Jacksonville Jaguars: 2018 NFL Draft grades for Day 2 and 3 picks
After playing in the AFC Championship Game, the Jacksonville Jaguars didn’t have many holes, so they addressed depth on Days 2 and 3 of the 2018 NFL Draft.
It was clear that the Jacksonville Jaguars were selecting picks from a position of strength when they nabbed Taven Bryan in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft. Obviously they’re a team coming off of an AFC Championship Game berth, so they were concerned with building a deeper roster.
That’s what the Bryan pick made apparent, and they only continued that moving forward. They are in a position — an unfamiliar one at that — to make luxury picks, and did so on Days 2 and 3.
Let’s see how the Jags ultimately fared in that plight.
No. 61: D.J. Chark, WR, LSU
Over the years, the Jags have loaded up at wide receiver. Currently on the roster they have a pretty strong core guys they drafted over the years with Marqise Lee, Rashad Greene and Dede Westbrook. They brought in a boundary guy with size in Donte Moncrief, but he comes with a ton of question marks.
LSU’s D.J. Chark is a different type of a receiver from any of the others currently of their roster. He’s 6-3, 199 pounds with blazing speed who can blow the top off defenses. He’s a little raw coming out, however. With the depth the Jags have, he doesn’t exactly have to be the Rookie of the Year, so he could be brought along slowly. They got great value in a guy with who is extremely athletic.
No. 93: Ronnie Harrison, S, Alabama
The Jags didn’t have a ton of weak spots on the defense, but it made sense for them to take a safety. Harrison is 6-2, 207 pounds and plays like a true strong in how he defends the run. He doesn’t have the range to play free safety, but he does have the capability of dropping into coverage effectively. Still, he’s more a strong safety like former Jaguar Johnathan Cyprien, so he’ll likely be used in a similar fashion in sub-packages.
No. 129: Will Richardson, OT, N.C. State
The 6-6,306-pound lineman isn’t likely to come in and play tackle. A lot it has to do with the way he’s built, which contributes to him playing guard instead. Richardson wouldn’t need to start at any position. Instead, he adds depth to a pretty solid offensive line. What he does well is run-block and the Jags are a heavy team, so he makes for an excellent backup or someone to compete with A.J. Cann at right guard.
No. 203: Tanner Lee, QB Nebraska
There were some who wanted the Jaguars to take a quarterback earlier than the sixth round, but here we are. At 6-4, 218-pounds, Tanner Lee doesn’t wow you with anything outside of his pure arm talent. He can sling the ball as well as anyone in the draft, which has gotten him in trouble. At least the Jags brought in a guy that could possibly make the roster as a backup, and who knows what the future beholds.
No. 230: Leon Jacobs, EDGE, Wisconsin
Leon Jacobs is a 6-1, 249-pound compactly built edge rusher who ran a 4.4-second 40 at the combine. On tape, he has a quick first step and closing speed that some predicted would make him a mid-round pick. Jacobs has the size and athleticism that’s similar to Elvis Dumervil. With that said, the Jaguars needed to continue to add depth.
No. 247: Logan Cooke, P Mississippi State
Like most teams, the Jaguars will go into training camp with more than one punter, but only one man will make it. Will it be the unlikely rookie from Mississippi State Logan Cooke or the veteran Brad Norman?
Overall Grade: A