Mock draft tracker: Educated guesses, wild projections

Jan 07, 2020 at 03:29 PM

John Oehser

Jaguars Senior Writer

JACKSONVILLE – It's early. Really early.

With the 2020 NFL Draft still more than three months away, this first 2020 jaguars.com mock draft tracker is a combination of educated guesses and wild projections.

But the Jaguars' season is over, and the Reese's Senior Bowl is fast approaching – which means if draft season isn't upon us, it's close enough to examine who draft analysts project to the Jaguars with the No. 9 and No. 20 overall selections in late April.

The projections unsurprisingly vary widely, and they focus on a few perceived areas of need – wide receiver, defensive line, cornerback, linebacker, etc. – with safety/linebacker Isaiah Simmons of Clemson and Alabama wide receiver Jerry Jeudy – both being projected to the Jaguars at No. 9 overall by three analysts.

"Simmons is a stellar safety/linebacker hybrid with immense athletic talents, and the Jaguars need safety and linebacker on defense," Chris Trapasso of CBSSports.com wrote.

Jeudy declared for the draft this past weekend.

"Jeudy has the highest floor of any wide receiver in this draft class; his attention to detail is much further along than most of his peers," Josh Edwards of CBSSports.com wrote.

Luke Easterling of USA Today wrote, "This is a fantastic scenario for the Jags, who desperately need a dynamic pass-catcher like Jeudy, and are still able to land him as the second receiver off the board."

Ryan Wilson of CBSSports.com projected edge defender A.J. Epenesa of Iowa to the Jaguars at No. 9 overall, and Greg Bedard of the Las Vegas Review-Journal projected Oklahoma wide receiver CeeDee Lamb there. Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz of USA Today and Michael Renner of Pro Football Focus both projected Auburn defensive lineman Derrick Brown to the Jaguars at No. 9.

"A potential first-round pick last year, Brown elevated his game as a senior and became Auburn's first unanimous All-American," Middlehurst-Schwartz wrote.

Analysts focused on cornerback at No. 20, with five analysts projecting three different corners – Kristian Fulton of Louisiana State, Trevon Diggs of Alabama and Bryce Hall of Virginia – to the Jaguars there.

"After trading cornerback] Jalen Ramsey to the [Los Angeles] Rams, Jacksonville uses one of the picks they received to replace him with a big, athletic cover man in Fulton,” [Easterling wrote.

Analysts also focused on defensive tackle at No. 20, projecting three – Javon Kinlaw of South Carolina , Raekwon Davis of Alabama and Marvin Wilson of Florida State – to the Jaguars there.

"The Jaguars' interior run defense is porous," Bedard wrote. "Davis, at 6-6 and 315 pounds, is a freak who can rush the passer and stop the run."

Here's the first jaguars.com 2020 mock draft tracker:

No. 9 overall …

Mocker, Affiliation (Date): Player, position, school

Ryan Wilson, CBSSports.com (1/7): A.J. Epenesa, Edge, Iowa

Vinny Iyer, Sporting News (1/6): Isaiah Simmons, LB/S, Clemson

Josh Edwards, CBSSports.com (1/2): Jerry Jeudy, WR, Alabama

Greg Bedard, Las Vegas Review-Journal (1/2): CeeDee Lamb, WR, Oklahoma

Chris Trapasso, CBSSports.com (1/1): Isaiah Simmons, LB/S, Clemson

Ryan Wilson, CBSSports.com (12/31): Isaiah Simmons, LB/S, Clemson

Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz, USA Today (12/31): Derrick Brown, DL, Auburn

Luke Easterling, USA Today (12/30): Jerry Jeudy, WR, Alabama