Recent mock draft has Jaguars so close to making the perfect pick
The Jacksonville Jaguars need to get this upcoming draft right, especially if they want to build on what they were able to accomplish last season – their first playoff win since 2017 when they made the AFC Championship. The Jaguars didn't make any moves during free agency that were new. What they did do was […]
The Jacksonville Jaguars need to get this upcoming draft right, especially if they want to build on what they were able to accomplish last season – their first playoff win since 2017 when they made the AFC Championship.
The Jaguars didn't make any moves during free agency that were new. What they did do was re-sign a few players, and let others walk, including right tackle Jawaan Taylor and defensive tackle Arden Key.
So, that is just another reason they need to get this draft right because they didn't do much right during the first wave of free agency.
I think we could all agree that secondary is a huge need for this team, and the draft seems like it's the perfect way to potentially fix that issue, especially because of how deep the position group is in the 2023 draft.
This is the time of year when everyone has a mock draft come out, and multiple of them too. Pro Football Focus analyst Trevor Sikkema's recent mock draft has the Jaguars very close to making the perfect pick, but not quite.
If you ask me, Deonte Banks would be the perfect fit for the Jaguars when you factor in the area he should be drafted. He had one of, if not the most impressive combine results. He is versatile, his mirroring ability is great, and his press technique is good enough to fit the style defensive coordinator Mike Caldwell likes his guys to play.
He's projected to go around the same time the Jaguars pick at number 24. Sikkema has Banks going at pick 22, two picks before the Jaguars, just missing out on the perfect pick, in my opinion, of course.
Instead, he has the Jaguars getting Cam Smith, the cornerback from South Carolina. He is great, and he has a lot of potential, but he's not as good a pick as Banks would be.
Here is what Sikkema said about the pick of Smith:
With the release of Shaquill Griffin, it became official that CB2 was a top need for the Jags. Even with a handful of cornerbacks off the board, the Jags should still have a chance to select a starting-caliber player at the back end of the first round. They’ll love Smith’s fearless mentality.
The Jaguars can't mess this up. This move isn't necessarily getting the pick wrong, but I don't think it maximizes the Jaguars' potential at getting an elite cornerback. But, some of these things are completely out of their control, and this could be one of them.
You can read the rest of the mock draft here.
