The 2025 NFL Draft kicks off on Thursday, April 24, and the Jacksonville Jaguars own the fifth overall pick. It’s been a roller coaster since drafting Trevor Lawrence No. 1 in 2021. They stumbled to a 3-14 record after the disastrous hiring of Urban Meyer in his rookie year. Doug Pederson brought stability with back-to-back 9-8 seasons, then cratered to 4-13 and got the boot. Now, Liam Coen arrives to right the ship in Duval to get his franchise quarterback back on track. An important step comes with the No. 5 pick this Thursday
Trade Odds: Low
There may be a lot of movement in the top 10 of the draft, but I’d be surprised if the Jaguars opt to move around. Jacksonville owns all of its picks in all seven rounds. On top of that, the Jags have third and fourth round selections from the Minnesota Vikings and a sixth from the Seattle Seahawks. Five of the top 107 picks are a kick-start to a rebuild. Perhaps they’d look to trade up for the right player and spend some of their extra capital, but with needs up and down the roster, I think they stand pat.
The Pick: WR Tetairoa McMillan
On the DraftKings Sportsbook, Tetairoa McMillan has the third-highest odds to be selected here at +450. He comes in behind Ashton Jeanty at -125 and Mason Graham at +220. Both fit needs and have star talent, to be sure. My gut feeling is that the Jaguars need an identity and can form one here.
They already have a strong offensive line, which takes them out of the running for the elite tackles. Quarterback is set. Edge rusher is set. Cornerback is their glaring skill position need, but No. 5 may be too rich for Michigan CB Will Johnson. Running back does make sense, but Tank Bigsby showed some potency in the backfield last year.
Brian Thomas Jr. looks like a steal from the get-go and a surefire No. 1 option. Adding another elite receiving option to make life easier for Trevor Lawrence would help establish an identity. A young star duo at receiver on their rookie deals goes a long way towards freeing up cap space and allocating resources elsewhere, like at running back and on the defensive interior.
