Jaguars should take offensive tackle at five

By Hays Carlyon

The Jaguars offensive line isn’t fixed.

Not even close.

That’s why coach Liam Coen, general manager James Gladstone and executive vice president Tony Boselli should collaborate around the same idea.

The Jaguars should take an offensive tackle with the fifth pick. The new Jags brain trust inherited a total mess at offensive line.

Signing four free agents in March was a nice start, but far from a solution.

Is Robert Hainsey a dramatic upgrade over Mitch Morse at center? Couldn’t the same be said about replacing Brandon Scherff with Patrick Mekari at right guard?

The other two free-agent adds along the line, tackles Fred Johnson and Chuma Edoga, were reserves last season and are being paid like reserves with the Jaguars.

We know the offensive line was poor last season. In terms of the projected five, in a position that doesn’t rotate, your starters playing all 1,000 or so offensive snaps this season would be: Walker Little, Ezra Cleveland, Hainsey, Mekari and Anton Harrison.

Let’s assume LSU left tackle Will Campbell goes fourth to New England after Cam Ward, Travis Hunter and Abdul Carter are selected. If Hunter or Carter are available at five, the Jags should take either but that’s unlikely.

So, with those four players gone, the Jaguars could take Missouri’s Armand Membou or Texas’ Kelvin Banks Jr. The Jaguars might like Banks better, but let’s assume they take Membou, who most analysts have higher.

The Jaguars could move Harrison to left tackle, Little to left guard and play Membou at right tackle (where he started his whole career at Missouri).

Now, the line looks like this: Harrison, Little, Hainsey, Mekari and Membou. Now, you’ve got a group that can “set the dish” for Trevor Lawrence to confidently step into throws like Gladstone talked about at the combine.

Taking an offensive tackle at five also is the best strategic maneuver. It’s the thinnest premium position in the draft.

The Jaguars can help themselves at receiver, defensive tackle, defensive end, cornerback and running back with their remaining nine picks. It will be difficult to do that at offensive tackle.

The Jaguars also put heat on other offensive tackle needy teams, like rival Houston, by taking one at five. That will start a run. That run could push a receiver down to pick No. 36, when the Jaguars make their second-round choice.

Taking Mason Graham at five doesn’t set a tone. There’s plenty of defensive tackles.

Taking Ashton Jeanty doesn’t set a tone. There’s plenty of running backs.

Taking Campbell, Membou or Banks sets a tone. Because a scarce position just got thinner.

This is how I would project the Jaguars draft with their six picks in the first four rounds. I used The Athletic’s Dane Brugler’s seven-round mock for available players at each selection.

Fifth pick: Membou. The 21-year-old Membou (6-4, 332) started 29 games at Missouri, all at right tackle.

Second round (36): Jayden Higgins, WR, Iowa State. A 6-foot-4 big target to compliment Brian Thomas Jr. who caught 28 career touchdowns on 227 catches.

Third round (70): Ty Robinson, DT, Nebraska. Robinson (6-6, 288) had 26.5 tackles for loss and 12 sacks in college.

Third round (88): Ashton Gillotte, DE, Louisville. Gillotte (6’3, 264) had 39.5 tackles for loss and 25.5 sacks in college.

Fourth round (107): Dorian Strong, CB, Virginia Tech. Strong had 35 pass breakups and seven interceptions in 44 college starts.

Fourth round (126): DJ Giddens, RB, Kansas State. Ran for 3,087 yards (6-yard average) with 23 rushing touchdowns.

This path best utilizes the strengths and weaknesses of this draft class. In rounds five through seven, the Jags could address tight end, safety, linebacker and guard depth.

If the Jaguars truly are starting at ground zero, as Boselli described it in a staff meeting released in the Jaguars’ production “The Hunt” this month, then the offensive line must be rebuilt.

Lawrence’s health depends upon it. The run game depends on it.

The free agent haul was admirable. However, the final and most important piece is still missing.

Remember, Philadelphia led Kansas City 40-6 in the Super Bowl. Not because of running back Saquon Barkley, but because the Eagles dominated both lines of scrimmage.

If the depth at offensive tackle and defensive tackle were flipped in this class, then Graham might be the ideal pick. But it isn’t.

The Jaguars taking what I expect to be the second offensive tackle off the board at five will set the tone for the remainder of the first round. Teams will scramble and start reaching. That will help the Jaguars in the second round with pick No. 36.

Only three or four teams will likely upgrade at offensive tackle in this draft. The Jaguars should be one of them.

Take control. Build the trenches.

(You can email Hays at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter/X @HaysCarlyon)