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NFL mock draft: Jacksonville Jaguars help DL in 2025 NFL Draft. We go through 3 rounds
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- NFL mock draft: Jacksonville Jaguars help DL in 2025 NFL Draft. We go through 3 rounds
Super Bowl 59 is behind us, meaning the Jacksonville Jaguars and the rest of the league can turn their attention toward the 2025 NFL offseason.
The Philadelphia Eagles defeated the Kansas City Chiefs, 40-22 , in a game that wasn't as close as the final score indicated. Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes posted one of his worst outings, completing 21 of 32 passes for 257 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions.
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The performance by Philadelphia's defense will likely go down in history as one of the best against Mahomes, a three-time Super Bowl champion.
MEET THE STAFF: Jacksonville Jaguars announce Liam Coen's full coaching staff for 2025 season
The Kansas City QB was pressured 16 times and sacked six times throughout the game.
But, as Jaguars defensive end Josh Hines-Allen accurately pointed out shortly after the big game Sunday, the Eagles used just four-down linemen, not blazing Mahomes a single time while still being able to deliver plenty of pressure, costing Kansas City a three-peat.
"With a 4 [sic] man rush all game, gotta love it!!!!!!" Hines-Allen wrote on X , the platform formerly known as Twitter.
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Getting home with four is what all defenses strive to do. For Jacksonville, they have invested heavily in the idea, but it hasn't necessarily come to fruition.
That's especially the case for the team's interior defensive line, something Jacksonville can shore up in the 2025 NFL Draft, perhaps making Hines-Allen that much happier.
Jacksonville Jaguars hold most picks in 2025 NFL Draft
Josiah Quinones, 7, sits on his father’s shoulders, Jose, next to mother Ashley, left, and sister, Julianna, 9, right, as he waves to Jacksonville Jaguars mascot Jaxson de Ville during the Duuval Draft Party Thursday, April 25, 2024 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. Thousands came out to watch the Jacksonville Jaguars choose in the 2024 NFL Draft. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]
The Jaguars hold 10 picks in this year's draft. Here are their current positions:
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Round 1: (No. 5)
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Round 2: (No. 36)
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Round 3: (Nos. 70, 88)
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Round 4: (Nos. 105, 124)
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Round 5: (No. 141)
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Round 6: (Nos. 180, 192)
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Round 7: (No. 221)
Jaguars three-round mock draft: 2025 NFL Draft brings team defensive line help
Last week, we took at look at Jacksonville's secondary , ensuring the team invests multiple picks in a position of great need.
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Still, the team has other needs on the roster. Last year, the Jaguars totaled just 34 sacks (28th in the NFL) and 186 total pressures (27th).
While Hines-Allen (eight sacks) and DE Travon Walker (10.5) applied plenty of pressure last season, the Jaguars lacked beyond them. The next-best sack-getters on the team were rookie DL Maason Smith (three) and a slew of players with two sacks.
Ironically, Jaguars DL Roy Robertson-Harris totaled two sacks, but he was traded to the Seattle Seahawks after Week 6. That matched the sack total for high-priced free agent Arik Armstead .
Armstead has said recently that he will switch back to defensive tackle on a full-time basis in 2025 after spending the majority of his first season in Jacksonville as a defensive end.
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While Armstead's looming move should help the team's interior, he will be going on 32 years old entering the season and the team will need help at defensive end and the future at defensive tackle.
Check out our most recent three-round mock by clicking here .
Round 1, Pick 5: Mason Graham , DL, Michigan
ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN - NOVEMBER 25: Mason Graham #55 of the Michigan Wolverines celebrates after sacking Kyle McCord #6 of the Ohio State Buckeyes during the second half in the game at Michigan Stadium on November 25, 2023 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 776008979 ORIG FILE ID: 1813650116
At 6-foot-3, 320 pounds, Michigan's Mason Graham has the ideal size to fit up front with Jacksonville's defensive line. Graham graded out as the best defensive lineman in college football last year, according to Pro Football Focus with a defense grade of 91.1.
Graham excels in all areas, totaling 12 sacks in three years with the Wolverines, adding 75 total stops and grading out positively in both run defense and pass-rush grade, never dropping below 73.1 in either category, according to PFF.
A relentless player, Graham would shore up Jacksonville's interior defensive line, allowing them to use Armstead as a rotational player rather than a full-time starter at 32 years old.
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Though Jacksonville drafted Maason Smith in the second round last year, his development could take some time and adding players to their rotation shouldn't be discouraged. The Eagles have both Jordan Davis and Jalen Cartel in their arsenal, for instance.
Graham totaled 3.5 sacks, seven tackles for loss and 45 total tackles in 2024.
Round 2, Pick 36: Trey Amos, CB, Ole Miss
Ole Miss cornerback Trey Amos dunks after intercepting a pass against Furman
The Jaguars have no choice but to invest early and often in their secondary. After last season's mistakes with Ronald Darby outside opposite Tyson Campbell , the team has proven to itself and observers that help isn't already on the roster.
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Enter Ole Miss corner Trey Amos who has bounced around college football for a bit, playing first for Louisiana before transferring to Alabama in 2023, ultimately landing with Ole Miss last year.
With NCAA transfer portal rules, it's not uncommon to see a player transfer multiple times before ending their college football career.
Amos, 6-foot-1, 182 pounds has the size needed to play outside corner in Jacksonville. Though it is not yet known what kind of scheme defensive cooridnator Anthony Campanile will deploy, drafting good players at positions of need shouldn't be impacted by the plays called.
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In five years of college ball, Amos played in 61 games, totaling four interceptions, 121 total tackles, eight tackles for loss and 31 pass breakups.
Amos's draft stock ballooned in 2024 after he starred for the Rebels, accounting for 50 total tackles, four tackles for loss, three interceptions and 13 pass breakups.
Round 3, Pick 70: Josaiah Stewart , EDGE, Michigan
Michigan State running back Nate Carter (5) runs against Michigan defensive end Josaiah Stewart (0) during the first half at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024.
Let's get this out of the way early. Michigan edge rusher Josaiah Stewart is small . He stands at just about 6-foot-1, 248 pounds with 32.75-inch arms.
He is not a big player, but he's been incredibly productive in college and had a solid outing at the Senior Bowl according to multiple observers.
Stewart graded out as the best pass rusher among this year's class according to pass rush win rate last year, according to PFF with a 27% win rate. He finished the year with nine sacks with Michigan.
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Stewart's pass-rush grade, according to PFF landed at 92.3 for the season. He totaled 37 pressures in 2024.
With Armstead moving inside on a full-time basis, it makes sense for Jacksonville to target an edge rusher early in this year's draft if one presented themselves.
While Stewart is small, he does have some power in his game when he converts by using speed. His priority in Jacksonville and potential projection could have him in a Nolan Smith mold.
Round 3, Pick 88: Nick Emmanwori , S, South Carolina
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 Jaguars will undoubtedly draft multiple players to support their secondary and getting South Carolina safety Nick Emmanwori at pick No. 88 would be a shocker. Still, he was available in the mock we did with PFF.
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Emmanwori, 6-foot-3, 227 pounds is one of the biggest defensive backs in the draft and plays like it with a blend of size, speed and strength that will fit any secondary.
Though he's a bigger player, he's incredibly athletic, able to man multiple positions within the secondary, including both safety positions and in the slot at nickel.
In 2024, Emmanwori accounted for 57 solo tackles, three tackles for loss, two interceptions, two touchdowns and two pass breakups. Though down from eight pass breakups in 2023, Emmanwori lined up in the box far more than he had in the past. According to PFF, he totaled 414 snaps in the box in 2024 compared to just 276 in 2023.
He also operated out of the slot more in 2023, accounting for 247 snaps that season and 146 in 2024.
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Emmanwori finished a three-year career at South Carolina earning first-team All-American and first-team All-SEC in 2024 in addition to SEC All-Freshman Team in 2022.
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 .
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This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jacksonville Jaguars NFL mock draft: 3-round post Super Bowl prediction
