Jacksonville Jaguars: Will best player available be selected at No. 29?
By Larry Brake
The Jacksonville Jaguars may look at drafting the best available player in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft.
The Jacksonville Jaguars have a roster full of talented players. Free agents have been signed to replace players that chose to sign elsewhere. The upcoming 2018 NFL Draft has many fans wondering which position Jacksonville will address in the first round.
There is a mock draft suggesting that Jacksonville will select a quarterback. Another one suggesting that the Jaguars pick a wide receiver. There is not really a glaring weakness on the roster.
Dave Caldwell has drafted well and signed quality free agents in his tenure. Last season, Jacksonville just fell short of making their first Super Bowl appearance ever. Since they are a championship contender, it makes sense that Jacksonville will select the best player available in the first round.
The Jaguars had the best pass defense last season. They were second in total defense behind Minnesota. Jacksonville finished 21st in rushing defense.
Jacksonville was the best rushing offense last season. They were the 17th best passing offense. The Jaguars finished sixth in total offense. Probably why most think the passing game will be addressed.
Unless Jacksonville moves up into the top five selections, the marque quarterback prospects will not be available at number twenty nine. First of all, if Jacksonville stays put in the first round, most franchise type players will be taken. Then taking the best available becomes paramount.
Who determines which player is the best available? Caldwell and the football operations will have their list. They will have studied film and selected those deemed to fit the Jaguars team philosophy.
After Cody Kessler was obtained via trade, quarterback seemed to be the logical pick in the first round. Remember last season, Jacksonville carried only two quarterbacks throughout the season. There was a report that the Jaguars worked out two additional quarterbacks, according to ProFootballTalk.com.
Next: 2018 NFL Mock Draft: Full 7-round projection
April 26-28 is the NFL Draft from Dallas, Texas. There will be many mock drafts until then. As a result, each mock draft will have who they believe Jacksonville should select. Stay tuned for future Jaguars mock drafts coming your way.