The Jacksonville Jaguars have been on the clock since the end of their disastrous 3-14 season and get the No. 1 pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.
The Jaguars’ team needs are lengthy and demanding but Jacksonville has a butt-ton of picks, especially in the later rounds of the draft, where it could potentially unearth some diamonds in the rough.
Of course, the big debate headlining every NFL mock draft is just who will the Jags tag as the top pick overall – a prognostication that seems to change week to week.
With the event in Las Vegas just three days away, we try to make sense of the madness with our Jacksonville Jaguars mock draft and best bets based on 2022 NFL Draft odds.
Jaguars draft picks 2022
| 1 | 1 |
| 2 | 33 |
| 3 | 65 |
| 3 | 70 (from Carolina) |
| 4 | 106 |
| 5 | 157 |
| 6 | 180 |
| 6 | 188 (from Seattle) |
| 6 | 198 (from Pittsburgh) |
| 7 | 222 |
| 7 | 235 (from Baltimore) |
Jaguars team needs
There are more than a few holes to plug on this Jacksonville roster, but if quarterback play is the top priority for winning football teams then the Jaguars need to do a better job keeping their QB alive.
Trevor Lawrence had a painful rookie campaign in 2021, suffering 32 sacks, 67 hurries and 52 QB hits behind an offensive line that ranked out in the back half of most pass protection metrics. Jacksonville finished third lowest in Passing Offense DVOA at Football Outsiders and Lawrence threw just 12 touchdowns to 17 interceptions, feeling the heat far too frequently.
It’s not just pass protection Jacksonville needs: It’s also run blocking. The Jaguars potentially have a great ground game with RBs James Robinson and Travis Etienne, who missed all of 2021 after being selected in Round 1 last year. New head coach Doug Pederson is offensive minded, so that could prioritize positions like OL and receiver over needs on the stop unit.
Defensively, Jacksonville could use a little chaos. The Jaguars recorded 32 sacks, 65 QB hurries, and stirred up pressure on 24% of opponents’ dropbacks – not great for a unit that blitzed 31.5% of the time. In today’s NFL, if you can’t protect your own quarterback, you at least have to get after your opponent’s passer, so finding that game-changing edge rusher is also high on Shad Khan’s wish list.
Jaguars mock draft
Round 1 (No. 1 overall) – Aidan Hutchinson DE
Hutchinson seems to be the safer selection for a franchise mired in uncertainty following the Urban Meyer fiasco. The edge rusher was a QB-swallowing god at Michigan and has a more beefed-up resume than the other guys vying to be the top pick. Pederson expects the No. 1 pick to come in and start right away, and Hutchinson has the track record to do so for Jacksonville.
Round 2 (No. 33 overall) – Trey McBride TE
Pederson is going to get a shiny new piece to his offense and McBride is the highest-ranked tight end on the board out of Colorado State, perhaps serving the same role Zach Ertz did at TE for those Eagles teams. While it may not solve the pass protection problems, McBride would be Lawrence’s safety blanket and a nice pairing alongside signing Evan Engram. The Jags did send their TE coach to McBride’s pro day, and he visited the team earlier this month. That’s a lot of love to just let him slide by in the second round.
Round 3 (No. 65 overall) – Dylan Parham G
Parham was among a handful of offensive linemen to visit the Jaguars in preparation for this Round 3 selection and Jacksonville has to address the o-line with this pick. Another possible option is Penn State tackle Rasheed Walker, but with injury concerns and LT Cam Robinson all inked up, Parham could be the smart choice, especially since he could slide to center. He’s smart and stout, which works great for communicating with Lawrence as well as plowing the way for the run game.
Round 3 (No. 70 overall) – Channing Tindall LB
Jacksonville put in a lot of work during the Georgia pro day. While it may pass on top UGA prospect Travon Walker with the No. 1 pick, it did get a good look at Tindall, who could stay under the radar in the draft after not starting for the talent-rich Bulldogs. Regardless, the senior linebacker balled out against Alabama in the national title game (8 tackles and 1 sack) and has the speed to chase down outside runners and the brute strength to blow up blockers down the gut.
Rounds 4-7
One area not addressed for the Jaguars in those first three rounds was the secondary, so Jacksonville could go after some safeties and corners to bolster a pass defense that finished 31st in DVOA at Football Outsiders in 2021. Pederson could also look to add receivers and running backs, especially with Robinson coming off a torn Achilles and Etienne yet to take a pro snap.
Best Jaguars NFL Draft prop bets
- First Pick Overall: Aidan Hutchinson (+250)
- Over 15.5 Defensive Players Drafted in Round 1 (-125)
With sportsbooks reacting to action and rumors, Walker has jumped Hutchinson as the betting favorite in the most important NFL Draft prop — who will go first overall. That bumped the UM product to as high as +250. Going hand-in-hand with that selection, defensive players will be the hot ticket and we’ll see 16 stop unit stars stroll the catwalk in Vegas in Round 1.
