Last year, the Jacksonville Jaguars were disappointing, posting a 4-13 mark. Dating back to the end of the 2023 season, the Jaguars have lost 18 of their last 23 games after advancing in the playoffs following the 2022 season. There were issues everywhere last year but the defense stuck out.
Jacksonville finished with the fifth-worst scoring defense and second-worst total defense in the league. The Jaguars' pass defense was easily the worst in the NFL as it allowed 13 more yards per game than the next closest. It's obvious that fixing the defense has been a priority this offseason and the team will likely do so when the draft rolls around as it only signed two defenders in free agency.
ESPN's Field Yates released his latest two-round mock draft and he started off with a familiar name:
Round 1, Pick 5: Mason Graham
"Jacksonville has big needs up front on defense that are too hard to ignore with this pick, and Graham would immediately reshape the complexion of both the pass rush and the run defense. He racked up 26 pressures and 14 run stops last season. The Jaguars, meanwhile, allowed the second-most yards (389.9 per game) and fifth-most points (25.6 per game) in the NFL last season. Lined up between edge rushers Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker, Graham would help this defense get back on track."
It feels like there's a consensus forming regarding what the Jaguars should do with the fifth-overall pick. Nearly 47% of mock drafts compiled by NFLMockDraftDatabase have the Jaguars picking the defensive freak of nature from Michigan.
He would be a slam dunk pick. At fifth overall, the Jaguars have just about their pick of the litter with two quarterbacks expected to go before their pick. A trade back is always possible but when the possible top defensive player is staring you in the face, you just pull the trigger.
Round 2, Pick 36: Trey Amos
"Jacksonville could continue to chip away on defense. Amos blends 6-foot-1 size, 4.43 speed, and great ball skills. He stood out for Ole Miss this past season with three interceptions after stops at Alabama and Louisiana."
Fixing the league's worst passing defense will take more than signing Jourdan Lewis and Eric Murray. They'll help, but the Jaguars need a young playmaker in the secondary to top it off. Trey Amos could be that guy.
Since trading away Jalen Ramsey, the Jaguars have not found another CB1. C.J. Henderson was not as advertised, unfortunately, so Amos would have a shot to be the best pick they've made at the position in a while.
Related: Another Jaguars Mock Draft Selects Top Defensive Line Talent
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This story was originally published April 2, 2025 at 10:30 AM.
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