Early 2021 NFL Mock Draft Projects Franchise Quarterback, Left Tackle to Jaguars

Let’s start with one point: it’s far too early to put too much stock into mock blanks. This statement will be just as true in January as it is today. But even if this fact remains, mock drafts are still an interesting exercise to consider because they can help paint a picture of possible scenarios that might play out in future drafts.

The start of the 2021 NFL Draft is over six months away, but as most fans gear up for the 2020 season and reflect on their club’s final draft class, teams are already gearing up for the Draft. ‘next year.

For the second year in a row, the Jacksonville Jaguars will be a major player in the first round of the draft. Thanks to the trade that sent All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey to the Los Angeles Rams, the Jaguars have two first-round picks in 2021, giving them a lot of flexibility in the first round.

Jacksonville left the first round of 2020 with two sports defensemen in cornerback CJ Henderson (No.9 overall) and defensive / away linebacker K’Lavon Chaisson (No.20 overall), but the team didn’t selected only one offensive player with his first four. choice.

With the Jaguars having used most of their top picks on defense in recent years, could they double in the first round again in 2021, but this time on offense? The latest project simulation project from The Draft Wire believes so.

In a mockup written by Jacob Infante, the Jaguars were to use each of their first-round picks on offense, with the first pick being Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields in second overall. Fields would be the most drafted quarterback in the team’s history in that scenario, beating former No. 3 overall pick Blake Bortles.

Jacksonville found surprisingly solid play from sixth-round rookie Gardner Minshew in 2019, but if they end up getting the chance to take a quarterback with a higher cap, they likely will. The natural talent of the arm Fields’ reliable mechanics and dual threat capabilities make him an attractive target near the start of the first round, ”Infante wrote.

Just as the Dolphins were tied to Tua Tagovailoa for most of 2019, expect the Jaguars to be mentioned in the same breath as Fields or star college quarterback Trevor Lawrence for most of 2020. Jaguars have Gardner Minshew II as a starter, with Josh Dobbs, Mike Glennon and Jake Luton as replacements, but most outside of Jacksonville are skeptical Minshew can take the job long term. In Jacksonville, however, Minshew will receive all the support and opportunities he needs for 2020.

Minshew had a strong rookie season after the Jaguars selected him in the sixth round of the 2019 NFL Draft, completing 60.64% of his passes for 3,271 yards, 21 touchdowns and six interceptions while compiling a record 6- 6 as a starter. It is still far from certain that he can be “the man” for the Jaguars in 2020 and beyond, as he has yet to prove himself in this regard, although it looks like he will have every opportunity. to do.

In the event the Jaguars pick second place overall, it’s hard to see the team not picking a quarterback, although Oregon offensive tackle Penei Sewell could be a tempting option if the Jaguars are to. stand by Minshew’s side. The main reason a quarterback would make sense for the Jaguars in this scenario is the fact that having the second-worst league record in the league would likely bring a new head coach and / or general manager to Jacksonville. Most regimes prefer to do resets with ‘their guys’ at the quarterback, so it wouldn’t be guaranteed that Minshew would see the field again in 2021 in this event.

But if Minshew plays well enough, and if enough things go in the direction of the Jaguars, the Jaguars won’t just need a quarterback like Fields, but they won’t be able to select him anyway due to ‘a lower draft window.

With Jacksonville’s second pick, The Draft Wire opted to give them Alabama left tackle Alex Leatherwood, who was projected by most as a first round in 2020 before returning to school.

The left tackle will likely be at the top of Jacksonville’s priorities in 2021 if current left tackles Cam Robinson and Will Richardson don’t prove to be long-term answers to the post. Robinson was solid as a rookie but tore his ACL in early 2018, derailing his development as a protector of the Jacksonville blind side. He came back for 14 games last season, but there have been frequent spells of bad play and penalty-laden outings.

As for Richardson, he has only played two games in his career at left tackle. The third-year pro will go full-time blind in 2020, but there’s still a chance the Jaguars will make a serious investment in the next offseason position.

Leatherwood himself is a monster of a man who has spent time as both left tackle and right guard, which gives him a lot of flexibility as he moves into the NFL. The 6-foot-6, 310-pound Leatherwood spent 2018 on guard before moving to full-time left tackle in 2019 to replace Jonah Williams, but he also spent time tackling in place of an injured Williams in as a recruit. 2017 and was very impressed.