5 days Ago By Jaguars Wire
ESPN's Field Yates and Mel Kiper Jr. have joined forces to put together a three-round NFL mock draft. So who did the Jacksonville Jaguars come away with?In this mock, Yates and Kiper alternated picks and based their selections on "what they're hearing" and "how each team might tackle big roster needs.
"So let's break down the Jaguars' selections:Jaguars pick at 5: Mason Graham, IDL, MichiganA popular pick and one that makes a ton of sense for the Jaguars. Defensive tackle is a massive need, and Graham is widely considered the top defensive tackle prospect in what is a deep draft class at that position.Graham finished 2024 with 34 pressures and five sacks, but was very impactful against the run, according to PFF's metrics.
Graham ranked first in run defense grade among tackles and second in stop rate.The impact of having a strong interior presence won't always show up on the stat sheet, but when that player is consistently operating at a high level by generating push, taking on blocks, and eating up space, the entire defense benefits."The Jaguars have holes at every level of their defense after allowing 5.
9 yards per play last season (31st in the NFL), and Graham is the best available player," wrote Yates. "He impacts the game in a meaningful way as both a pass rusher and run defender with elite play strength and explosion off the snap."Jaguars pick at 36: Luther Burden, WR, MissouriBurden totaled 1,209 receiving yards at 14.
1 yards per catch in 2023. However, he would record just 676 receiving yards this past season, in part due to "uneven" quarterback play, as NFL.com's Lance Zierlein put it.
Burden is excellent after the catch with the ball in his hands and can turn short completions into explosive gains. But of note, the bulk of his snaps have come from the slot and in Liam Coen's offense, I believe the ability to play both inside and out will be important. Now, just because Burden hasn't been asked to do that much doesn't mean he can't, but how the Jaguars evaluate his ability to play the boundary could impact whether or not they select him.
"Burden has juice after the catch, and he'd help Trevor Lawrence in that department," Kiper wrote. "This is good value, too -- Burden could ultimately go in Round 1."Jaguars pick at 70: Andrew Mukuba, S, TexasAdding Eric Murray in free agency provides needed stability at safety, but this is a position that should still be addressed to bolster the competition for the starting spot next to Murray and to provide the Jaguars with a potential longer-term option at the position.
Last season, Mukuba allowed a completion rate of just 43%, according to PFF, just 7.4 yards per catch and had five interceptions, along with six pass breakups, lining up mostly at free safety, which, from the sounds of it, is where Murray is mostly going to line up for the Jaguars. So getting both on the field together may require movement from someone.
"I'm a big fan of Mukuba's game, and he could join Eric Murray in filling Andre Cisco's void on the back end of the Jaguars' defense," Kiper wrote. "Mukuba picked off five passes last season; Jacksonville was 30th in the NFL with only six INTs."Jaguars pick at 88: Quincy Riley, CB, LouisvilleLike at cornerback, Jourdan Lewis provides stability, but the Jaguars shouldn't be done adding to this position.
Overall depth is still needed, not to mention that having competition for Jarrian Jones at the boundary cornerback spot would be the prudent move.Throughout his career, Riley has had terrific ball production, totaling 15 interceptions and 40 pass breakups. During the most recent 2024 season, Riley allowed a completion rate of just 48.
5%, 14.1 yards per catch, and quarterbacks had a passer rating of 73.5 when targeting him.
"The Jaguars signed Jourdan Lewis in the slot, but there are still questions opposite Tyson Campbell on the outside," wrote Kiper. "Over six college seasons, Riley had 15 interceptions and 39 pass breakups."This article originally appeared on Jaguars Wire: 2025 NFL draft: Gut reactions to Jaguars picks in Kiper and Yates mock.
