JACKSONVILLE – We won't say much about No. 1 overall here.
That will be common when previewing the Jaguars and the 2021 NFL Draft. Unless the unexpected happens, most mock drafts will project the Jaguars selecting Clemson University quarterback Trevor Lawrence No. 1 overall.
So, too, will this first jaguars.com 2021 mock draft.
That doesn't guarantee the Jaguars will select him there. We won't know for sure until the Jaguars hire a general manager and a head coach, and we may not know for sure for a while after that.
But until we get some indication that the Jaguars won't select Lawrence No. 1, we'll keep mocking him there – which brings us to the more intriguing question of the Jaguars' second first-round selection.
That's the one they received from the Los Angeles Rams in the 2019 trade involving cornerback Jalen Ramsey. Because the Rams remain in the NFL playoffs, we don't know the exact number of the selection – only that it will be somewhere between No. 25 and No. 32.
For the purposes of this mock, we'll assume it's No. 25.
We're three and a half months from the draft. Free agency likely will change perception of needs. But the Jaguars appear likely to address defensive tackle, tight end and secondary – among other positions – in a big way this offseason. Defensive tackle feels like a major need, with the team struggling on the interior defensive front much of the last two seasons.
So, for the purposes of this mock, we'll project Iowa defensive tackle Daviyon Nixon to the Jaguars at No. 25 overall.
Nixon (6-feet-3, 305 pounds) registered 8.5 sacks in his career, including 5.5 this past season. He is considered quick, with the ability to pass rush, and he was the only player this past season named a finalist for the Outland Trophy and Bronco Nagurski Trophy. He also was the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and led the conference with 33 tackles for loss.
That's the guess this week. It's as good as any. It's also only a guess, the first of many. We're a long way out. Much will change.
Except the projections at No. 1 overall, of course.
Unless something unusual happens, those will remain the same until late April. Stay tuned.
Here's a look at the first jaguars.com 2021 mock draft:
1.Jacksonville Jaguars (1-15) | Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson
2.New York Jets (2-14) | Justin Fields, QB, Ohio State
3.Miami Dolphins (via Houston) | DeVonta Smith, WR, Alabama
4.Atlanta Falcons (4-12) | Zach Wilson, QB, Brigham Young
5.Cincinnati Bengals (4-11-1) | Penei Sewell, OT, Oregon
6.Philadelphia Eagles (4-11-1) | Ja'Marr Chase, WR, Louisiana State
7.Detroit Lions (5-11) | Micah Parsons, LB, Penn State
8.Carolina Panthers (5-11) | Mac Jones, QB, Alabama
9.Denver Broncos (5-11) | Trey Lance, QB, North Dakota State
10.Dallas Cowboys (6-10) | Caleb Farley, CB, Virginia Tech
11.New York Giants (6-10) | Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama
12.San Francisco 49ers (6-10) | Samuel Cosmi, OT, Texas
13.Los Angeles Chargers (7-9) | Christian Darrisaw, OT, Virginia Tech
14.Minnesota Vikings (7-9) | Kwity Paye, Edge, Michigan
15.New England Patriots (7-9) | Kyle Pitts, TE, Florida
16.Arizona Cardinals (8-8) | Patrick Surtain II, CB, Alabama
17.Las Vegas Raiders (8-8) | Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, LB, Notre Dame
18.Miami Dolphins (10-6) | Rondale Moore, WR, Purdue
19.Washington Football Team (7-9) | Rashawn Slater, OT, Northwestern
20.Chicago Bears (8-8) | Rashod Bateman, WR, Minnesota
21.Indianapolis Colts (11-5) | Jaycee Horn, CB, South Carolina
22.Tennessee Titans (11-5) | Azeez Ojulari, Edge, Georgia
23.New York Jets (via Seattle) | Derion Kendrick, CB, Clemson
24.Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4) | Alex Leatherwood, OL, Alabama
25.Jacksonville Jaguars (via Los Angeles Rams) | Daviyon Nixon, DT, Iowa
26.Cleveland Browns (11-5) | Alijah Vera-Tucker, OL, Southern California
27.Tampa Bay Buccaneers (11-5) | Jayson Oweh, Edge, Penn State
28.Baltimore Ravens (11-5) | Kadarius Toney, WR, Florida
29.New Orleans Saints (12-4) | Zaven Collins, LB, Tulsa
30.Buffalo Bills (13-3) | Nick Bolton, LB, Missouri
31.Green Bay Packers (13-3) | Chris Olave, WR, Ohio State
32.Kansas City Chiefs (14-2) | Joseph Ossai, LB, Texas
