Jags top list of teams who must do well in the 2021 NFL Draft
Every year a handful of fanbases (or more) go through a period where the NFL Draft is a process their respective teams have to knock out of the park. According to NFL.com’s Gil Brandt, the Jacksonville Jaguars are in that group this year despite just naming Urban Meyer their head coach in January.
Brandt’s list had seven teams on it overall and the Jags were atop it. One reason for that is because of the Jags’ Round 1 misses since 201, which have hurt them tremendously. Another reason for the Jags landing atop Brandt’s list was because the team has so many holes to fill with their 10 selections.
None of them [the Jags’ Round 1 picks since 2011] remain on the team, and — with the exception of Ramsey — all were disappointments during their time on Florida’s First Coast. I think the Jags will finally break this run of bad luck when they take Trevor Lawrence first overall this year. Still, with the number of holes to fill on this roster, the Jags must do a better job with every pick here than they have in the recent past if they are to construct a solid foundation for new head coach Urban Meyer.
Jags coach Urban Meyer would certainly agree with Brandt as he’s said the Jags are currently in the biggest offseason in team history. With their 10 draft picks (including No. 1) and the abundance of cap space the Jags had before free agency started, the resources were/are there for the Jags to make a big leap.
The part of free agency where the biggest improvements are made has already passed. While the process wasn’t perfect for the Jags, they did bolster their defensive line, added and re-signed some solid pieces to the secondary, and added veterans Marvin Jones Jr. and Carlos Hyde on offense.
Still, there is a lot of work to be done when looking at the roster as they have a huge need at quarterback (which will be addressed by selecting Trevor Lawrence) and tight end. They also need some speed on offense, while the defense could use more pass rushers and a safety. With the team being tied for the most top-100 picks, they certainly can fix a lot of things, but as Brandt said, the overall class will need to be a superb group for the Jags.
