We are less than 30 minutes away from draft day, a moment Jacksonville Jaguars fans have been anticipating since mid-way through the regular season. As we’ve mentioned on multiple occasions this draft class could be monumental for the Jags as they have 12 picks in the event, good for the second-most in the NFL.
Of course, there will be some shocking things that occur throughout the process and the Jags could benefit from the chaos that takes place in the top-8 selections ahead of them. That’s exactly what happened in Pete Prisco’s latest draft, which allowed Ohio State’s Jeff Okudah to land in their lap for the ninth overall pick.
9. Jacksonville Jaguars – Jeff Okudah, CB, Ohio State
They land a top corner in this spot without moving, which would be outstanding for their defense. They could play with what they have now and take another position, but he is too good to pass up.
If Okudah is there, general manager Dave Caldwell should do backflips in his home theater that was converted into a war room this month as it feels very unlikely. If Okudah does take a slide, a more likely scenario may be the Jags trading up for him and acquiring the best cornerback prospect since their 2016 selection, Jalen Ramsey.
The craziness continued when the Jags were on the clock for pick No. 20 in Prisco’s mock as they made a shocking selection for another defensive back.
20. Jacksonville Jaguars – Jeremy Chinn, S, Southern Illinois
He is a 220-pound safety who can fly. Scouts rave about this kid and his chances to be special. The level of competition is a concern, but he played well in games against better competition.
This is another hard scenario to envision happening as the Jags like to select players who’ve played in the elite conferences of college football. While Chinn is a freakish talent, the Jags can possibly get him in the second-round or simply take another safety at pick No. 42 or in the third-round, which are hot spots for the position. If they feel he won’t be available for pick No. 42, they also have the ammo to move up in the second-round if they feel that strongly about the Southern Illinois product.