The Jacksonville Jaguars have been linked to defensive tackle Mason Graham in the months preceeding the 2025 NFL Draft. It makes sense because he would supercharge their interior trenches. Having said that, the pick isn't written in stone, and if the Jags don't choose the former Michigan Wolverine for whatever reason, their best path would be to move down, at least according to Mina Kimes of ESPN.
Draft analyst Sam Monson made an appearance on the Mina Kimes Show featuring Lenny and said that he isn't sure who would make sense for Jacksonville if they don't pick Graham at No. 5.
"Travis Hunter makes sense," Monson told Kimes when she asked him who else would be a fit for the Jags. "After that, like, I found this a few times. I've been so locked in on Mason Graham with the Jags that anytime I find, anytime I'm doing a mock and that is off the table, I'm like, man, I don't know where they go"
Kimes agreed and went on to say that Jacksonville may be better off moving out of the top 10.
"Yeah, the trade down, I guess, would be other... You can get a corner, maybe a guard, just, you know, defensive tackle later, because the corners are interesting, right? Because they're they're not likely to go that high. But then when you get down past 10, it's like, okay, now we're looking at Will Johnson. We're looking at Baron Jedi Baron, but yeah, it does feel like Mason Graham is, like, already a Jaguar," Kimes said.
Graham is the top defensive tackle in this year's class. Despite not having ideal arm length, he routinely beat offensive linemen at the collegiate level with a combination of athleticism and power. Throughout the draft process, he's been mocked to Jacksonville several times. But on the off chance he's off the board or they pass on him, two-way star Travis Hunter would be a more than viable alternative.
The Jaguars signed Jourdan Lewis in free agency but could still use another cornerback. On the other hand, they could plug Hunter in at receiver, have him sit behind Dyami Brown and Gabe Davis, and progressively increase his workload as he gets acclimated to the playbook. Then again, there's also a chance the former Colorado Buffaloe isn't available either.
Below's Kimes' full exchange with Monson. Their discussion about the Jaguars starts at the 49:35 mark.
Related story: 3 mock trades the Jags can pull off on draft day
Trading down would make sense if the Jaguars don't draft Mason Graham
The Jacksonville Jaguars would surely love to trade out of the top 10. After all, they would get at least a third-round pick or even a second if they move down at least six spots. On top of that, they would still be in a position to draft a game-changer. But as appealing as that scenario would be, the Jags cannot just wave a magic wand and make it happen. It takes two to tango, and it's not a given that they would be able to find a trade partner who's willing to pay a fair price for the No. 5 selection.
For the sake of the argument, let's say Mason Graham is no longer available, and Jacksonville doesn't find a trade partner. There still would be several appealing options with the fifth overall pick. The Jags could go with either Armand Membou or Will Campbell. They could also roll with Jalon Walker if they want to round out the pass rush rotation.
The bottom line is that the Jacksonville Jaguars would probably be getting a difference-maker if they went with Mason Grahams, but they will have several options aside from trading down and most of them lead to a good place.
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