Mia’s Mock Draft Mondays 3.0

Mia O’Brien’s Mock Draft Mondays are powered each Monday in the month of April by Play It Again Sports. 

For all those readers and listeners who clamored last week for the Jacksonville Jaguars to trade up in this year’s NFL Draft, not back (as they did last year and in last week’s Mock Draft)…

Boy, do I have the “Mia’s Mock Draft Monday” for you.

Especially for those of you both worried the Jaguars won’t ever draft a “No. 1 wide receiver” to help Trevor Lawrence, and what my reporting on 1010XL means for Jacksonville’s interest in this year’s Wide Receiver crop. 

Round 1, Pick 9

(TRADE, Bears: No. 17 and No. 48 for No. 9)

Rome Odunze, WR, Washington

(Yes, I double checked the NFL Trade Value Chart. The Jaguars would not have to surrender a future first-round pick, so long as they part with their 2024 second-rounder). 

A price too rich for some? Perhaps, especially after the Jaguars reportedly balked at trading away No. 17 overall (and Zay Jones) for 49ers Pro Bowl WR Brandon Aiyuk. The difference is that trading for Aiyuk would also require paying Aiyuk top-of-the-line money from the moment he touches down in Jacksonville. Not the case with a rookie wide receiver… for the next four years.

Considered by many preeminent Draft analysts – including the NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah – to be among the Top-5 overall prospects in this year’s class: is there any chance Odunze makes it to No. 9? If four quarterbacks are selected among the previous eight picks, then yes. Would Chicago be willing to pass on the chance to pair Odunze and Caleb Williams? In his first Draft at the helm of the Bears, GM Ryan Poles waited until the third-round to draft a wide receiver for his then-second year starting QB Justin Fields. He’s already gone out and traded for DJ Moore and Keenan Allen. Compared to the other areas of their roster: wide receiver is not necessarily a need for the Bears. 

It could happen. 

Jeremiah has been on the Odunze Train from the jump, comping him to future Hall of Famer Larry Fitzgerald. Inside-outside versatility. Strong at the catch-point and through contact. Leader. For those fearful that Odunze and the Huskies were “one-hit wonders,” you are neglecting the fact that he had 1,145 receiving yards and seven touchdowns on 75 catches in 2022… a year before Washington’s national runner-up finish in which he tallied 1,640 yards and 13 touchdowns on 92 catches. 

The Jaguars also believe this year’s crop of cornerbacks has the depth to still reveal a starter in the third-round. Which brings me to…  

Round 3, Pick 96

Renardo Green, DB, Florida State

If you’re not familiar with the 6’0’’, Orlando-native, peep the first four words of Lance Zierlein’s profile on him: “pure press-man cornerback.”

(You see where I’m going with this?)

While not a household name during Florida State’s 13-1 campaign last fall, Green and running mate Jarrian Jones dazzled at the NFL Combine. Both went sub-4.5 in the 40 yard dash (and were among the 10 fastest cornerbacks in 10-yard split); a 10’10’’ broad jump for Green was sixth best among DB’s; and ran in the low 4.2’s in the shuttle-cone drill at his Pro Day. On the field, Green has as good of tangible evidence as you’ll find that he can lock-down a No. 1 wide receiver, as he excelled against both Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas in FSU’s season-opening win over LSU. The only knock on him is that he’s not exactly a ballhawk (one career interception) and he sometimes struggles to find the football downfield. Lest we forget, Tyson Campbell struggled to “track the ball” his rookie season and has bounced back ever since. And of note: Green broke out for 13 pass break-up’s his redshirt senior year, after tallying five the season prior. 

Green is a physical defender who would also offer inside-outside versatility for Ryan Nielsen; meaning, if the Jaguars didn’t want to play Darnell Savage in the slot, Green could be that “little nickel” in the Jaguars secondary. But the plan would be for him to become the full-time cornerback opposite Campbell. 

Round 3, Pick 100

(TRADE, Commanders: No. 114, No. 153 and No. 212 for No. 100)

Jonah Elliss, EDGE, Utah

Just as myself and my media colleagues were ready to head home for the day, Trent Baalke pulls a fast one and trades back into the third-round to secure the final pick of Day 2 – most likely out of fear Elliss wouldn’t be there come Pick No. 114. And I am sure there are plenty of folks reading this right now, saying: “we’ll be lucky if Elliss makes it to No. 100.” 

Let’s start with the pedigree. Elliss is the son of former Detroit Lions defensive tackle Luther (now Utah’s DL Coach) and the brother of Kaden Elliss, who followed Jaguars DC Ryan Nielsen from New Orleans to Atlanta. Kaden is also “undersized,” and Nielsen schemed him up for 7.0 sacks his final year in NOLA and 4.0 sacks last year. Jonah just turned 21 years old two weeks ago. The measurables aren’t other worldly, but he does check-the-box for Trent Baalke with 33’’ arms. 

A three-year starter in Salt Lake City, Elliss exploded for 12 sacks and 16 TFL’s in his final collegiate season – a season that injuries limited to just 10 games. He had a pair of fumble recoveries in each of his first two seasons. He has more pass rush moves right now than Travon Walker did at the end of his rookie campaign, and certainly when he entered the league. That’s no knack on Travon: that’s a tribute to the aforementioned pedigree. Elliss’ motor never stops. He will take advantage of offensive tackles who don’t finish and chase down the play until the whistle blows. 

At 6’2’’ and 248 lbs, is Elliss undersized? Yes. At his Pro Day, he also ran a reported 6.69 three-cone drill. If that’s the actual time, it would be the fastest of any Edge rusher in NFL Combine history. 

Round 4, Pick 116

Matt Goncalves, OT, Pitt

For all of the Jaguars fans expecting Michigan’s Zak Zinter to be the signature, “Baalke Hurt Guy” offensive lineman that the team steals on Day 3: enter stage left, Matt Goncalves. He injured his big toe Week 3 of the 2023 season and missed the remainder of the season (in which the Panthers won just two of those nine games). Goncalves admitted at his Pro Day that he still isn’t 100% healthy. And yet he cranked out 19 reps on the bench press, jumped a 30 ½ inch vertical, and ran a 5.06 40-yard dash at 317 lbs. That 40-yard dash was faster than projected first-rounders Olu Fashanu, Tailese Fuaga, and Tyler Guyton. 

Goncalves is a Poor Man’s Answer to Graham Barton, another projected first-rounder in this year’s class. He played every position but center in his four years at Pitt, but projects (and prefers) as a right tackle. With Cam Robinson and Walker Little both entering the final season of their respective contracts, and Anton Harrison’s future as a right (or left?) tackle uncertain, Goncalves would offer the Jaguars multiple avenues for their future. If Harrison was to ultimately move to left, perhaps he is their right tackle. If Little and Harrison stay at their current positions long-term, he becomes the swing-tackle. And, not to mention: if Goncalves was to be drafted, it would give the Jaguars the wiggle room to potentially trade Robinson and his $21M cap hit. 

Despite not being able to work-out at the NFL Combine, Goncalves did travel to Indianapolis and interviewed with four teams – including the Jaguars. And when Goncalves spokew ith the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette after his Pro Day, he referenced the Jaguars first. The Jaguars also sent a contingent to the Steel City for Pro Day 2023 for Goncalves’ former teammate, Carter Warren, and got an up-close look at the 6’6’’ beefy-then-junior. He has been on their radar. 

Round 7, Pick 236

Justin Rogers, NT, Auburn

It’s the seventh round. Let’s let new DL Coach Jeremy Garrett take a flyer on a 336 lb behemoth he’s already coached before, and get “tougher” in the trenches.

Rogers transferred to Auburn after 5.0 TFL and 3.0 sacks in 26 career games at Kentucky. He had a sack, 2.0 TFL, and 17 tackles for Garrett at Auburn last year. Rogers is not going to stuff the stat sheet – but he is going to stuff opposing centers into a locker. He’ll fill the A-Gap and then some, providing a boost in a Jaguars run defense that has been up and down the past 10 years, while providing depth behind DaVon Hamilton. While some see 6’2’’ and find Rogers to be undersized, being a bit lower to the ground helps him anchor and maintain control of his footwork. Rogers is not going to be competing in the Olympics any soon with his athletic frame, but he also checks that 33’’ arm-length box Trent Baalke covets. 

Quite simply: there’s not many humans Rogers’ size, let alone with his SEC pedigree, wandering the Earth. And as the Jaguars seek to fill “holes,” helping plug the holes along the defensive front is paramount.