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The 2023 NFL Draft will be an important draft for the Jacksonville Jaguars. Most importantly, get here before anyone knows.
“I feel like now is the perfect time to hit the iron while it’s hot,” Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson said at a postseason press conference.
“With the free agency process, the draft process coming up, we need to take advantage of the guys we have and keep improving our team by reaching all of these benchmarks.”
With Jaguars’ impending selection in the 1st round and 24th overall of the NFL Draft looming fast, there’s been a lot of outside debate throughout the offseason about what the Jaguars will or should do with the first-round pick. Let’s take a look at what the experts are thinking.
This time, we take a look at ESPN’s latest mock of Mel Kiper to see how we feel about this pick.
24th place: Maryland CB Deonte Banks
Jaguar’s chalk pick for 24th overall so far is cornerback. We recently mocked the Jaguars’ 24th-ranked cornerback for reasons earlier this week, but with Shaquille Griffin likely to be released and Tre Herndon likely to become a free agent, the Jaguars should be there. It’s clear he doesn’t need help. Herndon could be back, but the Jaguars still need a slot cornerback.
Cornerbacks are exactly where Kipper has the No. 24 pick, acquiring Jaguars Maryland cornerback Deonte Banks.
“What about those Jaguars? After winning the AFC South title in 2022, shouldn’t they be the early favorites to win again? “They did a great job of filling in the holes in the 2018 but their pass rushing was still mediocre. The linebacker on the ball struggled with coverage and had an open corner spot opposite Tyson Campbell,” Kuiper wrote. With a strong cornerback class at , Baalke & Co. were able to target Banks, a man-coverage defender with exceptional physical tools, and NFL teams could see him tested at the combine. If so, he could rise as we get closer to the draft, and yes, this will take five cornerbacks off the board in Round 1.
“Another position to watch for Jacksonville is tight end, Evan Engram is a free agent. Luke Musgrave (Oregon) and Dalton Kincaid (Utah) could be options,” Kuiper said. continued.
A former Three Star recruit, Banks has matured into Maryland’s star cornerback. He was listed by the state of Maryland at 6-foot-2 and 205 pounds, and recorded 1 interception and 8 pass deflections for Maryland in 2022.
“Maryland played Banks on the perimeter and field side, but he seemed most comfortable manipulating along the perimeter,” the Draft Bible said in December.
“He has had starting snaps since the 2019 freshman season. Banks has about 1,500 defensive snaps and 315 special team snaps. is not.”
On the surface, this looks like an odd choice for Jaguar. The Jaguars need cornerback help for the future as Darius Williams turns 31 and could be a cap casualty in 2024, but that doesn’t mean he’s still going to be a starter. means that his 2023 must be considered. If the Jaguars take a corner this offseason, he needs to be nickeled to play right away, and Banks’ profile doesn’t scream it.
“Yeah, I think so too. I think so. I think it’s a natural place for him. I think we’re a better team with him on the perimeter,” Pederson said of Williams at the end of the season.
So it’s the correct position, but I doubt if it’s the right one for 2023. The Jaguars already have a starter opposite Tyson Campbell.
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