The Jacksonville Jaguars will have several appealing options with the fifth overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. While the consensus thinks defensive tackle Mason Graham is their best choice, nobody would bat an eye if they roll with two-way start Travis Etienne or decide to beef up the offensive line. But one player the Jags should avoid is running back Ashton Jeanty. It isn't that he isn't good. Simply, they have more pressing needs. A trusted NFL analyst seems to agree.
Brett Kollmann and EJ Snyder joined the NFL Stock Exchange podcast and weighed in on whether Jacksonville should take Jeanty at No. 5. Right off the bat, the latter says that you wouldn't be able to sell him on that scenario.
"For the Jags? No, I think they have more needs," Snyder responded when asked if Jeanty makes sense for the Jaguars. "I think they have more needs, and I think they can get good things in this running back class. And I mean, really good things in this running back class later on down, as far as blue chip player, we know we got a good football player. Yeah, you could sell me on that immediately, but I'm not so sure."
Kolleman then argues that Travis Etienne is entering a contract year, and drafting Jeanty would give the Jags a blue-chip player on a rookie deal
"So Travis Etienne ends in the last year of his deal, and he's Travis Etienne. Tank Bigsby is a really solid No. 2 with two years left on this deal. But we get five years of contract control for potential elite running back. You got BTJ at receiver, I like Parker Washington as a slot, Dyami Brown is like, your No. 2, like, you can even just add to the room on Day 2 in this draft," Kolleman says.
"And again, I say this as somebody who's not a massive Mason Graham guy. I think he's good, but I don't see top 5 good. And I'm not gonna speak for EJ, maybe he sees it similarly. Like, if I just had, if I had to take somebody top 5, I would sleep a little bit better at night if it was Ashton Jeanty, but that's just me."
Snyder goes on to say that he strongly believes Jeanty is a blue-chip player but believes cornerback and defensive tackle are bigger needs for the Jags. Below is the full exchange. The discussion on the former Boise State Broncos starts at the 31:00 mark.
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Why Ashton Jeanty is an uncessary luxury for the Jaguars
There's no doubt that the Jacksonville Jaguars could use a player of Ashton Jeanty's caliber at No. 5. Heck, drafting him would make sense than picking either tight end Tyler Warren or even Tetairoa McMillan. Having said that, choosing a running back so early in the first round is a luxury the Jags cannot afford.
After all, Jacksonville has Tank Bigsby in the fold. The former Auburn Tiger showed notable improvement in 2024 and proved that he's ready to take on a bigger role next season. On top of that, Travis Etienne is still around. The team's brass could trade him during or after the draft, but it would also make sense to keep him around for another season.
Sure, the prospect of getting a draft pick in exchange for Etienne is appealing, but he would give the Jaguars enviable depth at running back and insurance in case Bigsby missed time. It's easy to forget it, but the former Clemson Tiger posted back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons just a couple years ago and has racked up over 3,700 yards from scrimmage since 2022. Simply put, the Jags could use a player like him.
But even if Jacksonville traded Etienne, they could look for his replacement starting at Round 2. Heck, they maybe zeroing in on DJ Giddens on Day 3 of the draft.
Circling back to Jeanty, he's probably a better fit for the Chicago Bears, the Dallas Cowboys, or the Las Vegas Raiders. Basically, teams that need help at running back. On the other hand, the Jags need to beef up the defensive line, add reinforcements to the offensive trenches, and round out their secondary.
Simply put, the Jaguars currently have no use for Ashton Jeanty.
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