2024 NFL Mock Draft: Full three-round mock draft with aggressive trades

17) Jacksonville Jaguars: Jared Verse, EDGE, Florida State

The Jacksonville Jaguars need to keep throwing darts on the defensive side of the ball. They got a little unlucky having the #1 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft when Travon Walker was apparently the best overall option, but after a sluggish rookie season, Walker emerged last year with 10.0 sacks and 19 QB hits.

Josh Allen is back in the fold this year, but the Jaguars need to continue to add pieces to win in the trenches defensively. Getting Arik Armstead from the 49ers was massive, and adding a player like Jared Verse to help off the edge could take this unit to the next level.

New defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen will utilize Travon Walker all over the place, as he should, so Verse could slot in as a full-time player off the edge right away. 

18) Cincinnati Bengals: Johnny Newton, DL, Illinois

The Cincinnati Bengals could go any number of directions with this selection, but after some of the moves they made in free agency like bringing in offensive tackle Trent Brown and signing defensive backs like Geno Stone and Vonn Bell, the interior defensive line could make the most sense here.

That will largely depend on what the Bengals think of the rest of the receivers in this class as well, but certainly they wouldn’t be making a mistake by taking Newton in this pick slot. Newton would be able to jump into Cincinnati’s rotation immediately after they lost DJ Reader to the Lions. Even though they brought in Sheldon Rankins, you can never have too many studs on the interior defensive line and Newton could give the Bengals a huge edge in the playoffs.