Jaguars 2024 NFL Draft: Dillon’s final mock

The Jacksonville Jaguars take a bold approach to the 2024 NFL Draft in this day of seven-round mock.

We are mere hours away from the start of the 2024 NFL Draft in Detroit, Michigan.

Teams around the league are putting the finishing touches on their draft boards as they prepare for three days worth of picks that could make or break the foreseeable future of their respective franchises.

Luckily for the Jacksonville Jaguars, I’ve done the hard work for them by constructing a flawless seven-round mock draft that would have the fan base buzzing.

Using the mock draft simulator over at Pro Football Network, as well as the Pro Football Reference Draft Pick Trade Value Chart, I had the Jags take an aggressive approach to ensuring they leave the Motor City with exactly who they want.

So, check out which players I have coming to Duval with the final Jacksonville Jaguars seven-round mock of the 2024 draft season.

*Jags trade picks 17, 96 and a 2025 5^th to the Denver Broncos for picks 12, and 145

Round 1, Pick 12 – Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo

I know a contingent of Jaguars fans are hoping the team pull off a massive trade into the top 10 to get Washington wide receiver Rome Odunze. However, the cost would likely far outweigh the actual value considering it is almost assuredly going to be a bidding war between a number of teams for his services.

Instead of paying a kings ransom, I think trading up just a handful of spots to nab the consensus top corner in the NFL Draft, Quinyon Mitchell, makes a lot more sense.

The Broncos don’t have a second-round pick so they’re a definite candidate to trade back tonight, and Jacksonville has plenty of capital to make a move here.

Quinyon Mitchell has all of the tools to be an immediate starting corner at the NFL level. He’s got great size, elite athleticism, sound technique, and was a highly productive player while at Toledo. Many will cite Mitchell’s lack of press looks in college as a knock on him as a fit in Ryan Nielsen’s defense, but I won’t allow such a narrative. He’s shown more than enough in that regard and is far and away the most skilled player at the position in the class.

The Jaguars current corner group consists of Tyson Campbell, whose playing on an expiring contract, journeyman free agent signee Ronald Darby, and then just a bunch of guys. The positional need for Jacksonville can’t be overstated so beginning their 2024 NFL Draft with an aggressive move like this would be a nice tone setter for Trent Baalke and company.

Round 2, Pick 48 – Kris Jenkins, DT, Michigan

Nabbing Michigan’s Kris Jenkins at 48th overall would be simultaneously a best player available type of pick while still filling a need for Jacksonville, so it seems like a no-brainer if he’s on the board here. The Jags have done a lot of work on defensive tackles during the pre-draft process, so they’re obviously interested in adding to that unit. Pair that with the fact that the team just brought Michigan’s former Director of Player Personnel, Tom Gamble, into their front office and Jenkins could make a ton of sense with this pick.

The son of a former NFL All-Pro of the same name, Jenkins is big-time athlete with a ton of upside as a penetrator from the interior. He can line up all over the line and his explosiveness would be a breath of fresh air for a Jacksonville defensive tackle unit that is seriously lacking in that regard.

*Jags trade picks 114 and 116 to Chiefs for 95 and a 2025 sixth

Round 3, Pick 95 Jalen McMillan, WR, Washington

Another trade! The Jags continue their aggressive approach to landing their guys by moving into the top-100 to nab wide receiver Jalen McMillan out of Washington. Using the simulator, Jacksonville moves up to 95th overall by dealing both of their fourth rounders (114 and 116) to the Kansas City Chiefs, while also netting a 2025 sixth round pick in the move.

McMillan met with the Jags during a Top-30 visit at the beginning of the month so there is obviously interest there, and it’s easy to see why when you watch his game. McMillan is a versatile slot type with big-time playmaking ability down the field. He’s got good speed, is a smooth route-runner and is super slippery when he gets the ball in his hands.

He may not be the household name of some other potential wide receiver targets for the Jaguars but Jalen McMillan is a really nice fit for this offense and could make an immediate impact in year one.

145. Javon Foster, OT, Missouri

One of the more underrated Day-3 prospects in my opinion is Missouri’s Javon Foster. A long-time starter with the Tigers, Foster was a first-team All-SEC selection in 2023 after paving the way for one of the best offenses in the country this past season. He’s got terrific length with good pop in his hands, and while not the most athletic player amongst a loaded OT class, he’s got more than enough tools to take steps forward in that regard over time.

Jacksonville’s tackle situation is not a problem on paper, but both Cam Robinson and Walker Little are on expiring contracts and it seems unlikely either player could return come 2025. Adding a developmental option like Javon Foster at this stage of the 2024 NFL Draft makes a lot of sense.

153. Cedric Johnson, Edge, Ole Miss

The edge position in the 2024 NFL Draft falls off a cliff after the first-round prospects, so rather forcing the issue on Day-2, the Jags stay patient and nab a toolsy pass rusher in Cedric Johnson well into the fifth-round.

Johnson is a long, athletic player that can rush the passer, set the edge in the run game, and drop into coverage if need be. He’s not a finished product in terms of his plan of attack but he’s shown enough that this would be terrific value. Johnson’s versatility is something the Jaguars have always coveted since Trent Baalke took over as GM.

212. Blake Watson, RB, Memphis

The Jaguars drafted Tank Bigsby in the third round of last year’s draft, but he struggled to make any sort of impact behind Travis Etienne as a rookie. In fact, his play was so underwhelming that I just don’t see a world where the team run it back with the same unit in 2024. That’s why I have them snagging Memphis’ Blake Watson in the sixth round.

An undersized but elusive player, Blake Watson was highly productive at Memphis and would provide Jacksonville with a true pass catching back that could compete for RB3 duties with D’Ernest Johnson.

236. Nathaniel Watson, LB, Mississippi State

Nathaniel Watson doesn’t have the requisite athleticism to be an every down linebacker at the NFL level, but his size and physical style of play make him a prime candidate to be a core special teams player as a rookie. He also has some upside as a blitzer after posting 21 sacks over the last three seasons at Mississippi State.

Jaguars fans, who are you hoping the team drafts tonight?