5. Jacksonville Jaguars: Will Johnson, CB, Michigan
The Jacksonville Jaguars have one need bigger than all others in the 2025 offseason: Get the head coach situation figured out. In terms of their roster, it’s going to be all about figuring out how to best surround Trevor Lawrence once again.
Lawrence just hasn’t been the same player the last two seasons after his tremendous breakout in 2022 and the Jaguars paid for him to be an elite-level NFL quarterback. Whenever Lawrence is fully healthy, he shouldn’t be lacking too much for playmakers offensively. What he needs is a defense that’s going to steal him extra possessions.
The Jags could go one of a few directions here whether they want to upgrade their pass rush or pass defense in general. Will Johnson probably has the highest floor of any consensus top-5 prospect in the class and is a player who will help create takeaways to give extra possessions to Lawrence and that offense.
6. Carolina Panthers: Abdul Carter, EDGE, Penn State
When the Carolina Panthers traded Brian Burns to the New York Giants last offseason, they obviously created a pretty huge void off the edge. A’Shawn Robinson of all people – with all due respect – led the team with 5.5 sacks going into Week 18. Heading into Week 18, not a single player on the roster had 10 QB hits.
This team needs help in the pass rush department badly and someone like Abdul Carter could come in and make a huge impact.
Carter is coming from a Penn State program which has been seemingly cranking out one NFL-caliber pass rush prospect after another over the last handful of years, and coming to a situation like Carolina, the pressure would be on for him to win matchups immediately. Carolina might need to go out and get some additional pressure players in free agency and the draft but this guy could be the centerpiece of the rebuild of that unit.