did. Block and get a target or two here and there.
Least favorite pick: TE Nate Boerkircher, Texas A&M.
Like the player but hate where he was selected. An old school tight end at pick No. 56 just felt egregiously too high. I know Liam Coen wants to bolster the ground game, and being able to run 12 personnel (two tight ends) in short yardage and goal line with two really strong blocking tight ends is a necessity. Boerkircher was the right player at the wrong spot in the draft. A serious overdraft at 56. Also thought WR CJ Williams and S Jalen Huskey were massive reaches.
One who got away: DL Christen Miller, Georgia (42 to Saints).
I could go any number of ways with this. I liked Texas Tech LB Jacob Rodriguez (43rd to Dolphins) and Georgia LB CJ Allen (53rd to Saints), too. All three of these players would have required Jacksonville to trade up, but I really liked these players. Miller played on a Bulldogs line next to some serious ballplayers over the years. He would have provided something this year that I don’t think third-rounder Albert Regis is going to be able to provide.
Thoughts
Without a first-rounder for the first time in franchise history, Jacksonville went with the volume approach this year. Double dips at receiver and tight end weren’t a surprise, but I see those players more as special team contributors this season. I thought defensive line and edge were the must-get positions early. Running back and linebacker were also spots I thought Jacksonville would address sooner. Coen and James Gladstone must be more sold on linebacker with Ventrell Miller and Yasir Abdullah, as well as last year’s draft picks Jack Kiser and Jalen McLeod. Jacksonville’s draft class last year was decimated by injury. Can the 2025s give you anything this year? The Jaguars got very little from those guys last season.