Jacksonville Jaguars NFL Draft Preview: Gardner Minshew, Cemented As Starter, Needs Support

The Jaguars finished the 2019 season in an offensive funk, ranking 26^th in the league with an average of 18.8 points per game. They also struggled with their red-zone touchdown percentage (40.43), finishing 31^st in that important category.

The team began to address its offensive needs by bringing in new offensive coordinator Jay Gruden along with quarterbacks coach Ben McAdoo. Both men are offensive-minded and should help guide second-year quarterback Gardner Minshew to convert the team’s scoring opportunities. Next, the Jaguars need to find some offensive weapons on the field to support Minshew.

The Jaguars will likely draft several defensive players to fill the voids left by the departures of cornerback A.J. Bouye and defensive ends Calais Campbell and Marcell Dareus. They may also need to find a replacement for disgruntled defensive end Yannick Ngkoue, who received the Jaguars’ franchise tag and could decide to sit out the year or could be traded. 

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Team Needs 

The Jaguars’ priority should be to find targets for Minshew and to protect him. Jacksonville has 12 picks in the 2020 NFL draft, including seven picks in the first four rounds (1-9, 1-20, 2-42, 3-73, 4-116, 4-137, 4-140, 5-157, 5-165, 6-189, 6-206, 7-223). 

The team traded ninth-year quarterback Nick Foles and his hefty contract to the Bears in exchange for a 2020 fourth-round draft selection (140^th overall). Jacksonville had committed $88 million in signing the former Super Bowl MVP to a four-year deal in March of 2019, according to Spotrac.com. When the veteran suffered a broken left clavicle in the season opener and failed to earn a win when he returned to action, the team turned to Minshew instead. The trade allows the second-year quarterback to move into the starting role for 2020.

Minshew, selected out of Washington State in the sixth round (178^th overall), was the sleeper pick in the team’s impressive 2019 draft class. Minshew’s affordable contract certainly gives the team financial flexibility. He inked a four-year rookie contract worth $2,710,884 that included a $190,884 signing bonus, $190,884 guaranteed and an average annual salary of $677,721, according to Spotrac.com. This season, he is due to earn a base salary of $675,000 while carrying a cap hit of $722,721 and a dead cap value of $143,163, also per Spotrac.com.

For Minshew to be successful in a starting role, there need to be some targets in addition to his favorite wide receiver DJ Chark Jr. While the receiving corps offered glimpses of production in 2019, this is an area that Jacksonville could beef up to improve its offense in 2020. 

The Jaguars will also need to address their losses on the defensive side of the ball. The team traded Campbell, a captain, to the Ravens for a fifth-round draft pick (157^th overall) and Bouye to the Broncos for a fourth-round selection (137^th overall). In addition to gaining draft capital, the team also created cap space flexibility. According to Spotrac.com, the Jaguars cleared $2.5 million in cap space from Campbell’s contract and an additional $4 million from Bouye’s deal.

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First-Round Targets

The Jaguars have two first-round picks, at No. 9 and No. 20. Ideally, the team will add players who will help bolster the offense for Minshew. The first target could be wide receiver Jerry Jeudy, an Alabama standout who brings game-breaking speed to the game and would be a terrific target for the sophomore quarterback. He hails from South Florida and has grown up rubbing elbows with the likes of Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson and Falcons wide receiver Calvin Ridley. Jeudy would love to follow the path that Ridley took from being a top receiver at Alabama to making a smooth transition to the NFL. Jeudy told NFL.com it is more important for him to find “the right system” than being the top wide receiver drafted. According to Spotrac.com, the projected cap hit for the Jaguars’ first pick at No. 9 is $3,822,949. 

The next area to focus on in Jacksonville is the offensive line. The Jaguars have the 20^th pick in the draft (from the Los Angeles Rams) as a result of the Jalen Ramsey trade last October. Here, the Jaguars could add a player such as USC offensive tackle Austin Jackson. He hails from a professional-caliber college environment and could transition nicely to Jacksonville. Spotrac.com projects $2,480,292 being allocated to the Jaguars’ No. 20 pick. 

Later-Round Targets

In addition to their two picks in the first round, the Jaguars will have ten picks, and five of them are in the first four rounds. This is where the team will search to find impact players as it did a year ago, drafting offensive lineman Jawaan Taylor in the second round (35^th overall). 

The team will also aim to beef up its defense in the later rounds. Taylor’s former Florida teammate C.J. Henderson would be a terrific choice if he is still on the board in the second round. The knock on Henderson has been his habit of making mental miscues, which could be a reason he would be available to the Jaguars in the second round. Auburn cornerback Noah Igbinoghene could also be a solid addition to improve the Jaguars’ defense. 

If Georgia quarterback Jake Fromm is available, the Jaguars could select him. While the Jaguars have committed to Minshew as the starter, it’s always a good idea to have a reliable backup plan, as we saw last season with Foles’ early-season injury. Fromm could be a good fit for the quarterbacks’ room, which also includes former Tennessee standout Josh Dobbs.  

Best-Case Scenario 

The Jaguars are loaded with draft picks that could significantly affect the direction the team goes in. With an improved offensive line and some weapons to complement running back Leonard Fournette, the Jaguars’ offense should be much improved. Jacksonville has had a history of being stingy on the defensive side of the ball, but some key members of the defense have departed. In order for Jacksonville to get back on track and compete, both sides of the ball need to be strengthened with this draft. If the team adds impact players as it did a year ago, Jacksonville just could surprise opponents in 2020.