Jaguars 2024 NFL Draft: Simon’s final mock

Speculating who the Jaguars front office might consider taking on draft weekend.

When it comes to mock drafts, everybody knows best. But when it comes to the Jacksonville Jaguars, what do we think THEY will do come draft weekend?

Attempting to channel my inner Trent Baalke, I compile a seven-round mock using Pro Football Network’s mock draft simulator, each time trying to behave like the Jags GM would.

Let the fun commence!

1.26: Cooper DeJean, DB, Iowa

Okay; so mock draft simulators are obviously fallible, but we do live in a world where what I consider to be the three obvious candidates for the Jaguars could be off the board by pick 17 on Thursday. In this mock, that worst-case scenario has come true, with Terrion Arnold (Tennessee Titans), Quinyon Mitchell (New York Giants) and Brian Thomas Jr (Indianapolis Colts) all gone.

Considering their clear needs at receiver and corner, I’m not convinced the Jags will want to trade up and lose valuable capital, so in this example I do the next best thing – I trade down.

With the Tampa Bay Buccaneers offering an extra second and third round pick to come up for Laiatu Latu, I diligently move back nine spots and land one of the next-tier cornerbacks in the first round. In fact, I had the pick of Cooper DeJean, Nate Wiggins and Kool-Aid McKinstry. All good prospects at this juncture, but with new DC Ryan Nielsen in the building, the physical, versatile DeJean makes the most sense. Nielsen knows the value of having someone you can move around the secondary, having previously worked with Marshon Lattimore in the Big Easy.

DeJean is long and mean, can play a range of positions in the back end, and seems to be a perfect fit in the Jags’ new defensive scheme.

2.48: Xavier Legette, WR, South Carolina

Now loaded with draft capital on Day 2, the Jags can go about filling some holes.

We begin by snagging the receiver that completes Trevor Lawrence’s set of weapons to work with. If rumors are to be believed, Baalke is looking for a real vertical threat, a receiver that can take the top off a defense and be a jump ball specialist on the outside. Step forward Xavier Legette, who has the athleticism to concern DB’s deep…

Legette reminds me a lot of Steve Smith Sr.; stocky, physical and combative in the air. He can run right past you or fight you at the catch point. There’s plenty of polish needed when it comes to route running, but alongside Gabe Davis, Christian Kirk and Evan Engram it’s a quartet that any QB would be happy to work with. Oh, and Baalke banishes the ghost of Calvin Ridley. Perhaps.

2.57: Patrick Paul, OT, Houston

With two major areas of need addressed, we start to look at bolstering depth. With Cam Robinson and Walker Little in the final year of their deals, looking for a future blindside protector is not only a smart move – it’s something that will definitely be on Baalke’s mind in the mid rounds.

At 6’8” and 330 lbs with insane length, Patrick Paul is what you see if you were asked to draw the perfect NFL left tackle. A surprisingly smooth mover in pass protection, Paul can glide and slide quickly, getting good depth in his pass sets before engagement. With his size, quickness and power, you’d want to see a little more dog in him when it comes to run blocking, but that can come.

If the priority is keeping Trevor Lawrence upright, Paul is a great value late in the second round.

3.92: T’Vondre Sweat, IDL, Texas

Okay. This may be the first time I don’t quite have my mind aligned with the Jaguars’ general manager. There isn’t a whole load of evidence to suggest Trent Baalke is a risk-taker when it comes to character concerns, save for the modest gamble he took on Ridley last year. But when it comes to T’Vondre Sweat, a much larger leap of faith is required…

Sweat is a difficult eval. On the one hand, he is supremely talented, a natural behemoth who will eat space for fun, clog up run lanes, and stymie interior pass rushers. 366 lb men are not built to move like he does.

Conversely, there are question marks about his dedication to the sport and his conditioning – it was rumored he tipped the scales at over 380 at the Senior Bowl. Add to that a recent DWI arrest after a serious car crash, and there’s enough red flags for conservative general managers to remove him from their boards.

As this is something of a bonus pick, I’m inclined to believe the Jags take a chance on the upside here. Just imagine Sweat next to Arik Armstead, with Josh Allen and Travon Walker coming off the edge!

3.96: Brandon Coleman, IOL, TCU

Considering the determination from this front office to leave no stone unturned in their quest to maximize Trevor Lawrence, hitting o-line twice on Day 2 is a very real possibility – especially when a talent such as Brandon Coleman slips down the board like he has here.

Coleman began this process with a lot of momentum and backed it up with a strong combine showing. And yet, some technique questions have seen him lose some spotlight as draft weekend approaches.

Baalke loves offensive linemen with versatility. Coleman projects much better inside in the NFL, with length and strength to maul when needed. But he has plenty of experience on the outside too.

Considering how injury-struck this unit was in 2023, this move makes perfect sense.

4.114: Malik Washington, WR, Virginia

Ah. Day 3. The best day of the draft, where Super Bowls are won and lost.

Maybe a little too romantic, but there’s talent to be found nevertheless. How about going back to receiver and adding even more firepower to this offense?

The Green Bay Packers showed last year how valuable adding multiple receivers down the draft can be. In that draft, they took Dontayvion Wicks in the fifth round and were rewarded with a rookie campaign that produced nearly 600 yards and 4 touchdowns. Could the University of Virginia provide another sleeper receiver 12 months later?

First thing to say is, Malik Washington is nothing like Wicks. Washington is more your Hunter Renfrow, an undersized slot receiver who catches EVERYTHING thrown his way. In one year in Charlottesville, the 5’9”, 190lb weapon snagged 110 balls for an insane 1,426 yards and 9 scores.

With Christian Kirk offering some versatility to operate on the outside if needed, Washington could come in as valuable depth ready to step in and be productive should injury strike once again.

4.116: Khyree Jackson, CB, Oregon

Continuing to attack positions of need with our second pick in the fourth round, I bolster the secondary even further with the addition of Khyree Jackson. The thought process is very similar to when we swung for Cooper DeJean in round one – fully expecting our coverage to get a lot more physical and play more press-man than before, I’m looking for long, strong corners that bring a feisty demeanor to the table. At 6’4” and 194 lbs, the former Oregon DB fits the mold.

After two years struggling for game time at Alabama, Jackson headed to Eugene and balled out in his one season in the Pacific Northwest. 34 tackles, 5 TFLs and 3 picks helped the Ducks challenge for a playoff berth. Jackson’s wingspan is visually impressive, and he really owns the catchpoint.

There’s some rough edges to his game, a natural result of such little game time – but that just seems like untapped potential to me. Take a Day 3 pick and bank on your staff to coach up this unheralded talent.

5.153: Jonah Elliss, EDGE, Utah

If there’s one thing we know about this Jaguars front office, it’s their determination to find depth and potential to sit behind Josh Allen and Travon Walker. In an ascending AFC South with three exciting, promising quarterbacks on rival rosters, it’s imperative this team gets consistent pressure off the edge.

Baalke swung for Yasir Abdullah last year, but with the departure of K’Lavon Chaisson, I expect him to do the same again this weekend.

As far as designated pass rushers go, it would be hard to look past Jonah Elliss at this juncture. The former Utah defensive star is raw, and likely will need to spend some serious time in the weight room to be on the field on early downs. Whilst he doesn’t have the strength to set the edge, he can be sent after the QB when it’s time to let the rush off the leash – and underestimate his explosion and speed at your peril.

6.212: Jacob Roberts, LB, Wake Forest

At this stage of the draft, we’re happy to have addressed the primary needs on our roster.

Now we can REALLY start to think like Trent Baalke, and acknowledge that he loves taking late round linebackers, tight ends and running backs – regardless of whether the roster needs them or not. Expect these last two selections to scratch that itch.

How about a classic thumper who has Chad Muma levels of production? Jacob Roberts spent most of his college career at North Carolina A&T, before transferring to Wake for his final year. In just 12 games in Winston-Salem, Roberts had 83 tackles, 10 TFL’s, six sacks and two forced fumbles, begging the question why he was overlooked by the FBS in the first place.

I had the pleasure of speaking to Roberts earlier this year, and his mindset seems tailor-made for the Jags GM.

7.236: Rasheen Ali, RB, Marshall

If Baalke does decide to select Rasheen Ali with his seventh round pick on Saturday, you won’t see this writer complaining. The Marshall running back is one of my favorite players in this draft class, a real three-down, do-it-all all ball carrier who carried the Thundering Herd offense on his back the last three years.

There’s some injury concerns with Ali, who missed most of 2022 and also enters draft weekend recovering from a ruptured Achilles suffered at the Senior Bowl – and that might see him still on the board this late in proceedings.

If he makes a full recovery, Ali has the skills to make a mockery of his draft selection. Capable of working in any run scheme and a valuable asset as a pass catcher out of the backfield, he may have to begin life on the practice squad – but has every chance of locking down a roster spot in future seasons.

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