2024 NFL draft: Jaguars pick CB Jarrian Jones in third round
Late Friday, Jacksonville selected Florida State cornerback Jarrian Jones with its compensatory, No. 96 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft.
The Jaguars traded their original 2024 third-round pick to Atlanta in a package for wide receiver Calvin Ridley, who now plays for Tennessee. They received the compensatory pick due to offensive tackle Jawaan Taylor’s 2023 free agency signing with Kansas City.
Jones, who spent four years with the Seminoles after signing with Mississippi State out of high school in 2019, joins the Jaguars after accumulating 96 tackles with 7.5 for loss, five interceptions, 12 pass breakups and two fumble recoveries over 55 games and 29 starts in college.
Standing at 5-foot-11 and 7/8-inch (57th percentile among cornerbacks since 1999), 190 pounds (39th percentile), Jones posted a 4.38-second 40-yard dash (89th percentile), 1.53-second 10-yard split (61st percentile), 39 and 1/2-inch vertical jump (86th percentile) and 129-inch broad jump (87th percentile) at the NFL combine.
#Jaguars fans, you got a stud cornerback who can be an ELITE nickel in @JarrianJones.
Rose up draft boards all year, from a dominant senior year at @FSUFootball, consistently impressed at @ShrineBowl week, then ran a sub-4.4 at the Combine
Jones was Jacksonville’s third selection of the 2024 NFL draft, following first-round wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. and second-round defensive lineman Maason Smith, both hailing from LSU.
Jaguars’ remaining 2024 NFL draft picks
Round 4, Pick 114
Round 4, Pick 116 (via New Orleans)
Round 5, Pick 153
Round 5, Pick 167 (via Minnesota)
Round 6, Pick 212
Round 7, Pick 236
This is a breaking news story that will be updated.
Shortly after his second-round selection by Jacksonville, LSU defensive lineman Maason Smith met with Jaguars beat reporters to discuss his NFL draft process and why he believes he’s a fit with the franchise.
Watch Smith’s introductory press conference with reporters below.
Smith indicated that Jacksonville was an ideal landing spot for himself in the draft, citing positive interactions with several Jaguars’ coaches in the process and relationships with multiple staffers dating back to his high school and college days.
“I had a great visit with the defensive coordinator [Ryan Nielsen] and the defensive line coach [Jeremy Garrett]. You know, I actually had a relationship with the defensive line coach when he was at Vanderbilt University when I was coming from high school,” Smith shared.
“So, from the jump of the conversations that we had, they was just real. And for me, I just like to have realness around me, people that’s not going to shy away from telling me what I need to hear instead of what I want to hear. A lot of guys run from that, man, and I run to it.”
Smith highlighted his relationships with Jaguars inside linebackers coach Matt House and Jacksonville’s 2024 first-round pick, Brian Thomas Jr, as well. The trio spent the 2022-23 seasons together at LSU.
Smith was Jacksonville’s first of two Day 2 selections in the 2024 NFL draft, with a third-round compensatory pick to follow, received from former Jaguars offensive tackle Jawaan Taylor’s 2023 free agency signing with Kansas City.
Jacksonville traded its original 2024 third-round pick to Atlanta in a package for wide receiver Calvin Ridley, who now plays for Tennessee.
Jacksonville on Friday night selected its second LSU prospect in as many picks in the 2024 NFL draft, taking Tigers defensive lineman Maason Smith at No. 48 overall.
Jaguars Wire analyzes Jacksonville’s selection of Smith below, reviewing his background, college stats, NFL combine results, projected fit in Jacksonville’s defense and what he said after being picked.
Maason Smith, DL, LSU
Oct 14, 2023; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA; LSU Tigers defensive tackle Maason Smith (0) pressures Auburn Tigers quarterback Payton Thorne (1) during the second quarter at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Hinton-USA TODAY Sports
Background
From Houma (La.) Terrebonne, Smith was a consensus five-star prospect in the 2021 recruiting class. He collected 31 scholarship offers from across the country but signed with the blue-blood program fewer than two hours down the road, LSU.
Smith was the prize of Ed Orgeron’s final recruiting class as the Tigers’ head coach. Appropriately, he took the field in nine games and made four starts as a freshman, tallying 19 tackles including five for loss and four sacks, en route to Freshman All-American and Freshman All-SEC honors.
But the momentum Smith quickly generated in college was derailed at the beginning of the 2022 campaign, as he tore the ACL in his left knee against Florida State in Week 1, after leaping to celebrate a tackle by his teammate. Smith missed the rest of the campaign.
Following a one-game suspension to begin the season, related to a pre-Name, Image and Likeness autograph session, Smith returned to start 12 games at defensive tackle for LSU in 2023. He posted 28 tackles with 4.5 for loss, 2.5 sacks and two defended passes before entering the 2024 NFL draft.
College stats
via LSU Sports and Pro Football Focus
47 tackles
6.5 sacks
9.5 tackles for loss
Two defended passes
39 quarterback pressures
25 defensive stops (tackles that constitute a failed play for the offense)
Career snaps: 596 at defensive tackle, 142 at defensive end/edge rusher, 54 at nose tackle
NFL combine results
via MockDraftable
6-foot-5 and 1/8-inch (93rd percentile)
306 pounds (54th percentile)
35-inch arm length (94th percentile)
84 and 5/8-inches (95th percentile)
Nine-inch hand (fourth percentile)
5.01-second 40-yard dash (70th percentile)
1.75-second 10-yard split (49th percentile)
31-inch vertical jump (71st percentile)
7.62-second three-cone drill (56th percentile)
4.69-second 20-yard shuttle (43rd percentile)
Projected fit
Smith primarily aligned as a three-technique defensive tackle in college and best projects at that position long term, with the size/strength combo and athleticism required to both overpower and outmaneuver interior linemen at the pro level.
But following Arik Armstead’s free agency signing in March, snaps will be limited for Smith at the position during his rookie year. He could offer Armstead a breather by playing in a rotation, but as a second-round pick, Smith is likely to move around to contribute as often as Jacksonville is comfortable with deploying him.
New Jaguars defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen is likely to deploy multiple defensive fronts within his scheme, making Smith a candidate to virtually move across the entire interior, from nose tackle to five-technique.
Quotable
“Man, first and foremost I’m really excited. I feel like for me, honestly, I don’t think it could have ended up any better. Not too far from home, very warm, things I’m very much so used to. I had a great visit with the defensive coordinator [Ryan Nielsen] and the defensive line coach [Jeremy Garrett]. You know, I actually had a relationship with the defensive line coach when he was at Vanderbilt University when I was coming from high school. So, from the jump of the conversations that we had, they was just real. And for me, I just like to have realness around me, people that’s not going to shy away from telling me what I need to hear instead of what I want to hear. A lot of guys run from that, man, and I run to it.
“So, just being able to get that feel from them, them also having a lot of confidence in me and the abilities that I bring to the game. My defensive coordinator’s also there, from this past year, Matt House. That’s my guy, been my guy since he got to LSU. I’m just fortunate enough to be able to be around him. And my dawg B.T. [Jaguars first-round pick Brian Thomas Jr.], man. We’re gonna rock the world man, and we’re going to do what we’ve gotta do.” — defensive lineman Maason Smith on his second-round NFL draft selection by Jacksonville
Breaking: Jaguars take their second LSU Tiger in as many picks, DL Maason Smith, in second round of 2024 NFL draft
The Jaguars selected LSU defensive tackle Maason Smith with the No. 48 pick of the second round in the 2024 NFL draft on Friday evening.
Smith is the second former Tiger Jacksonville picked in as many rounds this year. The Jaguars took LSU wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. with the No. 23 pick in the first round, after trading down with Minnesota from No. 17.
Smith, 6-foot-5 and 1/8-inch, 306 pounds, was a consensus five-star prospect who signed with LSU in the class of 2021, from Houma (La.) Terrebonne.
He spent three seasons with the Tigers, appearing in 22 games with 17 starts and tallying 47 tackles, 6.5 sacks, 9.5 tackles for loss, two defended passes and 39 quarterback pressures, the latter stat provided by Pro Football Focus.
Smith’s 2022 campaign was limited to one game as he tore the ACL in his left knee in Week 1. Before that, he earned Freshman All-Ameria and Freshman All-SEC recognition for his four-sack, five-tackles-for-loss rookie campaign in 2021.
When he returned in 2023, his first season as a weekly starter, Smith recorded 28 tackles including 4.5 for loss and 2.5 sacks.
Smith was one of the tallest and longest defensive linemen at the 2024 NFL combine. His height ranks in the 93rd percentile among defensive tackles since 1999, and his 35-inch arms rank in the 94th percentile, according to MockDraftable.
Smith displayed impressive athleticism at the event too, posting a 5.01-second 40-yard dash (70th percentile), 31-inch vertical jump (71st percentile) and 7.62-second three-cone drill (56th percentile).
In Jacksonville, Smith will likely compete for snaps at nose tackle or defensive end as a rookie following the Jaguars’ free agent signing of Arik Armstead, who primarily projects as a three-technique in defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen’s scheme. Smith mostly aligned at three-tech in college.
Smith has experience at all three positions, though, and reasonably could align at either spot long-term with plus-size and plus-athleticism for an interior trenchman.
A connection of note: Recently-hired Jaguars inside linebackers coach, Matt House, coached Smith at LSU for two seasons. He served as the Tigers’ defensive coordinator/linebackers coach from 2022-23.
Jaguars’ remaining 2024 NFL draft picks
Round 3, Pick 96 (compensatory selection)
Round 4, Pick 114
Round 4, Pick 116 (via New Orleans)
Round 5, Pick 153
Round 5, Pick 167 (via Minnesota)
Round 6, Pick 212
Round 7, Pick 236
This is a breaking news story that will be updated.
Trent Baalke: ‘There’s a chance’ Jaguars trade up on Day 2
Jacksonville has already traded once, down the order, in the early stages of the 2024 NFL draft. Could another move, perhaps this time upward, be in the Jaguars’ near future?
Jaguars general manager Trent Baalke isn’t ruling the possibility out as the second and third rounds of the selection ceremony approach on Friday evening. In fact, he shared that Jacksonville has already begun the legwork on a potential trade-up in the second.
“I mean, we’ve already reached out. There’s a chance we do some things to try to move up,” Baalke revealed on Friday afternoon, although he added there are “no guarantees that that’s going to happen.”
After sliding six spots down to Minnesota’s No. 23 pick, receiving the No. 167 (fifth-round) selection and third and fourth-round slots in 2025, Jacksonville has a total of 17 picks over the next 13 rounds (eight in 2024, nine in 2025) to barter.
The Jaguars took LSU wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. with their delayed first-round selection, leaving the cornerback, edge rusher, defensive line and offensive line positions as needs Jacksonville is expected to address by the end of the draft.
Baalke indicated that the Jaguars aren’t pressed to move up to target a position of need as he believes the board continues to stack up nicely for the club.
But if a trade opportunity presents itself, for the right player at the right value, Jacksonville seemingly intends to pursue it.
“We feel good at the pick we’re at that we’re gonna get a good football player,” Baalke expressed. “So if the opportunity arises and we can move up, we’ll do so. If we stand pat, we’ll do that. And there’s a chance we’ll move back.
“You know, everything’s on the table right now. We feel the board is in good shape, we like a lot of the options that we have in front of us. We’ll just see how the early round goes.”
Day two of the 2024 NFL draft will begin at 7 p.m. ET. The event will be broadcast on ESPN, ABC and NFL Network.
Jaguars exec Tony Khan had a bizarro interview on NFL Network
Tony Khan, Jacksonville Jaguars exec and AEW honcho, has gotten incredible mileage out of his storyline injury Wednesday when “attacked” by the Young Bucks and Jack Perry.
That surreal world odyssey continued to grow on Friday when Mike Garafolo and Steve Wyche interviewed Khan on NFL Network.
The duo tried to keep straight faces as Khan sold his neck injury.
However, they lost it — and almost cut the interview off — when Khan compared AEW to Pepsi and WWE to something untoward.
Garafolo wasn’t about to let the interview conclude without finding out what the prognosis was for Khan or who the Jaguars plan to take in the rest of the 2024 NFL draft.
From NFL Draft Kickoff on @nflnetwork: #Jaguars and @AEW exec Tony Khan joins us to give an update on his condition after taking the brunt of a Tony Khan driver he says he should’ve seen coming. pic.twitter.com/bugAkQ8Ho3
Jaguars first-round WR Brian Thomas Jr. has picked his jersey number, but is eyeing another
It isn’t the first number he had in mind, but at least for now, it’ll do.
Less than 24 hours after his first-round selection by Jacksonville with the No. 23 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft, wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. has chosen the jersey number he’ll wear with the Jaguars.
After donning No. 11 for three years with LSU and in high school, Thomas will sport No. 80 to begin his NFL career. No. 11 currently suits Jaguars wide receiver Parker Washington.
“You know what number I want to wear,” Thomas said, “but as of right now I’m going to be No. 80.”
Jaguars fans can access the pre-order page for Thomas’ jersey here.
Jacksonville traded back from its original No. 17 pick with Minnesota to take Thomas at No. 23, netting a fifth-round (No.167) selection and third and fourth-round slots in 2025 from the Vikings.
Thomas and two LSU teammates, quarterback Jayden Daniels and fellow receiver Malik Nabers, were selected in the first round on Thursday after combining to produce one of the most dynamic offenses college football has seen in recent years in 2023.
Thomas posted single-season career-highs of 68 catches for 1,177 yards and 17 touchdowns on the year, bringing his three-year total with the Tigers to 127 receptions for 1,897 yards and 24 touchdowns over 38 games.
Daniels. the reigning Heisman Trophy winner, went to Washington at No. 2. The New York Giants took Nabers at No. 6.
Stats, facts and fit: New Jaguars WR Brian Thomas Jr.
Despite moving back six spots by trading with Minnesota in the first round, Jacksonville secured its prospect of choice to open the 2024 NFL draft, selecting LSU wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. at No. 23 overall on Thursday night.
The Jaguars netted three picks by sliding down the order, No. 167 in the fifth round and third and fourth-round slots in 2025, and still managed to add a much-needed playmaker for quarterback Trevor Lawrence, despite 16 offensive prospects being plucked before Jacksonville went on the clock.
“He was going to be the pick at 17,” Jaguars general manager Trent Baalke expressed after the first round. “We just felt the way the board looked and where the needs were, the teams in between us, we felt we had a chance. There’s risk, there’s reward.”
Jaguars Wire analyzes Jacksonville’s selection of Thomas below, reviewing his background, college stats, NFL combine results, projected fit in Jacksonville’s offense and what he said after being picked.
Brian Thomas Jr. WR, LSU
Oct 21, 2023; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA; LSU Tigers wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. (11) celebrates a touchdown against Army Black Knights defensive back Cameron Jones (10) during the first quarter at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Hinton-USA TODAY Sports
Background
From Walker, La., just outside Baton Rouge, Thomas grew up a fan of two-time first-team All-Pro receiver Julio Jones, aspiring to model his game after the first-round pick from 2011.
“My favorite wide receiver would have to be Julio Jones, just growing up and watching him do the things that he can do,” Thomas told reporters after his selection by Jacksonville on Thursday night. “I was kind of bigger, so I was trying to model my game after somebody who had my body type.”
Thomas ultimately followed a path similar to Jones’ toward the NFL, emerging as a top-rated recruit in high school and signing to play in the Southeastern Conference for college, but at LSU, right down the road from Walker High School.
Thomas spent three seasons with the Tigers and enjoyed a breakout year in 2023, He paired with 2024 No. 6 overall selection by New York, wide receiver Malik Nabers, to combine for 157 receptions, 2,746 yards and 31 touchdowns on the receiving end of passes from Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback and No. 2 overall pick by Washington, Jayden Daniels.
For his efforts as a junior, Thomas received Third-Team All-American (Associated Press), Second-Team All-SEC (AP and Coaches) and Biletnikoff Award semifinalist recognition, before entering the 2024 NFL draft.
College stats
via LSU Sports and Pro Football Focus
127 receptions
1,897 yards
14.9 yards per reception
24 touchdowns
86-yard long reception
81 first downs
19 receptions on 20+ yard throws
17-of-36 (47.2%) in contested catch situations
13 drops
88% outside, 12% slot receiver
NFL combine results
via MockDraftable
6-foot-2 and 7/8-inch (77th percentile)
209 pounds (67th percentile)
32 and 3/4-inch arm length (72nd percentile)
79 and 5/8-inch wingspan (89th percentile)
4.33-second 40-yard dash (94th percentile)
1.5-second 10-yard split (88th percentile)
38 and 1/2-inch vertical jump (82nd percentile)
126-inch broad jump (79th percentile)
Projected fit
Thomas offers the frame of a prototypical X-receiver and the speed and explosiveness of a Z-receiver or slot. He can continue to develop his play strength, but at nearly 210 pounds, he should already have an advantage over lighter press-coverage cornerbacks in the NFL.
Accordingly, Thomas can be expected to take on multiple roles in Jacksonville’s passing offense. However, he will primarily be viewed as the replacement for Calvin Ridley outside. Ridley left the Jaguars via free agency in March after posting 1,016 yards and eight touchdowns in one season with the club.
Jacksonville will utilize Thomas’ size and long speed to force defenses to respect the boundary and stretch the field vertically to open up underneath routes. He’ll likely pair with Gabe Davis on the opposite side and Christian Kirk in the slot to form the Jaguars’ starting receiver lineup in 2024.
Veterans, two-year Jaguar Zay Jones and free agent signee/return specialist Devin Duvernay, will likely complement the trio.
“Great size. He’s big, tall, has a really good route tree and can run all of the routes,” Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson described Thomas on Thursday. “Definitely, as you’ve seen, he can take the top off.”
Quotable
“It’s a stacked room. Just want to get in there, get to work, learn from the guys and be the best I can be. Going in, working hard, doing the things that I can do best, just go up there, put in the work and see where it takes me.” — Brian Thomas Jr. on joining Jacksonville’s wide receiver corps
‘Element of speed’: Brian Thomas Jr. can open up Jaguars offense
Following a six-spot trade-back with Minnesota in the first round, Jacksonville exited Day 1 of the 2024 NFL draft with one of the class’s top wide receivers, Brian Thomas Jr. from LSU.
Not only is Thomas a proven pass-catcher from the most demanding conference in college football, he’s also an elite athlete, confirmed by his 94th percentile 40-yard dash time among wide receivers (4.33 seconds) and 82nd percentile vertical jump result (38 and 1/2 inches).
Speed and explosiveness stood out to Jacksonville general manager Trent Baalke and head coach Doug Pederson in their evaluation of Thomas, making him an ideal replacement for WR Calvin Ridley, who signed with Tennessee in March.
“You’re adding a skilled receiver, you’re adding depth, you’re adding a guy that has an element of speed that we haven’t had probably since Calvin last year,” Baalke said about Thomas.
“Once we get him in here too and really get our hands on him, get him into the playbook in a couple of weeks and really see how we can use him, I think it can only be a great asset for us on offense to not only open up the field, but I think open up some other elements of the offense.”
Pederson had similar takeaways, emphasizing Thomas’ frame — nearly 6-foot-3 and 209 pounds with plus arm length — and sharpness as a route runner, proven against some of the best competition college football has to offer in the SEC.
Over three seasons and 38 games with the Tigers, Thomas tallied 127 receptions for 1,897 yards (24.9 yards per catch) and 24 touchdowns.
He exploded in his junior season with Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels at quarterback, hauling in 68 catches for 1,177 yards (17.3 yards per reception) and 17 touchdowns in 2023.
“Great size, great size. He’s big, tall, has a really good route tree and can run all of the routes. Definitely, as you’ve seen, he can take the top off,” Pederson said.
“He’s going to see some different coverages too, he’s going to see a little bit better secondary guys. The SEC has good coverage guys, but he was going to see more defenses, different defenses. Those are things, as coaches, we will scheme up for him.”
Jacksonville has prioritized upgrading its wide receiving corps this offseason, even before Ridley’s exit. It agreed to terms with former Buffalo WR Gabe Davis and former Baltimore WR and return specialist Devin Duvernay during March’s legal tampering period, before Ridley surprisingly signed with Tennessee.
With veterans Christian Kirk and Zay Jones, the quintet appears poised to offer quarterback Trevor Lawrence the deepest wide receiver room he’s had.
Thomas is excited to infuse his talent into the group.
“Just my ability to use my speed, be able to get open, create space on defenders. I would say that’s just a big role in how I play,” Thomas said of his playing style. “I’m just happy to be a part of the Jacksonville Jaguars and just ready to get going.”
Projecting the Jaguars’ selections on day two of the 2024 NFL draft
Round one of the 2024 NFL draft is in the books, with Jacksonville moving down the order and netting picks this year and next, yet ultimately selecting the prospect it claimed was the choice all along on Thursday night, wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. from LSU.
“He was going to be the pick at 17,” Jaguars general manager Trent Baalke said after the first round.
“We just felt the way the board looked and where the needs were, the teams in between us, we felt we had a chance. There’s risk, there’s reward. You make the move back, but we felt we were going to get a really good football player that we had high on our board with the move back. Fortunate that Brian was still there.”
Moving forward, the Jaguars have eight selections over the draft’s remaining six rounds, including picks No. 48 in the second round and No. 96 in the third round on Friday.
Additionally, the trade Jacksonville completed with Minnesota on Thursday strengthened the Jaguars’ arsenal of 2025 picks to nine, including six between rounds one through four. The club could use present and future picks as chips for a potential trade-up over the next 36 hours.
Jaguars Wire projects Jacksonville’s approach to its day two selections below.
Jaguars Wire used the Pro Football Focus mock draft simulator for this exercise, with all slider settings median.
Alabama defensive back Kool-Aid McKinstry (1) gestures in celebration after Tennessee failed to convert a 4th down in the fourth quarter of a football game between Tennessee and Alabama at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala., on Saturday, Oct. 21, 2023.
Atlanta receives: No. 48 overall (second round), No. 116 (fourth round, via New Orleans)
A bigger move-up was considered here as Buffalo took cornerback Cooper DeJean with the first pick of the second round.
But with the run on wide receivers continuing into the 30s, pushing the next defensive back selection to No. 42 (Houston: safety Tyler Nubin), Jacksonville was fortunate to see another respected prospect slip outside their pre-draft projected range and didn’t rush a move in this scenario.
Still available at pick No. 43, Jacksonville trades with Atlanta — arguably in need of more picks after spending its first on a quarterback who probably won’t start until 2026 — to hop cornerback-needy Las Vegas (No. 44) and Indianapolis (No. 46) and take Alabama’s Kool-Aid McKinstry.
The 5-foot-11 and 1/2-inch, 199-pound McKinstry is considered one of if not the best man coverage cornerback in this draft class, making it surprising that he fell out of the first round. His average athletic testing results while running on a Jones fracture in his right foot at Alabama’s pro day could have played a factor.
Still, McKinstry proved dominant against opposing receivers throughout his college career. He started a game by Week 2 of his freshman year and several more before it was over, defended 16 passes as a sophomore and allowed 40+ receiving yards in a game just twice as a junior.
In total, McKinstry tallied 92 tackles, two sacks, five tackles for loss, two interceptions and 25 passes defended over 42 games and three seasons with the Crimson Tide. He allowed 47.9% (70-of-146) of his career targets in coverage to be caught, per PFF.
With 35 punts returned, 418 punt return yards and 11.9 yards per punt return on his résumé from Alabama, McKinstry could reasonably fill the NFL’s recently-instituted second return specialist position for Jacksonville.
Round 3, Pick No. 96 (compensatory pick): Michael Hall Jr., DL, Ohio State
Oct 8, 2022; East Lansing, Michigan, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes defensive tackle Michael Hall Jr. (51) sacks Michigan State Spartans quarterback Payton Thorne (10) in the second quarter of the NCAA Division I football game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and Michigan State Spartans at Spartan Stadium.
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The Jaguars held onto the cornerstone of their defense by giving edge rusher Josh Allen a five-year extension earlier in April and solidified their interior defensive line by signing veteran Arik Armstead in free agency the month before.
But Jacksonville’s defensive trenches remain in need of depth reinforcements and potential long-term starters. Four interior linemen, including Armstead, will play the 2024 season at 30+ years old.
Enter Michael Hall Jr. from Ohio State, who Jacksonville snags here with plenty of tread on his tires. A redshirt season in 2021 and lingering injuries in 2022 limited Hall to 301 defensive snaps over his first two seasons, before starting in seven of 12 appearances in 2023.
In those three years, over 714 snaps, Hall recorded 45 tackles including 10 for loss, six sacks, one fumble recovery and 48 quarterback pressures, the latter stat via PFF. His 7.5 tackles for loss in 2022 led the Buckeyes, despite his lack of consistent playing time that season.
Hall presents a unique frame — 6-foot-2 and 3/4-inch, 290 pounds — making him a tweener defensive line prospect, likely to split time between strong-side defensive end and three-technique defensive tackle.
No matter how you look at Hall positionally, he possesses an above-average wingspan and arm length for a defensive line prospect, which is certain to catch Baalke’s eye. 13 of the 17 defensive line prospects he’s drafted in his career as a general manager have had 33+ inch arms; Hall’s are 33 and 1/2-inch.
