Story by
Jacksonville Jaguars 2025 NFL Draft: Top 3 needs by position focus on defense
- Story by
- Jacksonville Jaguars 2025 NFL Draft: Top 3 needs by position focus on defense
Though the Jacksonville Jaguars are in the midst of an intense search for the team's next head coach , one branch of the team remains focused on making improvements, and a lot of that will continue with the 2025 NFL Draft in April.
After a disappointing 4-13 finish, Jaguars owner Shad Khan decided to fire head coach Doug Pederson , setting the stage for yet another regime change in the owner's nearly 14-year ownership of the franchise.
Advertisement
In that time, the Jaguars have made 16 first-round selections. Ten of those selections were made in the top 10 of the draft with eight of them coming in the top five, including the first six years of Khan's ownership.
MOCK DRAFT SEASON: Who will Jacksonville Jaguars take in the 2025 NFL Draft? Seven-round mock draft
Many of those players didn't work out. Just three of them signed long-term extensions with the franchise among those eligible including quarterback Trevor Lawrence , taken with the first-overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.
Ultimately, the NFL Draft has been hit or miss for Jacksonville and this year they must get it right.
Advertisement
The Jaguars will enter this season's selection showcase with 10 picks, including six picks in the first four rounds — one selection a piece in rounds one and two and two selections in both rounds three and four.
Last year's first-round pick, receiver Brian Thomas Jr. is in the running for the NFL's Rookie of the Year after putting together one of the best rookie seasons in franchise history, certainly as a receiver .
Now the team must nail another first-round pick, starting with the fifth-overall selection. But, what position groups should the team target?
Jaguars 2025 NFL Draft target No. 1: Cornerback position must be a priority
Michigan defensive back Will Johnson (2) celebrates after returning an interception for a touchdown against Fresno State during the second half at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024.
Jacksonville's biggest weakness last year came from its disappointing secondary.
Advertisement
The team ranked last in passing yards allowed per game with 257.4 and added just six interceptions with just two of those coming from cornerbacks ( Montaric Brown and Jarrian Jones ).
After paying corner Tyson Campbell a four-year, $76.5 million contract last spring, he started just 12 games for the franchise, missing several games with a soft tissue injury for a second straight year.
The team also benched veteran corner Ronald Darby , who began the year as the team's starting corner. Darby arrived in Jacksonville last spring via free agency.
Jacksonville couldn't find a solution opposite Campbell and was forced to move nickel cornerback Darnell Savage to a permanent safety role after that unit struggled throughout the year.
Advertisement
That puts the unit in flux next year with rising second-year player Jarrian Jones set to start in the slot with Campbell outside and an enigma on the other end. According to Pro Football Focus, Jones was the team's highest-graded corner last year, ranking 32nd among qualified corners.
Don't be surprised if Jacksonville makes this the team's primary target in the draft with Michigan's Will Johnson high on their list of wants.
Jaguars 2025 NFL Draft target No. 2: Safety became a problem area this season
Oct 19, 2024; Norman, Oklahoma, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks defensive back Nick Emmanwori (7) reacts after returning an interception for a touchdown during the first half against the Oklahoma Sooners at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images
The team's secondary didn't struggle just at the corner position and that position's struggles might've been exacerbated by the team's struggles at safety.
Advertisement
With a new scheme in tow, Jaguars defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen pegged safeties Antonio Johnson and Andre Cisco as the team's starters after reserve Andrew Wingard sustained a serious knee injury early in training camp.
Though those two were the team's expected starters in 2024 before Nielsen made the move official, the expectation was serious growth from Johnson and another leap for Cisco. Neither lived up to the standard with Johnson quickly being relegated to a rotational role, and Cisco relegated near the end of the season to make way for Wingard's return.
Among safeties, Cisco ranked 51st in the league last year, according to PFF. Johnson ranked 62nd. In terms of coverage grades, Cisco ranked 44th, while Johnson ranked 61st. Not good enough and they combined for one interception and zero forced fumbles.
The Jaguars could move quickly via free agency or the draft to address the position. Their top target could be one of the best safeties in this year's class: South Carolina's Nick Emmanwori .
Advertisement
Jaguars 2025 NFL Draft target No. 3: Jaguars can't ignore offensive line early
Nov 25, 2023; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats offensive lineman Jonah Savaiinaea (71) celebrates a touchdown against the Arizona State Sun Devils in the second half of the Territorial Cup at Mountain America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Another area the team struggled with yet again in 2024 was the interior of the offensive line.
By Week 9, the Jaguars had already solidified the offensive line's final starting lineup. The team moved on from Cam Robinson , the team's starting left tackle, by trading him to the Minnesota Vikings . That paved the way for Walker Little , the team's second-round pick in 2021, to overtake the spot and sign a multi-year contract extension soon after.
With bookends secured in Little and right tackle Anton Harrison , the team's left guard, Ezra Cleveland , still on a long-term deal, the team's eyes must be set on right guard and center for future projections.
Advertisement
Jacksonville signed an aging center in Mitch Morse via free agency last spring. While Morse was respectable in the middle of the offensive line, he must improve. Right guard Brandon Scherff appears to be slated to head out the door after playing three years with the Jaguars.
Scherff's three-year deal with the team is up after this season and his restructured deal will void on Feb. 15, according to OverTheCap.
Regardless of when Scherff is off the team, the Jaguars must make it a priority to improve the unit in 2025. The team struggled yet again to convert on short-yardage situations until the end of the season and struggled mightily in the run game, ranking 25th in rushing yards per game at 132.6.
Fixing the offensive line is a yearly project for nearly all 32 teams, but it's been one the Jaguars haven't figured out seemingly since the early 2000s and late 90s.
Advertisement
A player like Arizona 's Jonah Savaiinaea might be a player worth trading back into the first round for.
Demetrius Harvey is the Jacksonville Jaguars reporter for the Florida Times-Union. You can follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @Demetrius82 or on Bluesky @ Demetrius .
If you're a subscriber, thank you. If not, please consider becoming a subscriber to support local journalism in Northeast Florida .
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: 2025 NFL Draft: Jacksonville Jaguars top targets focus on secondary
