NFL Draft: Re-drafting the star-studded 2014 NFL Draft

Original Pick, QB, Blake Bortles, UCF Knights

The Jacksonville Jaguars made Blake Bortles the first quarterback off of the board in the 2014 NFL Draft, a draft that featured a handful of bad quarterbacks. If they had the chance to go back and select another quarterback, it would be the small-school product and second-round pick of the New England Patriots in Jimmy Garoppolo.

With an elite defense, somehow, Jacksonville has been unable to field a consistent offense and many of those woes are attributed to the struggles under center. It could be argued that the Jaguars would have played in a Super Bowl by now if they had any production from their offense that, up until now, has been led by Bortles.

In his five seasons as the starting quarterback in Jacksonville, Bortles did not manage to keep his interceptions under control, and he struggled to throw accurate balls as well. The last two seasons are the only two of his career he has been able to hit a 60 percent completion percentage, while throwing 75 interceptions in that span. It’s a big reason that he no longer plays in Jacksonville, having had to settle for being Jared Goff’s backup with the Los Angeles Rams.

Garoppolo on the other hand has only started 10 games in his career, but has an 8-2 record with a career completion percentage right at 65 percent. He also averaged less than an interception per game, which Jaguars fans would welcome after five years of Bortles.

With the third pick in this re-draft, Jacksonville takes Garoppolo instead of Bortles. Maybe, fast forwarding four years, they defeat the Patriots in the 2017 AFC Championship game to reach the Super Bowl for the first time in franchise history?