Seemingly nothing went right for the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2024. Now, after a 4-13 record, Doug Pederson is paying the price, leading to a full coaching search in Duval.
But this may not just be an issue with coaching. General manager Trent Baalke needs to replenish the Jaguars’ roster with more talent on both sides of the ball. However, boasting the fifth overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft should help.
Yet, with so many needs to fill, what should the Jaguars focus on in this year’s NFL Draft? One analyst recently broke down where the Jaguars’ priorities should lie.
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Jacksonville Jaguars urged to draft a top cornerback or another versatile Georgia defender
In some ways, the Jacksonville Jaguars are in a good spot since they don’t need a new franchise quarterback. Current projections have two QBs being selected before the Jaguars are on the clock with the fifth overall pick. This means one of the other top prospects could fall right into the team’s laps.
Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer speculated on one of them being Michigan’s Will Johnson, who’s viewed as the best pure cornerback prospect in the draft class (not counting two-way superstar Travis Hunter). However, he also suggested another scenario that has Jacksonville getting their own version of a Micah Parsons-like versatile linebacker who can do it all at a moment’s notice.
“The Jacksonville Jaguars certainly could use someone like Johnson on defense, depending on who their next coach is. Or, if they aren’t scared off on Georgia defenders after taking Travon Walker with the No. 1 pick in 2022, they could look at the Bulldogs’ version of Micah Parsons, Jalon Walker.”
SI’s Albert Breer on Jacksonville Jaguars
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Jalon Walker likely isn’t the pure pass rusher that Parsons is. After all, comparing any prospect to one of the NFL’s best players feels like a risky move.
However, Walker is known for his ability to play multiple positions, like Parsons, who entered the NFL as a linebacker before switching to what’s mostly become a pass-rusher that’s constantly moving around.
Walker’s time at Georgia was pretty evenly split in 2024, seeing 197 snaps as a pass rusher, 249 as a run defender, and 176 more in coverage. With the Jaguars needing help in all three areas, he would seemingly be a good fit unless, as Breer said, they have some preconceived notions about selecting another athletic yet raw Georgia defender with a top draft pick.
Still, it’s hard not to see Walker’s skill-set and imagine how he could help the Jaguars for years to come. He might even end up being one of, if not the best, player in the draft class. Of course, he may also never live up to his potential, like many other draft picks before him.
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