2023 NFL Mock Draft: Cowboys stock up offense, Panthers reach at QB
By Randy Gurzi
player. 52. Cam Smith. CB. South Carolina. 21. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis
21. Jacksonville Jaguars: Cam Smith, CB, South Carolina
The Jacksonville Jaguars made some huge strides this season with Doug Pederson taking over as head coach. Trevor Lawrence improved greatly as Pederson was clearly better for him than Urban Meyer was.
On Saturday, they were able to knock off the Tennessee Titans, which led them to the AFC South title. They took advantage of seven losses in a row for Tennessee while they won six of the final seven games.
As good as they were down the stretch, they can use a little more help on the back end of their defense. That’s why they add Cam Smith from South Carolina with their first pick. Smith is a 6-foot-1, 187-pound cornerback that took over as the No. 1 corner for Jaycee Horn when he headed to the NFL.
He finished his career in Columbia with 91 tackles, 18 pass defenses, and six picks. He’s not the most explosive player but he understands what routes his opponent wants to run and knows where he needs to be in order to slow them down.
The rest of the AFC South is less than stellar so if the Jags continue to draft well, there’s no reason to think Pederson won’t continue to lead them into the postseason.