A strong regular season came to a crashing halt for the Jacksonville Jaguars. After losing five of their final six games, the Jaguars’ playoff plans ended, despite maintaining the divisional lead for most of the year. The one perk that comes out of the disappointing result is a higher draft pick. This year, the Jaguars can look forward to the 17th pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Ahead of the draft, the Jaguars have important decisions to make regarding wide receiver Calvin Ridley. Jacksonville acquired Ridley in a trade with the Atlanta Falcons, giving up a 2023 fifth-rounder and a 2024 conditional pick for the then-suspended receiver.
Due to Ridley’s playing time, the conditional pick calls for at least a 2024 third-rounder. If they choose to re-sign Ridley, the Jaguars owe the Falcons a second-rounder. Ridley started slow but proved to be an asset as the season went on, recording 1,016 receiving yards and 8 touchdowns on 76 receptions.
Whether they opt to keep Ridley or not, the Jaguars will most likely be on the search for a pass-catcher in the draft. Along with a playmaker in the passing game, Jacksonville will look to boost the offensive line and secondary defense.
No. 17: Keon Coleman
The Jaguars will more than likely use one of their top picks on a wide receiver. With a talented receiving group entering the 2024 draft, Jacksonville could have plenty of options to choose from with the 17th overall pick.
Coleman wouldn’t have to go far if he’s drafted by Doug Pederson and Co. The Florida State receiver was a standout during his time with the Seminoles, collecting 658 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns in 12 outings. With a 6-foot-4 build, Coleman would be an asset in making contested catches deep downfield. The wideout is known to have an impressive yards-after-catch ability that would boost the Jaguars’ offense.
Round 2: Javon Bullard
*If the Jaguars still have this pick, it would mean that they opted not to bring back Ridley, which is a further reason to select a receiver in the first round.
With their second selection, the Jaguars could address secondary defense issues by picking up University of Georgia safety Javon Bullard. The safety was a splash player for the Bulldogs, earning the defensive MVP in the 2022 Peach Bowl and CFP National Championship Game.
Bullard has been commended for a strong football IQ and the ability to lockdown top opponents. This would help the Jaguars’ secondary, which finished in the bottom seven in passing yards allowed per game.
Round 3: Sedrick Van Pran
Trevor Lawrence going down with three straight injuries to end the season was enough proof that the Jaguars could use help in the trenches. With their third-round selection, the Jaguars could pick up a stud offensive lineman, like Georgia’s Sedrick Van Pran. The 6-4, 310-pound center was a consistent force for the Bulldogs.
The Jaguars drafted Luke Fortner with the 64th pick in the 2022 draft, but the center hasn’t made the progress that the team had hoped. By bringing in a promising candidate like Van Pran, Jacksonville could solve this problem.
