It’s hard to believe that this is the same team that once brought AFC offenses to heel at the might of the Sacksonville defensive front just a few short years ago.
The days of the Todd Walsh defense are over in Duvall, and the Jaguars are coming off a 2024 regular season in which they ranked in the bottom five of points allowed per game (25.6 PA/G).
But this refurbished front office has its sights set on greater things than another failed AFC Championship bid.
While much of the buzz going into this draft has been focused on the top three picks, new GM James Gladstone will have plenty of options, especially considering the holes he’ll look to fill on both sides of the ball.
2025 NFL Draft Predictions: Jacksonville Jaguars
| Author Name | Affiliation | Pick (#) |
|---|---|---|
| Brendan Donahue | Sharp Football Analysis | Mason Graham (5) |
| Ryan McCrystal | Sharp Football Analysis | Mason Graham (5) |
| Cynthia Frelund | NFL | Jahdae Barron (5) |
| Lance Zierlein | NFL | Tetairoa McMillan (5) |
| Chad Reuter | NFL | Mason Graham (5) |
| Eric Edholm | NFL | Tyler Warren (5) |
| Bucky Brooks | NFL | Travis Hunter (5) |
| Daniel Jeremiah | NFL | Jalon Walker (5) |
| Dan Parr | NFL | Mason Graham (5) |
| B/R NFL Scouting Dept. | Bleacher Report | Mason Graham (5) |
| Josh Edwards | CBS Sports | Mason Graham (5) |
| Richie Bradshaw | Sports Illustrated | Mason Graham (5) |
| Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz | USA Today | Mason Graham (5) |
| ---- | Pro Football Focus | Travis Hunter (5) |
| Steven Cheah | Barstool Sports | Will Campbell (5) |
| Vinny Iyer | The Sporting News | Will Campbell (5) |
| Connor Hughes | SNY | Mason Graham (5) |
| Nick Baumgartner | New York Times/The Athletic | Armand Membou (5) |
| Danny Kelly | The Ringer | Tetairoa McMillan (5) |
| Jason McIntyre | Fox Sports | Mason Graham (5) |
| Mike Fanelli | Fantasy Pros | Mason Graham (5) |
| Field Yates | ESPN | Mason Graham (5) |
| Kyle Dvorchak | NBC Sports | Will Campbell (5) |
| Mike Renner | CBS Sports | Mason Graham (5) |
| Ryan Wilson | CBS Sports | Mason Graham (5) |
| Chris Trapasso | CBS Sports | Will Campbell (5) |
Results of 26 Mock Drafts:
- Mason Graham: 14
- Will Campbell: 4
- Travis Hunter: 2
- Tetairoa McMillan: 2
- Armand Membou: 1
- Jahdae Barron: 1
- Jalon Walker: 1
- Tyler Warren: 1
Current Prediction for the Jaguars at No. 5 overall: Mason Graham
Analysis
Ironically, the two leading projections for the fifth overall pick possess similar perceived weaknesses despite playing on opposite sides of the ball.
Experts have praised the strength and agility of DL Mason Graham and OL Will Campbell, who both scored similarly in the Relative Athletic Score system (Campbell scored a 9.91 out of 10, Graham scored a 9.90), but critiques regarding size and shorter-than-average arm length remain on the minds of many general managers.
Ryan Wilson of CBS Sports puts this issue in perspective well in his early-March review of Graham, stating, “Yes, his arms are considered short by NFL defensive tackle standards, but let's try not to fall for the same, tired trick we fall for every year. Forget the measurables and look at the tape.”
He goes on to cite 2024 defensive rookie of the year candidate Braden Fiske, who fell to the second round last year due to similar concerns.
While both of these players are poised to fill several voids in the Jaguars organization, there are many conflicting opinions as to how exactly Jacksonville would utilize these young stars.
Steven Cheah of Barstool Sports takes Campbell as the run-blocker to lead the Liam Coen rushing offense into the future, while Vinnie Iyer of The Sporting News speaks about Campbell as a necessity to “keep [Trevor] Lawrence upright enough to hit on more downfield passes.”
Likewise, SNY’s Connor Hughes (despite picking Graham) questions his necessity on a defensive line already packed with talent (Josh Hines-Allen, Arik Armstead, Travon Walker), while Mike Renner of CBS called Jacksonville’s interior d-line “a non-factor last season.”
Outliers
While he has been projected to drop in more recent mocks, Cynthia Frelund of NFL.com predicts that the Jaguars will address their needs at cornerback with Texas DB Jahdae Barron.
Eric Edholm (also of NFL.com) had similar aspirations for Penn State TE Tyler Warren to fill the starting tight end role following the departure of Evan Engram.
There are two drafts (Lance Zierlein of NFL.com and Danny Kelly of The Ringer) projecting that Jacksonville will select Tetairoa McMillan, whose control and route-running abilities set him apart as the highest graded wideout on most boards heading into this draft.
McMillan makes for the most likely fit of these outliers, although it is likely that Jacksonville will look to prioritize other needs.
There is some speculation that Travis Hunter may drop, but his availability at fifth overall is entirely contingent on four interested parties passing on him, which makes the possibility of this selection likely unfeasible despite Jacksonville’s needs at both receiver and corner.
Potential Trades
There were no trades projected by any of these 26 mock drafts, and rightfully so.
The Jaguars are sitting in just about the best position possible for their needs.
The lack of immediate concerns at quarterback negates a need to jump up, while the talent they require is expected to remain available by the fifth overall pick.