Jaguars post-combine seven-round mock draft

The Jags trade back in the first round for the second year in a row in this post-combine seven-round mock draft.

The 2024 NFL Scouting Combine is now in the books, so it feels like the perfect opportunity for our first Jacksonville Jaguars seven-round mock draft of the year.

Using Pro Football Network’s mock draft simulator, I began by sending the Jags’ third-round pick (97 overall) to the Atlanta Falcons per the conditions of the Calvin Ridley trade. That pick would have become a second-rounder had Jacksonville signed Ridley to a long-term deal before the new league year, but reports indicate that is unlikely as we near the deadline on March 13.

With that in mind, knowing Jacksonville now had just two picks to work with in the first three rounds, I have Trent Baalke working his magic yet again to gain more capital toward the top of the draft.

*Jacksonville trades pick 17 to the Dallas Cowboys for picks 24 and 87

Round 1 – Pick 24: Kamari Lassiter, CB, Georgia

In this simulation, Quinyon Mitchell and Terrion Arnold were long gone by the time Jacksonville was on the clock at 17, and the run of wide receivers had already begun. So instead of forcing a pick that may not match the value at that spot, Jacksonville moves back seven spots in a trade with the Dallas Cowboys that nets them picks 24 and 87.

With their new position at 24, the Jaguars help out their 26th-ranked passing defense by taking cornerback Kamari Lassiter out of Georgia.

Lassiter has been one of the most under-discussed players in this entire draft cycle but don’t let his lack of media attention fool you. He is a first-round talent with all of the tools to be an immediate contributor in the Jacksonville secondary.

He fits the expected scheme of Jags DC Ryan Nielsen as a man-to-man cover corner and has the versatility to play both the boundary and nickel roles. He’s a smooth mover with fluid hips, as proven by his 6.62 3-cone drill at the combine – the best in the DB group. He showcases ideal patience and discipline in coverage, and although not the biggest player, Lassiter is a terrific tackler and very active in run support.

The second-team All-SEC corner would be an instant upgrade at the nickel spot for Jacksonville, and with both Tyson Campbell and Darious Williams playing on expiring contracts in 2024, he could be in line to take over on the outside soon enough.

Round 2 – Pick 48: Xavier Legette, WR, South Carolina

No matter what the future holds with impending free agent Calvin Ridley, Jacksonville desperately needs to get younger and more explosive at the wide receiver position going forward. Lucky for them, this draft is loaded with explosive, playmaking wide receivers and South Carolina’s Xavier Legette is one of them.

Legette has almost the exact same physical measurements as A.J. Brown but with even better athletic testing. His combination of size and speed is rare at the receiver position, and while he’s not as refined as some other names that will go before him, Legette shows a ton of plus traits to think he will only continue to get better.

He would instantly give Trevor Lawrence that downfield playmaker that he has been desperate for since he arrived in Jacksonville. On top of that, Legette’s speed and physicality would be the perfect contrast to what the Jaguars already have in their receiver room. I love this fit.

Round 3 – Pick 87: Christian Mahogany, OG, Boston College

After trading back in the first, the Jacksonville Jaguars gained an even better third-round slot than the pick they lost in the Calvin Ridley trade. This sets them up perfectly to draft one of the best pure guards in the 2024 NFL Draft class, Christian Mahogany out of Boston College.

Jacksonville’s guard play in 2023 was abysmal. It was a turnstile of plug-and-pray players all season long, and even if the team does decide to re-sign Ezra Cleveland, they need some young talent at guard.

Christian Mahogany would instantly add a much-needed element of physicality to the Jaguars’ interior. His blend of power and technique would put him in a position to compete for a starting spot at left guard right away, making this great value at this stage of the draft.

Round 4 – Pick 115: Maason Smith, DT, LSU

Despite being one of just four teams in the NFL last season to have two players with 10+ sacks, Jacksonville finished just 25th in that category as a team. Josh Allen and Travon Walker accounted for 27.5 of the team’s modest 40 sacks with only 4.5 coming from predominately interior rushers.

The need for some physicality on the defensive line is as glaring as any other on this defense, so with the 115th overall pick in this Jaguars 2024 mock draft, Jacksonville adds LSU’s Maason Smith.

Once thought to be a future first-round lock, Smith may not have reached his full potential with the Tigers, but his raw tools and insane physical profile are enough to make you think he can get there with the right coaching.

Round 4 – Pick 117: Nelson Ceaser, Edge, Houston

Piggybacking off of the logic of the Maason Smith selection, Jacksonville now adds depth to their edge group by selecting a very productive player out of Houston in Nelson Ceaser.

Ceaser was one of the most effective pass rushers in the Big 12 in 2023, as he totaled 9.5 sacks and 13.5 tackles for a loss in his junior season.

The near 6-foot-3 and 254-pound Ceaser is a versatile player with an array of pass rush moves that he can win with consistently. He plays with a great blend of speed and power and shows plenty of moldable tools to assume he could become a valuable contributor sooner rather than later.

Round 5 – Pick 152: Tyrone Tracy Jr., RB, Purdue

With Travis Etienne still on his rookie deal and Tank Bigsby fresh off being a third-round pick last year, one would assume the running back room in Jacksonville was set heading into the 2024 NFL Draft. Unfortunately, that is far from the truth after the team finished 24th in rushing last season.

While a lot of blame can be shelled out to the offensive line struggles, it’s still evident that the Jags need another wrinkle to add to the mix. So in the fifth round, they take Purdue’s Tyrone Tracy Jr.

A former wide receiver convert, Tracy Jr. is fresh off of showcasing his elite-level athleticism at the Combine and is rising in the ranks of the middle to late-round backs. His blend of speed paired with his receiver skillset makes him an ideal candidate to replace D’Ernest Johnson as the team’s RB3 with big-time passing down upside.

Round 6 – Pick 195: Marcus Harris, IDL, Auburn

The Jacksonville Jaguars hired Ryan Nielsen as their defensive coordinator this offseason. One of his first defensive staff hires was nabbing Auburn’s defensive line coach, Jeremy Garrett, for the same role with the Jags. The two have had a connection stemming way back to Garrett’s days playing for Ole Miss where Nielsen was his position coach from 2004-2007.

With that near two-decade-long relationship in mind, I have the Jags nabbing a product of Garrett from Auburn in Marcus Harris.

Although a bit undersized, Harris put together a quality senior season for the Tigers where he set career marks in sacks (7) and tackles for a loss (11) under Garrett’s tutelage. He would be a nice developmental interior pass rusher option to add at this stage of the 2024 NFL Draft.

Round 7 – Pick 211: Anthony Gould, WR/PR, Oregon State

With Jamal Agnew hitting free agency and unlikely to be re-signed, Parker Washington is now the only legit return man the Jaguars have on their roster moving forward.

Adding Oregon State wide receiver and return specialist Anthony Gould to the mix would make a lot of sense at this juncture.

Gould averaged an incredible 16 yards per punt return in his career with the Beavers, with two of them going for scores.

Round 7 – Pick 234: Trey Knox, TE/FB, South Carolina

After the failed experiment of Derek Parrish in the seventh round last year, the Jags go with a more traditional approach to finding a potential H-back by selecting the very experienced Trey Knox out of South Carolina to close out this Jacksonville Jaguars seven-round mock draft.

Knox amassed over 1k yards and 11 touchdowns as a pass catcher in his career and fits the build of the modern H-back at 6-foot-3 and 240lbs.