While the Jacksonville Jaguars’ defense had its moments early in the 2023 season, the team is still headed into the offseason with plenty of holes on that side of the ball.
Addressing the secondary has been a popular choice for mock draft creators, but additions to the interior defensive line feel equally as urgent.
Despite getting 27.5 sacks from the combination of Josh Allen and Travon Walker, the Jaguars still finished near the bottom of the league in the stat because very little pressure was generated from the interior.
If Jacksonville decides to beef up its defensive trenches, there may not be a better man for the job than Illinois defensive tackle Jer’Zhan “Johnny” Newton. The senior could’ve been an early pick in last year’s draft, but he went back to college for one more try at working his way into the first round. He accomplished his goal.
Should the Jaguars select him with the No. 17 overall pick? Let’s break it down: