JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Jacksonville Jaguars‘ signing of 10 players in free agency has provided a clearer picture of the team’s 2025 roster and gives more insight into the new regime’s approach in the upcoming NFL draft.
Adding guard/tackle Patrick Mekari, center Robert Hainsey, receiver Dyami Brown, safety Eric Murray, and nickel back Jourdan Lewis to be immediate starters helped address some of the Jaguars’ biggest weaknesses. The signings of quarterback Nick Mullens, tight ends Hunter Long and Johnny Mundt, and offensive linemen Fred Johnson and Chuma Edoga upgraded the depth at those positions.
But there’s still more work to be done to get the roster to the point where the Jaguars can again be contenders in the AFC South. That work starts with with the No. 5 overall pick.
The order of importance is arguable, but the general feeling — from draft analysts as well as those inside the building — is that the Jaguars’ main needs are at defensive tackle, cornerback, safety, offensive playmaker and edge rusher. With the exception of safety, the Jaguars could target any of those positions with their first pick.
Whichever player the Jaguars choose at No. 5 — and with every other pick — head coach Liam Coen says they will have two mandatory traits.
“We want them to be both mentally and physically tough,” Coen said. “Those are things that are going to be kind of non-negotiable for us when it comes down to it.
“The rest — fast, strong, long — like we’re not even trying to use those adjectives or those words in this whole deal. We’re really just trying to say, like, ‘Do we want them or not? Do we want to coach this player or not?'”
Here’s a breakdown of what could happen at the top of the draft and how some of the top prospects at each position would fit with the Jaguars:
The teams with the top three picks — Tennessee Titans, Cleveland Browns and the New York Giants — all need quarterbacks, so it’s likely Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders will be two of the three drafted before the New England Patriots pick fourth.
Pass rusher Abdul Carter and cornerback/receiver Travis Hunter seem likely — based on multiple ESPN mock drafts — to be the other two players that will be drafted in the top four.
If Hunter or Carter were somehow available, the Jaguars would happily draft either. But if things play out the way that we see in most mock drafts, including Matt Miller’s seven-round mock, the Jaguars would be left with multiple options.
Defensive tackle Mason Graham would give them a disruptive player in the middle of the defensive line that could help edge rushers Travon Walker and Josh Hines-Allen. The Jaguars haven’t gotten much pass-rush production in the middle of the defensive line the past two seasons, and while Arik Armstead is moving back inside in 2025 the 31-year-old is not the long-term answer there.
Graham had nine sacks and 56 pressures in his three seasons at Michigan, where he lined up mostly as a three-technique defensive tackle. He also had 122 tackles, including 43 within two yards of the line of scrimmage when he lined up inside over the last two seasons. That was the second-most among Power Conference players in that span, per ESPN Research. That fits with what general manager James Gladstone described as must-have traits when he’s evaluating defensive players.
“I think the ability to create disruption is, above all else most important and that type of chaos, it makes it hard for an offensive operation,” Gladstone said. “I lean into that more than just about anything, and I think the combination of urgency and explosiveness is something that I certainly prefer.”
The Jaguars could alternatively draft an offensive tackle, such as Will Campbell or Armand Membou. Previous GM Trent Baalke signed left tackle Walker Little to a three-year extension last December but the new regime of Gladstone, Coen and executive VP of football operations Tony Boselli may not view Little as the long-term starter. Right tackle Anton Harrison, the No. 27 overall pick in 2023, did not show significant improvement in his second season and still has to show that he can be a cornerstone on the offensive line.
Gladstone and Coen have repeatedly stressed the importance of beefing up the offensive line, especially the middle, to help Lawrence. Adding Campbell or Membou would at least add competition to push either tackle. Campbell can also play guard and could push starting left guard Ezra Cleveland, who signed a three-year extension in March 2024.
“I do think that we answered some questions there with our decisions here in pro-free agency, addressing both center and guard, as well as the tackle position,” Gladstone said. “… We’re setting the standard for what we’re actually looking to do and that doesn’t count offensive line out of the equation in the draft either. But at the same time, that’s another position that does have attrition throughout the course of a season, so we’ll never feel like we’ve got enough.”
If they wanted to boost their running back room, Ashton Jeanty is a physical runner, at 5-foot-8, 211 pounds, who would give the Jaguars a powerful back and allow them to mix in Travis Etienne Jr. and Tank Bigsby. Etienne is playing on his fifth-year option, so he may not be back next year, and Bigsby has had issues with ball security (four fumbles, two lost) in his two seasons.
Coen took the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from last in the NFL in rushing in 2023 to fifth in 2024, in large part because of rookie back Bucky Irving (a fourth-round pick) emerging as the Bucs’ lead back over veteran Rachaad White. Jeanty, who ran for 3,948 yards and 43 touchdowns and averaged 6.6 yards per carry over the past two seasons at Boise State, could have the same kind of impact.
Tetairoa McMillan and Matthew Golden were two of the best receivers in college football in 2024. The 6-foot-4 McMillan has a 78-inch wingspan and thrived at making contested catches at Arizona. Golden, who ran a 4.29-second 40-yard dash at the NFL combine, would give the Jaguars another speedster on the outside opposite Brian Thomas Jr. (4.33-second), who finished third in the NFL in receiving yards as a rookie. Adding McMillan or Golden would give the Jaguars a solid core of young receivers to grow with Lawrence.
If the Jaguars lose out on Hunter but are looking for a cornerback, Will Johnson could fit that bill. Lewis is the Jaguars’ nickel and Tyson Campbell has one outside spot, which leaves an opening on the other side. Second-year player Jarrian Jones, who played well mainly in the slot last season, will get a chance to compete outside — but he’s far from a sure thing. Johnson, a freshman All-American in 2022 and a first-team All-American in 2023, was a second-team All-American last season despite playing only six games because of a toe injury, had nine interceptions in 32 career games with Michigan.
After releasing tight end Evan Engram — as he didn’t fit Coen’s scheme — the Jaguars could target Tyler Warren. He had 153 catches for 1,839 yards and 19 touchdowns in five seasons at Penn State — including 104 catches for 1,233 yards and eight TDs last season. Warren is a more traditional tight end who would pair with another former Penn State tight end — third-year player Brenton Strange — to give the Jaguars two reliable pass-catchers who also can block. He’d be another offensive playmaker for Lawrence.
