Just three weeks are left until the 2023 NFL Draft begins and it’s no more clear what the Jacksonville Jaguars plan to do with the 24th overall pick.
Free agency was mostly an exercise in patience for the franchise as it sat on the sidelines while other teams battled for the biggest names on the market. The few additions the Jaguars did make likely won’t factor into the team’s draft plans.
With so many areas on the roster that could use a boost, but no glaring deficiency, experts are split on what the Jaguars will do later this month.
In a survey of 36 mock drafts from the last two weeks, 18 different players were projected to the Jaguars in the first round. Here are the five players whose names popped up most often:
Brian Branch, CB/S, Alabama (16.7%)
- Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz, USA Today
- Sam Farmer, Los Angeles Times
- Bucky Brooks, NFL.com
- Eric Edholm, NFL.com
- Brad Spielberger, Pro Football Focus
- Dan Wilkins/Dane Belbeck, The Score
Via Middlehurst-Schwartz:
There’s something special brewing in Jacksonville thanks to a roster rife with young talent at critical positions. What’s missing, however, is the kind of all-purpose playmaker on the back end. Enter Branch, a do-everything defender whose pedestrian testing numbers distract from his prowess in finding the ball at every turn.
Anton Harrison, OT, Oklahoma (11.1%)
- Mike Tannenbaum, ESPN
- Steve Palazzolo, Pro Football Focus
- Gordon McGuinness, Pro Football Focus
- DraftTek
Via Tannenbaum:
The Jaguars allowed 28 sacks last season, fifth fewest in the NFL. Their underlying blocking numbers were below-average, however, and they lost starting right tackle Jawaan Taylor to the Chiefs in free agency. Harrison has ideal size at 6-4 and 315 pounds, and he started 24 games in his collegiate career. After allowing zero sacks last season and just two over a three-year career at Oklahoma, Harrison could be an immediate starter for Jacksonville.
Darnell Wright, OT, Tennessee (11.1%)
- Ryan Wilson, CBS Sports
- Jason McIntyre, Fox Sports
- Keith Sanchez, The Draft Network
- Jason Lieser, Chicago Sun-Times
Via Wilson:
The Jags lost Jawaan Taylor in free agency and while Walker Little would seem to be next man up, the 2021 second-round pick wasn’t able to beat out Taylor for the job last August. He fared well in fill-in duty at left tackle late last season but as Jacksonville looks to take the next step, protecting Trevor Lawrence is job No. 1. Wright, meanwhile, is a first-round talent all day long and don’t be surprised if he’s RT1 — and maybe even one of the first offensive linemen off the board.
Cam Smith, CB, South Carolina (8.3%)
Via Farrar:
The Jaguars ranked 30th in pass defense DVOA in 2022, and they didn’t do anything in free agency to make that any better. So, it’s time to look to the draft for improvement. Smith, who is one of the best man cornerbacks in this class, and can also play off and zone coverages very well, is the kind of plug-and-play starter who will make things better from his first rookie minicamp.
O'Cyrus Torrence, G, Florida (8.3%)
Via Reid:
The Jaguars were one of the NFL’s biggest surprises last season. With a solid foundation in place, they could be looking to build up the protection in front of quarterback Trevor Lawrence. With a void at left guard on the roster, Torrence would slot in as a Day 1 starter. Arguably the top interior blocker in this class, he has checked a lot of boxes throughout the pre-draft process, including performing well at Senior Bowl practices in February. Despite playing just one season in the SEC — he transferred from Louisiana — his strength and dependability at either guard spot are already NFL-ready.
