NFL Draft: Redrafting the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft
C. Jacksonville Jaguars. Ryan Kelly. 5. player. 52.
NFL Draft: Redrafting the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft 5. Ryan Kelly
Originally selected 18th overall (+13)
The Jacksonville Jaguars didn’t really need a cornerback in the 2016 NFL Draft. That said, they took Jalen Ramsey, and it resulted in them having one of the best defenses in the league for a little while. Fast forward to present day and Ramsey isn’t on their roster anymore.
They would receive a couple of first-round picks for Ramsey but these wouldn’t amount to the same value that this pick would get them.
In a redraft scenario, they’ll pick up Ryan Kelly. He may not play the flashiest position at center, but he is a player that they could have used on an offense that hasn’t been very good.
It took Kelly a while to get going in the NFL, but in the past two seasons, he has seen back-to-back Pro Bowl appearances, including a Second-Team All-Pro selection in 2020. The former Alabama offensive lineman knows how to win, something that the Jaguars franchise can’t say for themselves.
If the Jags had taken him with this pick, they may have had better protection for Blake Bortles, Gardner Minshew, or whoever else’s career they decided to throw in the trash by giving them the starting spot.