From Tony Boselli to Brian Thomas Jr., a look at Jacksonville Jaguars' 30-year draft history

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From Tony Boselli to Brian Thomas Jr., a look at Jacksonville Jaguars' 30-year draft history

Gene Frenette, Jacksonville Florida Times-Union · The Florida Times-Union

Thu, Apr 17, 2025 ·

23 min read

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Over 30 years, the Jacksonville Jaguars have made 254 picks in the NFL Draft, some being classic busts and others blossoming into massive difference-makers, including a Hall of Famer right out of the gate.

Here's a look back at all the good, the bad, the ugly and other interesting anecdotes from those drafts in these 30 things about the Jaguars ' draft history:

1. First-round home runs

Two of the team's first four first-round selections ended up being the greatest players in Jaguars history. Offensive tackle Tony Boselli from USC, the first pick in the inaugural 1995 draft and second overall, is the team's only three-time, first-team All-Pro and Pro Football Hall of Fame member.

Running back Fred Taylor, the ninth overall selection from Florida in 1998, played nine seasons in Jacksonville and rushed for 11,695 yards in an 11-year career that puts him 17th on the all-time rushing list. He is a two-time HOF finalist.

Defensive tackle produced a three-time Pro Bowl starter in Marcus Stroud (2001, No. 13 pick) and a two-time Pro Bowler the following year in John Henderson (2002, No. 9 pick). Another standout defensive lineman, Josh Hines-Allen (No. 7, 2019), is two sacks shy of the Jaguars' record of 55 held by Tony Brackens. It's too early to call him a home run, but Hines-Allen's sidekick Travon Walker , the No. 1 overall pick in 2022, is trending upward.

Tight end Marcedes Lewis (2006, No. 29), one of the most durable players in NFL history, played 12 seasons with the Jaguars, catching 375 passes for 4,502 yards and 33 TDs. He made the Pro Bowl in 2010 and also earned a reputation as one of the league's most devastating blockers.

He hopes to play a 20th season in 2025 and already holds the NFL record for games played among tight ends (285).

2. First-round disappointments

Unfortunately, this list among 35 first-round picks is much longer than the home runs.

Wide receiver R. Jay Soward, the No. 29 pick in 2000, was the first big-time bust in Jaguars history. Soward was incredibly immature, drank too much and had to be constantly coddled during the Tom Coughlin regime just to get him to practice and understand personal responsibility. He played in only 13 games and caught one TD pass, ironically against Hall of Fame cornerback Deion Sanders.

Two top-10 picks at receiver, Reggie Williams (2004, No. 9) and Justin Blackmon (2012, No. 5) also saw their careers end prematurely. Williams had one decent season in five years with the Jaguars, catching 10 TDs in 2006, and never played in the NFL after 2008.

Blackmon showed flashes of brilliance in his rookie season, but could never overcome substance abuse issues. That included at least two arrests for DUI, which got him an NFL suspension as he struggled to complete recovery programs and never returned to the league after his abbreviated second season.

April 27, 2012: (L-R) Jaguars General Manager Gene Smith, Justin Blackmon, Shad Khan and head coach Mike Mularkey pose for a photo with Blackmon's Draft jersey. The Jacksonville Jaguars' 1st round draft pick, WR Justin Blackmon arrived in Jacksonville, FL at EverBank Field with his family to visit his new professional home. On Friday April 27, 2012 he toured the stadium and held a press conference for the local media. (The Florida Times-Union, Bob Mack)

Defensive end Derrick Harvey (2008, No. 8) stands out as a top bust contender because the Jaguars traded up 18 spots in the draft, forfeiting their first-rounder (No. 26), plus a third-round and fourth-round pick to acquire him. First, he set the team rookie record for the longest contract holdout (38 days), then lasted just three seasons in Jacksonville with eight sacks and was out of the NFL after the 2011 season.

Quarterback Blaine Gabbert , selected with the 10th pick in 2011, only played three years with the Jaguars, compiling a 5-22 record as a starter and spent another decade as somebody's backup.

Offensive tackle Luke Joeckel (2013, No. 2) started just 39 games in four seasons with the Jaguars before they let him walk away for one more forgotten year in Seattle.

Cornerback C.J. Henderson (2020, No. 9) was traded to the Carolina Panthers early in his second season. Defensive end K'Lavon Chaisson (2020, No. 20) started only 11 games in four years, accumulating five sacks. Taven Bryan (2018, No. 29) made 17 starts in four years and never had much of an impact.

It's quite a horserace trying to gauge which one of these disappointments was the greatest underachiever.

3. Oh, what could have been

By most statistical measures, the 1999 Jaguars, who went to the AFC title game and lost only to the Tennessee Titans that season, is the best team in franchise history. But it could have been so much better with some different decisions in the 1995-97 drafts.

The Jaguars passed on a half-dozen eventual Hall of Fame players. In 1995, after taking Boselli, the Jaguars moved up from the No. 31 pick to No. 19 to take running back James Stewart.

Four picks later, future HOF cornerback Ty Law went to the New England Patriots and linebacker Derrick Brooks went to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at No. 27.

The following year, after the Jaguars took linebacker Kevin Hardy at No. 2 overall, the Indianapolis Colts grabbed WR Marvin Harrison at No. 19 and the Baltimore Ravens chose LB Ray Lewis at No. 26.

In the next round, after the Jaguars selected center Michael Cheever, the next pick was safety Brian Dawkins, a Raines High product, to the Philadelphia Eagles . All three of those other picks won a Super Bowl and went to the HOF.

In 1997, the Jaguars took bust cornerback Mike Logan in the second round (No. 50 overall). Two Hall of Famers, CB Rhonde Barber and DE Jason Taylor, were selected in the third round.

Can you imagine how good the '99 Jaguars would have been having just one or two of those Hall of Famers on that roster?

4. Coolest nicknames

Since the J-Smooth monicker for five-time Pro Bowl receiver Jimmy Smith, who came to the Jaguars as a free agent, is ineligible, that leaves a toss-up between a 1997 fifth-round draft pick from Southern Illinois and a 2009 third-round pick from Temple as the top choices.

Tight end Damon Jones, who caught 41 passes for 550 yards and 11 touchdowns in five seasons (1997-2001) as a backup, was known as "The Big Sofa." He got the nickname from the team's receiving corps because he liked to relax on a sofa in the players' lounge.

Terrance Knighton, taken one pick before Cox at No. 72 overall in 2009, had the memorable nickname of "Pot Roast," but not because he struggled with weight issues.

During a cross-country team flight his rookie season, Knighton raised his hand when an attendant was bringing the pot roast dinner he ordered. Behind him, veteran linebacker Clint Ingram declared that "Pot Roast" would become his nickname and it stuck the rest of his career.

On the field, the 6-foot-3, 321-pound Knighton became a credible force in the defensive interior during his four-year run with the Jaguars.

Honorable mention on the nickname front to RB Dennard Robinson (2013, round 5), also known as "Shoelace."

5. Britton's laughable boast

After the Jaguars made Eben Britton their second-round pick in 2009, he went on a conference call with the local media and was obviously miffed over not being selected in the first round.

It sounded like Britton might have had a libation or two because instead of going the humility route, the offensive tackle from Arizona gave the media a stunning quote.

He addressed his later-than-expected selection this way, saying: "I'm gonna work my ass off for the Jacksonville Jaguars and people are going to regret [not taking me sooner]. Secondly, I'm gonna be the greatest offensive tackle to ever play this game."

That last part caught everybody's attention. Britton, who battled a herniated disc and torn labrum in his career, never became a G.O.A.T. tackle. He made 30 starts in four years with the Jaguars, then finished up the next two seasons as mostly a backup with the Chicago Bears .

6. Drafts from hell

Jaguars fans can probably rattle off a lot of nightmare drafts in the team's history, but the 2008, '11 and '20 drafts leap off the page.

Pass-rushers Harvey and Quentin Groves were the first-round and second-round selections in '08, but only combined for 10.5 sacks and five seasons in Jacksonville. The other three third-day draft picks — linebackers Thomas Williams and Trae Williams and running back Chauncey Washington — were either released in preseason or after their rookie years.

The Jaguars didn't make the most out of a five-player draft in '11 either, highlighted by the first-round bust of Gabbert, while second-round offensive lineman Will Rackley was impacted by injuries and played only parts of two seasons.

Fourth-round pick Cecil Shorts , a receiver from Mount Union, was the only saving grace in that draft. He played four seasons and had his best year in 2012 with 55 catches for 979 yards and seven TDs.

Despite a dozen picks in the '20 draft, including seven in the first four rounds, the Jaguars barely got any mileage out of them. First-rounders Henderson and Chaisson were busts, and second-round pick Laviska Shenault was traded to the Carolina Panthers after two decent seasons.

The only players still on the Jaguars roster from that draft are defensive tackle DaVon Hamilton and special-teams core player Daniel Thomas .

7. QB choices mostly struggle

The Jaguars have drafted 11 quarterbacks in their history, most of whom delivered so-so results or nothing at all.

Two of four first-round selections, Gabbert and Blake Bortles (2014, No. 3), were underachievers on varying levels and had a combined record of 29-71 as starters.

May 8, 2014; New York, NY, USA; Blake Bortles (Central Florida) poses for a photo with Roger Goodell after being selected as the number three overall pick in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft to the Jacksonville Jaguars at Radio City Music Hall. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

David Garrard (2002, Round 4) and Byron Leftwich (2003, Round 1) engaged in a tight battle for the starting job over a three-year period, which Garrard won out and stayed five seasons after Leftwich was cut prior to the 2007 season. Both had pockets of success, with Garrard having slightly better numbers in won-loss record (39-37), TD-interception ratio (89-54) and QB rating (85.8) than anybody else the Jaguars have drafted.

While the production of 2021 No. 1 overall pick Trevor Lawrence has been up-and-down over four seasons, the 25-year-old QB still has plenty of time to ascend and become the best in team history at the position.

8. Special teams upside

While the Jaguars have made their share of draft mistakes, their batting average in selecting kickers and punters has been stellar.

Three of the seven players taken proved to be viable solutions at those positions — kicker Josh Scobee (2004, round 5) and punters Logan Cooke (2018, round 7) and Bryan Anger (2012, round 3). Current kicker Cam Little (2024, round 7) is also off to a promising start after converting 27 of 29 field goal attempts and all 27 PATs.

9. Third-day value

Since the NFL draft became a three-day affair in 2010, the Jaguars have had 71 picks on Saturday, but need to do a better job of acquiring more productive players in the later rounds.

Outside of punter Cooke and kicker Little, only five third-day selections in 15 drafts have seen a reasonable amount of playing time as starters. None were more impactful than linebacker Telvin Smith (2014, round 5), who started 69 games in five years, collecting nine interceptions, six forced fumbles and three TDs.

Smith became a Pro Bowler in 2017 before his career, and mental health, diminished after the next season. He announced on Instagram in May, 2019, that he wouldn't play that season and forfeited his $9.5 million salary.

The best third-day draft pick in Jaguars history at a full-time position never suited up in another NFL game.

Other than Smith, the only third-day draft picks to become starters for the Jaguars were Shorts, QB Gardner Minshew (2019, round 6), cornerback Montaric Brown (2022, round 7) and linebacker Ventrell Miller (2023, round 4).

10. Least drafted position

The Jaguars have selected only five players in their history as a center or who became a center.

John Wade (1998, round 5) was a two-year starter before leaving in free agency for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers . He was replaced by Brad Meester (2000, round 2), who moved from left guard in 2003 and remained the starting center for the next 11 years.

Michael Cheever (1996, round 2) had his career cut short after two seasons with serious back problems, while Luke Fortner (2022, round 3) lost his starting job to free agent Mitch Morse.

11. Thomas highlights WR-heavy choices

The Jaguars have invested 33 picks at wide receiver, mostly with underwhelming results until Thomas' spectacular rookie season.

Selecting Thomas with the No. 23 overall pick, after trading down twice to move down six spots, was one of the most remarkable draft outcomes in team history.

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. (7) hauls in a reception against Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Joshua Williams (2) during the first quarter of a preseason NFL football game Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]

Thomas had a better season than three top-10 receivers ( Marvin Harrison Jr. , Malik Nabers and Rome Odunze ) selected ahead of him.

12. Gators dominate top of draft

It's probably no surprise that Florida, located 75 miles west of Jacksonville, is the most popular draft source for the Jaguars.

Of the 13 Gators draft picks, a whopping six were taken in the first round, starting with Taylor in 1998.

After Florida, the school with the most drafted Jaguars is Southern Cal at eight, including first-round picks Boselli and Soward.

13. SEC-centric franchise

As you might expect, the best conference in college football has produced the most Jaguars draft picks with 58 players coming from the Southeastern Conference, including 16 of their 35 first-round draft picks. Vanderbilt is the only SEC school to not have a player drafted by the Jaguars.

The next leagues in order with the most Jaguars draft picks are the ACC (44), Big Ten (30) and the defunct Pac-12 (30).

Surprisingly, the Jaguars have selected only one Big Ten player in history in the first round, that being Illinois linebacker Kevin Hardy (No. 2 overall) in 1996.

14. Shortage from CFB elite

Three of the most successful FBS programs in the last decade are Alabama, Georgia and Ohio State, but those schools are not as well-represented in the Jaguars' draft as you might think.

Only four Alabama players, including first-round draft pick Fernando Bryant (1999), have been selected by the Jaguars. The next Crimson Tide player didn't get taken until RB T.J. Yeldon in the 2015 second round.

Jacksonville has been the destination for only five Georgia draft picks, led by first-rounders Stroud (2001) and Walker (2022). After Stroud, the Jaguars waited 20 years to select the next Bulldog by taking cornerback Tyson Campbell in the 2021 second round.

Ohio State didn't have its first Jaguars' draft pick until defensive tackle Michael Bennett went in the sixth round in 2015. The only other Buckeyes drafted are departed tight end Luke Farrell (2021, round 6) and Hamilton (2020, round 3).

15. Durable draftees

Eight players on the Jaguars' top 10 list of most games played — Meester, Lewis, Scobee, Taylor, Meier, Mathis, Henderson and linebacker Daryl Smith (2004, round 2) — were draft picks.

The only two players in that group who were not drafted by the Jaguars are free agent WR Jimmy Smith (171 games) and undrafted long snapper Joe Zelenka (128 games).

16. Best trades

On the day before the Jaguars' inaugural 1995 draft, head coach/GM Tom Coughlin sent a third-round pick (No. 66) and a fifth-round pick (No. 170) to the Green Bay Packers for quarterback Mark Brunell.

It turned out to be one of the Jaguars' biggest steals in draft history. In nine seasons (1995-2003), Brunell, a three-time Pro Bowler, set many of the team's significant passing records — yards (25,698), touchdowns (144) and 300-yard games (22).

Mark Brunell became the first Jaguars quarterback to reach the playoffs, and for many Jags fans, he's still the most memorable. The left-hander won the job during 1995 and kept the job eight years, directing four consecutive playoff runs from 1996 to 1999, earning three Pro Bowl selections and creating some of the team's most sparkling highlights. His second-half scramble and his touchdown pass to Jimmy Smith to take down the Denver Broncos in the 1996-97 divisional playoffs stand out as Exhibits A and B. Brunell didn't remain too long after the departure of Tom Coughlin, getting dropped to the bench under Jack Del Rio in 2003, but after his achievements, nobody was surprised when he received a spot in the Pride of the Jaguars in 2013.

The other impactful deal was the Jaguars sending backup quarterback Rob Johnson, who had one stupendous game (20 of 24, 294 yards, 2 TDs) in a 28-27 win on the road against the Baltimore Ravens in the 1997 season opener, to the Buffalo Bills on Feb. 13, 1998 for their first-round draft pick and a fourth-rounder.

Jacksonville used that No. 9 overall pick to grab Taylor, who finished his career with 11,695 rushing yards, the most by any running back currently eligible for the Hall of Fame.

17. Minimal small-school impact

Though the Jaguars have used 14 draft picks on players who came from Division II schools or lower, few of them have made any real impact.

Only Shorts from Division III Mount Union, the No. 114 overall pick in 2011, and linebacker Bryan Schwartz (1995, round 2) from D-II Augustana (S.D.) College, stuck around long enough to have solid careers.

In four Jaguars' seasons, Shorts started 34 of 50 games and finished with 176 catches for 2,383 yards and 12 TDs. Schwartz lasted five years, starting 40 of 55 games and made 261 tackles with five forced fumbles and six fumble recoveries.

18. Mathis heads up HBCU players

When the Jaguars came into existence in 1995, plenty of players from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) were being taken in the NFL Draft, with 145 selected in the 1990s.

That number has dwindled to just 10 HBCU players taken in the last five years, and the Jaguars are a reflection of that trend.

Only six drafted Jaguars have come from HBCU schools, and none since linebacker Justin Durant (Hampton) went in the second round in 2007. He had a solid four-year career in Jacksonville, starting 42 of 50 games before leaving as a free agent. Durant spent seven more NFL seasons with Detroit , Dallas and Atlanta.

But the unquestioned best HBCU draft pick was Bethune-Cookman cornerback Rashean Mathis (2003, round 2), an Englewood High product and still the Jaguars' all-time interception leader. He was named first-team All-Pro in 2006 when he had a career-high eight interceptions.

19. Light presence from Big 12

Historically, the Jaguars have been reluctant to tap into the Big 12 Conference in the draft, selecting only eight players all-time. Defensive end Myles Cole (2024, round 7) was the first player taken from that league since WR Collin Jackson in the fifth round of the 2020 draft.

Five long-time members of the Big 12 — Baylor, Iowa State, TCU, Kansas and Kansas State — have never had a player drafted by the Jaguars.

20. Scarcity of Ivy Leaguers

When linebacker and Yale product Foye Oluokun signed with the Jaguars as a free agent in 2022, he became only the seventh Ivy League player to suit up for the Jaguars in the regular season.

But only one of those Ivy Leaguers, defensive tackle Seth Payne from Cornell, was drafted by the Jaguars. Payne was chosen in the fourth round of the 1997 draft and lasted five seasons in Jacksonville, starting 52 of 66 games and collecting 8.5 sacks.

Payne went on to play five more seasons with the Houston Texans , starting 46 of 55 games with 9.0 sacks. He now works as a sports talk-show host in Houston.

21. Power 4 schools out of draft loop

Of the 67 FBS programs currently among the Power 4 conferences, several more outside the Big 12 have also been ignored by the Jaguars on draft day.

Here are the other Power 4 schools to never have a player drafted by Jacksonville: Arizona, Boston College, BYU, Cincinnati , Duke, Indiana, Northwestern, SMU and Vanderbilt.

22. GM scorecard on impact picks

One of the reasons the Jaguars have only been to the playoffs twice in the past 17 years is their struggle to draft high-impact players.

In 30 years, only 13 drafted players have made AP first-team or second-team All-Pro, along with 19 going to the Pro Bowl.

Here's a breakdown of how the five general managers before James Gladstone fared in the volume of drafted players that were honored with those designations:

Tom Coughlin (1995-2002) — 6 All-Pros, 7 Pro Bowlers;
James Harris (2003-08) — 4 All-Pros, 3 Pro Bowlers;
Gene Smith (2009-12) —0 All-Pros, 0 Pro Bowlers;
Dave Caldwell (2013-20) — 3 All-Pros, 7 Pro Bowlers;
Trent Baalke (2021-24) — 0 All-Pros, 2 Pro Bowlers.

23. Scoring machines

Five of the top 10 scorers in Jaguars history were draft picks in the first 11 years of the franchise, led by kicker Josh Scobee (2004, round 5) with 1,022 points.

The others are running back Maurice Jones-Drew (third with 486 points), RB Fred Taylor (fourth with 424 points), RB James Stewart (eighth with 228 points) and tight end Marcedes Lewis (ninth with 200 points).

24. More draft picks in starting lineup?

Despite general managers often emphasizing a desire to build through the draft, the truth is the starting lineups of many teams come as much from outside the organization.

The Jaguars are no different. For the last five years, only 56 of their 110 opening-day starters were their own draft picks. Jacksonville had 11 of its draft picks as opening-day starters from 2020-23, then 12 last year.

There's no telling how the 10 players signed in free agency by Gladstone and Coen, along with 10 picks in the NFL draft, will fare in competition battles. But moving forward, the Jaguars will likely rely more on draft picks with this new regime.

The Jacksonville Jaguars introduce General Manager James Gladstone, left, Monday morning February 24, 2025 at the Miller Electric Center in Jacksonville, Fla. as he listens to Head Coach Liam Coen during the press conference. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union]2025

Unofficially, the Jaguars have 25 draft picks under contract on their current two-deep chart. That bodes well for them opening the 2025 season with more draft picks as starters in at least six years.

To open the 2019 season against the Kansas City Chiefs, the Jaguars had 13 draft picks in the starting lineup.

25. Collecting SB rings elsewhere

While the Jaguars have never won a Super Bowl, 11 players they drafted went on to earn a ring with other teams, including Blaine Gabbert twice as a backup quarterback with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2020 and Kansas City Chiefs in 2023.

Here are the other ex-Jaguars with the year and round they got drafted, along with their SB-winning team:

QB Rob Johnson (1995, round 4), 2002 Buccaneers; WR Reggie Barlow (1996, round 4), 2002 Buccaneers; S Mike Logan (1997, round 2), 2005 Steelers; CB Fernando Bryant (1999, round 1), 2008 Steelers; Byron Leftwich (2003, round 1), 2008 Steelers; DE Bobby McCray (2004, round 7), 2009 New Orleans Saints; LB Brandon Marshall (2012, round 5), 2015 Denver Broncos; CB Jalen Ramsey (2016, round 1), 2021 Los Angeles Rams; Leonard Fournette (2017, round 1), 2020 Buccaneers; OT Jawaan Taylor (2019, round 2), 2023 Kansas City Chiefs.

26. Bottom's Up

Most players taken at the bottom of the seventh round are lucky if they can just land a roster spot as rookies, but two big exceptions to that rule for the Jaguars were McCray and punter Logan Cooke, both among the last 10 players selected.

Jacksonville Jaguars punter Logan Cooke (9) punts the ball during the fourth quarter Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. The Jets held off the Jaguars 32-25. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]

McCray, the 249th player taken out of 255 picks in 2004, played four seasons with the Jaguars. He had 22 sacks in 29 starts, including a 10-sack season in 2006.

Cooke, the 247th player selected among 256 picks, has been one of the NFL's best punters the past seven years. An All-Pro selection last season, Cooke has the top net punting average in NFL history (minimum 300 punts) at 43.6 yards.

27. Top-5 picks a mixed bag

With the Jaguars having the No. 5 pick in the 2025 draft, providing they stay in that slot, it will be the 11th top-five selection in their 30-year history, more than any other NFL franchise.

Some of those top-5 picks, like No. 2 choices Boselli and Kevin Hardy in the first two years, turned out to have productive careers.

The Jaguars make offensive tackle Tony Boselli of Southern Cal their first draft pick. He becomes a five-time Pro Bowl selection from 1996-2000.

But the eight top-5 selections during the ownership of Shad Khan have mostly been a different story. Among the busts or underachievers were Blackmon (2012), Luke Joeckel (2013), Blake Bortles (2014) and Dante Fowler Jr. (2015).

CB Jalen Ramsey (2016), a two-time Pro Bowler, initiated a divorce and got traded midway through the 2019 season. RB Leonard Fournette (2017) wore out his welcome and was cut after three seasons.

As for QB Trevor Lawrence (2021) and DE Travon Walker (2022), the Jaguars remain hopeful those No. 1 picks will be long-term solutions at their position.

28. Numbers game

The only common numbers worn by the Jaguars' 35 first-round draft picks are 7, 11, 20, 25 and 33. Here's who shared those jersey numbers:

7 – QB Byron Leftwich, CB Brian Thomas Jr.;
11 – QB Blaine Gabbert, WR Reggie Williams;
20 – S Donovin Darius, CB Jalen Ramsey;
25 – CB Fernando Bryant, S Reggie Nelson;
33 – RB James Stewart, LB Devin Lloyd.

29. Draft-day benefit eventually burned Jaguars

During the first round of the 2003 draft, a failed transaction by the Minnesota Vikings — unable to complete a trade that would allow the Baltimore Ravens to move up from No. 10 to No. 7 pick — initially benefitted the Jaguars.

When the 15-minute time allotment to turn in the seventh pick expired, the Jaguars (who had the No. 8 pick) went ahead and selected quarterback Byron Leftwich at No. 7 as video director Mike Perkins rushed up to present the card.

The Ravens, who wanted to take Leftwich, had to stay at their original 10th spot and ended up taking pass-rusher Terrell Suggs. The Carolina Panthers also hurried to get in the No. 8 pick, defensive tackle Jordan Gross, before Minnesota finally selected defensive lineman Kevin Williams at No. 9.

As luck would have it, though the Jaguars got the higher selection, the three teams who drafted behind them ended up with much better players. Leftwich had a so-so career in Jacksonville, lasting only four years with a 24-26 record.

The Ravens hit the jackpot with Suggs, a 7-time Pro Bowler who had 139.0 sacks and 202 tackles for loss in his 17-year career, finishing his last season with Arizona and Kansas City. He was recently named a Hall of Fame finalist in his first year of eligibility, though he fell short of enshrinement.

Defensive tackle Jordan Gross, the Panthers' selection, went to three Pro Bowls in 11 years with Carolina. The Vikings took defensive lineman Kevin Williams, a five-time, All-Pro during 11 seasons in Minnesota with 63.0 sacks.

The Jaguars might have won on draft day, but in the long run, they lost.

30. Taking the fifth

Only twice in history have the Jaguars had the No. 5 draft pick like this year and both instances turned out to be a similar result — getting a talented player that proved to be more trouble than he was worth.

In 2012, the selection was WR Blackmon, whose personal demons with alcohol and substance abuse forced him out of the NFL permanently in his second season after a promising rookie year (64 catches, 865 yards, 5 TDs).

Cornerback Jalen Ramsey was the fifth overall pick in 2016 and made first-team, All-Pro in his second season, but became disgruntled with the Jaguars' front office in 2019. His disenchantment compelled GM Dave Caldwell to trade him to the Los Angeles Rams for two first-round picks, which turned into bust K'Lavon Chaisson (2020) and RB Travis Etienne (2021), who sat out his first year with an injury and then had consecutive 1,000-yard rushing seasons before a reduced role in 2024 behind Tank Bigsby dropped his rushing total to 558 yards.

Gfrenette@jacksonville.com : (904) 359-4540; Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @genefrenette

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: A top-to-bottom look at hits, misses from 30 years of Jaguars drafting

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