It’s been a week since the 2020 NFL Draft concluded for the Jacksonville Jaguars and the league in general. In the process, the team made all 12 of their selections (to the surprise of many) and were able to land some phenomenal athletes to the roster.
While the draft’s conclusion will allow fans to now focus on offseason workouts and training camp for their respective teams, our hard-working friends at Draft Wire moved right on to the 2021 draft. Why you ask? Well, because it’s never too early to start looking ahead.
Using the latest Super Bowl odds from BetMGM to determine the draft order, they have the Jags taking Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields second overall. Afterward, with the first-round pick they received from the Los Angeles Rams, the Jags once again went with a cornerback by selecting Stanford’s Paulson Adebo to pair with C.J. Henderson.
The Jags being slotted Fields is no surprise as it will be a routine thing despite there being a chance Gardner Minshew II could pan out. Many of the nation’s draft pundits feel as though Jags fans and the organization need “that guy” at quarterback, and if the Jags end up being second in next year’s draft order, that could mean Minshew or the offense didn’t fare too well.
As for Fields, there is a lot to like about him as a prospect. At 6-foot-3, 223 pounds, he can do it all from dissecting teams from the pocket or using his feet. He proved to be very accurate and took care of the ball in 2019 finishing the season 238-of-354 (67.2%) for 3,273 passing yards, 41 touchdowns and just three picks.
Adebo is a player our own Daniel Griffis did a breakdown on as he was eligible to enter 2020’s draft. In the breakdown, he praised Adebo’s length (at 6-foot-1, 190 pounds), ball skills (he was a former receiver), and athleticism, all of which are traits the Jags proved they liked with last week’s selections.
Of course, by targeting a cornerback early next year, it would mean that Tre Herndon didn’t pan out as many had hoped, but like Minshew, he shouldn’t be discounted. After all, he showed a great deal of growth while starting in 14 games for the Jags in 2019 as Jalen Ramsey was traded and A.J. Bouye dealt with injuries. That said, fans should watch him with a close eye this upcoming season as he could take another step in the right direction and solidifying himself alongside Henderson.