Jaguars Round 5 NFL Draft Recap: Team lands two versatile players
After selecting a couple of defenders in the fourth round, the Jacksonville Jaguars kicked off the fifth round by selecting their second linebacker of the 2023 NFL Draft. At No. 136 overall, they picked Yasir Abdullah out of Louisville, a well-known name that The Athletic's Dane Brugler graded as a fourth-round prospect. The Jaguars also […]
After selecting a couple of defenders in the fourth round, the Jacksonville Jaguars kicked off the fifth round by selecting their second linebacker of the 2023 NFL Draft.
At No. 136 overall, they picked Yasir Abdullah out of Louisville, a well-known name that The Athletic's Dane Brugler graded as a fourth-round prospect.
The Jaguars also picked safety Antonio Johnson out of Texas A&M, which has been widely regarded as one of the biggest steals of the round. Below is the team's breakdown of the fifth round.
- Round 5, No. 136 overall: LB Yasir Abdullah, Louisville
- Round 5, No. 160 overall: S Antonio Johnson, Texas A&M
Abdullah kills two birds with one stone for the Jaguars as he can fulfill two potential roles on defense. He was a pass rusher for Louisville's defense in college but will probably be asked to play off-ball in Jacksonville as well.
Here's The Athletic's Dane Brugler's scouting report on the new linebacker for Jacksonville:
Overall, Abdullah has some tweener traits and will be asked to play more in reverse in the NFL than he was in college, but his read/react athleticism and finishing skills are solid base skills for a linebacker. His ideal role in the NFL is as an off-ball linebacker and pass rush specialist in subpackages.
It's worth pointing out Abdullah had outstanding production at Lousiville as he racked up 19.5 sacks in his last two years there.
Jaguars get a fifth-round steal
The Jaguars also got a potential steal in the fifth round by grabbing Dane Brugler's second-best safety in this year's draft and 70th overall prospect at No. 160 of the Draft.
Johnson could be a versatile DB for the Jaguars as he spent a big chunk of his collegiate career playing as Texas A&M's nickel cornerback. He was PFF's highest-graded slot defensive back since 2021!
Brugler even compared him to Jamal Adams in a different body type. Below is his breakdown:
"Overall, Johnson has undisciplined tendencies and is still getting his body organized technically, but he is at his best near the line of scrimmage with his zone instincts and eagerness to drop the hammer in the run game."
With Andre Cisco and Reyshawn Jenkins slated to be the team's starters at safety, expect Johnson to give them a good run for their money right away.
