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The Jacksonville Jaguars had a turbulent 2021 season, to say the least. Headlined by the Urban Meyer saga, they finished with a league-worst 3-14 record, coming in last in the AFC South. It was the fourth straight year finishing last in their division, but still a slight step up from the embarrassing 1-15 record they ended on in 2020.
They’ll look to improve on that record next season and return to the playoffs for the first time since 2017. They’ll be rewarded with the No. 1 overall pick for the second straight year, and should be able to add some real depth to their squad with the 12 picks they get in April’s NFL Draft.
2022 Draft Picks
Round 1: No. 1 overall
Round 2: No. 33
Round 3: Nos. 65, 70 (from Panthers)
Round 4: No. 106
Round 5: No. 157 (from Vikings)
Round 6: Nos. 180, 188 (from Seahawks), 197 (from Eagles), 198 (from Steelers)
Round 7: Nos. 222, 235 (from Ravens)
Team needs
Offense
The Jags spent some real money when free agency hit and took care of some of their most dire positions, including adding a franchise tag to left tackle Cam Robinson. They also added WR Christian Kirk who should bring a lot to the lineup and help QB Trevor Lawrence move the ball down the field more efficiently. They could definitely use another young wide receiver to stack the depth chart and develop along with Lawrence. They added 26-year-old Zay Jones to their receiving corps as well, but they could benefit from picking a guy like Georgia WR George Pickens, which would give them plenty of depth and room to grow in the long term.
Defense
One of the Jags’ biggest defensive needs heading into next season is an edge rusher. While they already made several signings before the draft to bolster plenty of positions, edge rusher is one position where they haven’t made a move yet. They could potentially pick someone like Michigan defensive end Aidan Hutchinson at No. 1 overall. Hutchinson barely missed out on the Heisman Trophy in his senior year, finishing second in the voting on the award.
The Jaguars could also use a linebacker after releasing LB Myles Jack, who recently signed with the Steelers. They’ll need to bring in someone who can slot in next to Foyesade Oluokun, so that could easily be a position they’ll look to fill via the draft.
Dream first pick
Aidan Hutchinson, DE, Michigan
With the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, the Jaguars actually can grab their dream first pick as they’ll have all available options open to them. The only question is, which direction do they go with that first pick? It doesn’t make a lot of sense to draft a WR or QB in this slot, but they could easily go for someone like the aforementioned Aidan Hutchinson, who’s coming off a monster senior year in 2021 for Michigan. Hutchinson underwhelmed in the college playoffs last season, but he would fill a spot that the Jaguars are in desperate need of heading into the 2022 season.