With the NFL Draft right around the corner, the Jacksonville Jaguars find themselves in the midst of a pivotal offseason as they look to bounce back from an incredibly disappointing 2024 campaign. Led by a young and energetic new coaching staff headlined by Head Coach Liam Coen and Offensive Coordinator Grant Udinski, the team is completely flipping the script from the offense fans had become accustomed to under the prior regime. New leadership will usher in a fresh exciting offense predicated on balance, innovation, and playing to their players strengths. While franchise quarterback Trevor Lawrence and superstar wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. offer a strong foundation, there are still several holes on the offense that the front office will need to address. Before we look ahead to what the Jaguars might do in the draft, let’s take a position-by-position look at where the offensive personnel currently stands.
Be sure to follow my coverage of all things Jaguars and NFL on X @JagsRealist.
Quarterbacks
QB1- Trevor Lawrence
The face of the franchise enters year 5 coming off a disappointing 17 game stretch for both himself and the team resulting in the firing of the old regime. With the young and innovative staff now at the helm as well as with a new set of pass catching weapons “T-Law” is set up nicely to return and build upon his 2022 form that took the league by storm.
QB2- Nick Mullens
Mullens comes over from Minnesota and has familiarity with Jaguars offensive coordinator Grant Udinski which should greatly help with the onboarding process within the QB room. Mullens has proved to be a capable backup in the league and by all accounts is a great leader and locker room presence.
QB3- John Wolford
Wolford has experience being in a QB room under Liam Coen back with the Rams. However he has not shown much on the NFL level but his familiarity with Coen should give him a chance to compete for the third QB spot through the preseason.
State of the Position
Trevor Lawrence is the face of the franchise and is getting paid like it, but outside of him the room is lackluster which may result in one more name being added into the mix by the time training camp rolls around.
Level of Need and Potential Investment
- No starter needed but depth competition could elevate the floor of the room
- Investment likely to come late day 3 or not at all – Prediction Round 6
Running Backs
RB1- Travis Etienne
Etienne is coming off a down year which saw him struggle on both a season long and per touch basis. Following back to back 1400+ scrimmage yard seasons, Etienne mustered just over half of that this past year with only 812 yards in 15 games. A renewed offensive line paired with the new and improved scheme should do wonders for the run game as a whole and Etienne stands to be a big beneficiary of that as things stand right now.
RB2- Tank Bigsby
After a very poor rookie season, Bigsby bounced back last year to the tune of a team leading 766 rushing yards and 7 rushing scores. His physical running style and vision were on display last year as he overcame both a poor scheme and poor offensive line play to deliver solid results. This last season was very inspiring and leaves the door open for a potential breakout this upcoming season if he meshes in this new look offense.
RB3- Keilan Robinson
Robinson was a name not many had heard of at the time of his selection last year and he unfortunately remains a widely unknown name as he rarely saw the field in his rookie season. Robinson was a very raw prospect as a running back and was mainly selected for his ability in the return game which the team may look to tap into more next season.
State of the Position
Etienne is hard to trust coming off the year he just had and Bigsby has clear limitations to what he can do in terms of his play style and what he’s good at. Depth beyond this duo is lacking, so adding another player is a priority.
Level of Need and Potential Investment
- Role player with the potential to develop into a long-term starter needed
- Investment ranges from Day 1 (Jeanty) to early Day 3 – Prediction Jeanty OR Round 3
Wide Receivers
WR1- Brian Thomas Jr.
Thomas burst onto the scene as a rookie as he went for over 1300 yards to go along with 10 TDs. Thomas was one of the lone bright spots in last year’s highly disappointing Jaguars offense. He has all the makings of a superstar Wide Receiver and his name has been praised by the new coaching staff who plans to funnel the offense through him. The sky’s the limit for Thomas as he looks to build upon his incredible rookie season and fully establish himself as an alpha # 1 wideout.
WR2- Dyami Brown
After 4 years with the Commanders and coming off an impressive playoff run that saw him rack up 14 receptions to the tune of 229 yards and 1 score, Brown bet on himself and took a 1 year deal in Jacksonville. He looks to build upon his hot finish and try to earn a big long term contract with a successful stint this year. Head Coach Liam Coen is known for having one of the best screen games in the NFL, an area where Dyami thrived last year. Look for Dyami to be deployed as a player who will be given “cheap stuff and deep stuff” meaning schemed short touches paired with deep shots, which should add a fun dynamic to the new look offense.
WR3- Parker Washington
Parker Washington currently finds himself as a starter in the generic slot role that Christian Kirk’s departure left vacant. Washington has shown flashes when given opportunities and he may be provided a big opportunity this year to become a more high volume target in the offense.
WR 4- Gabe Davis
Davis was once viewed as an exciting free agent addition to the team but just a year later all hope seems to be lost on that potential. If he can return to the player he was in Buffalo then he will be rewarded with a big role in this offense but projecting that after what he displayed last year would be irresponsible to do.
WR Depth
Joshua Cephus; Austin Trammell; David White Jr.; Louis Rees-Zammit
None of these players have established themselves as NFL options yet. There is hope however, when you consider some of these players’ past successes like Joshua Cephus in college and Louis Rees-Zammit’s success as a rugby star. With the depth chart as it stands before the draft, there will be opportunity to earn valuable depth roles.
State of the Position
Brian Thomas Jr. is on track to be a superstar but surrounding him currently is nothing but gadget players and “what ifs”. A “sidekick” or complement to BTJ is a huge need and one that is expected to be a priority in the draft for the front office.
Level of Need and Potential Investment
- Starting Wide Receiver needed; depth competition would also elevate the floor of the room
- Investment ranges from Round 1 (T-Mac) to early Day 3 – Prediction Round 2
Tight Ends
TE1- Brenton Strange
A popular breakout pick heading into next year, Strange is coming off a season where he showed plenty of flashes both in the receiving game as well as the blocking game. With Evan Engram’s departure this quickly has become Strange’s job to lose. Head Coach Liam Coen has sung the praises of Strange further adding fuel to the breakout fire. Look for him to have a big role this upcoming season.
TE2- Johnny Mundt
Mundt heads over to Jacksonville after a 3 year tenure in Minnesota where he worked with now Offensive Coordinator Grant Udinski. Mundt has respect around the league as someone who does the dirty work, making him a reliable option as depth in the TE room. His familiarity with Udisnki should also speed up the onboarding process of the other players in the room.
TE3- Hunter Long
Long comes over from a Rams team that has used their tight ends similarly to how Coen is looking too. He is a good blocker in the run game and his plus athletic ability offers up hope for some untapped potential. Long is still young and very well could be an ascending talent which should provide solid and much needed depth to the TE room.
TE Depth
Shawn Bowman; Patrick Murtagh
At this point in time neither player has established themselves as anything more than a practice squad player.
State of the Position
Strange headlines a tight end room with a lot of question marks and unproven production. The coaching staff and front office seem to believe in Strange’s ability to be “the guy” but competition may be added in the draft in the form of a player who can develop and settle into that TE2 role.
Level of Need and Potential Investment
- Depth player with starter potential could add to the floor and potential ceiling of the room
- Investment likely to come on Day 3 if at all – Prediction Round 5
Offensive Line:
Tackles
LT1- Walker Little
Little has been a solid player for the Jaguars when called upon but has a huge opportunity for growth this year as this is the first offseason he has entered as the teams starter. Little has been inconsistent at times but his best moments are those of a franchise Left Tackle. Coen and company seem to be happy with the state of their starting tackles meaning they see Little as a player who should continue to ascend and improve.
RT1- Anton Harrison
After a great rookie season, Harrison struggled more in year 2. His partner in crime, former Right Guard Brandon Schereff had noticeably slowed down especially in the run game which could explain Harrisons issues being amplified. Harrison has shown to be a very good player in the NFL, he just has to play with more consistency. A consistency that can hopefully be found with the aid of the new scheme and new Right Guard Patrick Mekari.
Depth Tackles
Cole Van Lanen; Chuma Edoga; Fred Johnson
All 3 players have had to step in and start games and have done so in decent fashion. They are fine depth pieces who can play and hold things together in a pinch but they are not players you want to find yourself relying on to start consistently.
Javon Foster
Foster could not get on the field or the active gameday roster even with a litany of offensive line injuries and issues last year. According to reporters who were present at last off-season’s practices, Foster is somebody who really struggled and looked like he didn’t belong. Hopefully he is able to find a role in year 2 but as of now this is looking like a wasted pick.
State of the Position
The new regime has outspokenly expressed their comfort level heading into next season with Walker Little and Anton Harrison manning the starting tackle spots. The team also added 2 depth pieces to the room but with their continued preaching of competition, do not be surprised if somebody else is added to the room to fight for the swing tackle spot.
Level of Need and Potential Investment
- Depth player with starter potential could add to the floor and potential ceiling of the room
- Investment ranges from Day 2 to Day 3 – Prediction Tackle/Guard taken round 4
Guards
LG1- Ezra Cleveland
Cleveland has been a solid option since arriving in Jacksonville. All things considered he has been the most consistent Jaguars offensive linemen since his arrival. He has shown to be scheme versatile, which should play to both he and the coaching staff’s benefit when the new look offense is rolled out this upcoming season.
RG1- Patrick Mekari
Mekari comes over from Baltimore where he was truly a jack of all trades. A guy who has spent time all across the offensive line and brings a veteran presence and ferocity to this offensive line unit. He has been proficient in multiple run schemes and has remained a steady force in pass protection which should offer this unit some much needed stability.
Guard Depth
Dennis Daley
Daley is a veteran who brings with him 37 career starts although he has never been a plus starter and has often underwhelmed when called upon
Cooper Hodges
Hodges is a fan favorite but only has 1 NFL start to his name so far. He was seen as a project when he was added to the team, so we will have to wait and see if this new offensive staff can speed up and unlock this projects potential
State of the Position
Ezra Cleveland and Patrick Mekari are two solid starting options and players the team is expected to rely on next year. That being said, Cleveland’s contract has a potential out after this year, pair that with the lack of good experienced depth and you begin to expect a player to be added to this room that they believe can develop into a starter.
Level of Need and Potential Investment
- Depth player with starter potential needed to add to both the floor and untapped ceiling of the position room
- Investment ranges from Day 2 to Day 3 – Prediction Tackle/Guard taken round 4
Centers
C1- Robert Hainsey
Hainsey follows Coach Coen over from Tampa Bay where he started for 2 years before losing the job to first round rookie Graham Barton last year. Hainsey is an impressive athlete and by all accounts a very smart player. Coen clearly liked what he saw in Hainsey in their time together to feel comfortable going out and bringing him in to be the team’s starting center. Hainseys’ familiarity with the system will be an added bonus to what should be a solid starter at the center position.
C2- Luke Fortner
Fortner also has familiarity in a Coen offensive system dating back to their time together at Kentucky. Fortner has had an up and down career to this point, often underwhelming as a starter but his familiarity with Coen and the system should keep him around as a backup.
State of the Position
On paper this may look like a big position of weakness, but the familiarity Coen has with the players in this group seemingly makes it less of a priority for the team. Coen values Hainsey and made it a point of emphasis to acquire him in free agency. Fortner stands to be a solid backup due to his experience in a similar system having played for Coen prior. Don’t be surprised if additions at guard and tackle are prioritized over a potential upgrade at center.
Level of Need and Potential Investment
- Depth player with starter potential could add to the floor and potential ceiling of the room
- Not expecting an investment but if one is made would expect that selection on Day 3
Outlook
All in all, the Jaguars offensive unit enters the 2025 NFL Draft with a solid foundation and a clear vision, but there is still work to be done to become the high flying offense they want to be. With new leadership in place, this unit has the potential to take a major step forward if the right pieces are added in the Draft. General Manager James Gladstone has emphasized building through the draft, and this week we get our first opportunity to see that vision come to life. Ultimately the front office’s ability to hit on their picks and build the team’s core will determine whether this offense can evolve into a consistent and dynamic force. One way or another, the offensive side of the ball will look noticeably different in terms of both personnel and scheme to what has been on display by the Jaguars in years past.
