Jacksonville has had to trade away several talented players in recent years who could’ve been solid long-term pieces. Though that has certainly helped put the franchise in the hole it’s in now, at least it resulted in lots of draft capital as the team attempts to undergo a rebuild with a new general manager, head coach, and (likely) franchise quarterback.
Assuming the Jaguars invest the first overall pick in Trevor Lawrence, the next order of business will be building around him. They got a nice start in free agency, making several value signings that build up the team’s depth. But Jacksonville has 10 picks in this upcoming draft, and with its five picks in the top 100, it’s tied with the Miami Dolphins and New York Jets for the most in the draft.
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In addition to the first pick, the Jags have another first-round pick at No. 25 by virtue of the Jalen Ramsey trade with Los Angeles. The Jaguars also have an extra second-round pick at No. 45 from the trade with the Minnesota Vikings involving Yannick Ngakoue.
Further, the team has two picks in the fourth round (also from the Ramsey trade) and in the fifth (from the Ronnie Harrison trade with Cleveland). The Jaguars initially had 11 picks in this draft, but they shopped their original seventh-round selection to the Saints for defensive tackle Malcom Brown, though they received a seventh from Tennessee in a rare divisional trade involving linebacker Kamalei Correa, who they later released.
The team may add another pick in this draft, as it’s rumored to be receiving interest for quarterback Gardner Minshew. Though Minshew will likely be on a different roster next season, it remains to be seen if that move will potentially occur before the draft. Coach Urban Meyer has said the team is not shopping Minshew “at this point.”