Jacksonville Jaguars: Early top positions of need for 2021 NFL Draft
Offensive Line
On paper, the Jacksonville Jaguars have a solid starting offensive line with plenty of short and long-term upside. Their starting unit of Cam Robinson, Andrew Norwell, Brandon Linder, A.J. Cann and Jawaan Taylor is certainly interesting, but they struggled as a unit to consistently protect the quarterback and open up holes in the run game last season.
Jacksonville did not make any significant additions to their offensive line over the offseason. Rookie Ben Bartch is an interesting player with some legitimate upside, but he was a fourth-round selection out of Division III college football. He was essentially a flier for this team.
The lack of impact additions on the offensive line shows that the Jags believe in their group up front, but do not be surprised if Taylor and Linder are the only long-term starting options for this team going forward. Robinson, Norwell and Cann all have major questions and could easily be looked at as replaceable players by this team.
If the Jags are looking to improve their offensive line situation in the 2021 NFL Draft, I would assume that left tackle would be the priority. Jawaan Taylor appears to have the right tackle position under control, while Cam Robinson may be best suited as an interior player. If the Jags find themselves in a position to snag a top-tier left tackle prospect like Penei Sewell or Samuel Cosmi, they could move Robinson inside and improve at two positions up front.
That being said, I would not rule out a significant addition on the interior offensive line as well. Norwell’s massive contract likely keeps him around, but the dead cap numbers do become more manageable next offseason. They could easily look to move on from him if he struggles to cement himself as an elite interior option once again. On top of that, Cann has a limited ceiling and could easily be replaced if the opportunity presents itself.
Do not be surprised if the offensive line ends up being a massive position of need for the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 2021 NFL Draft.
Potential 2021 NFL Draft targets: Penei Sewell, Samuel Cosmi, Alex Leatherwood, Jackson Carman, Wyatt Davis, Trey Smith, Zion Johnson and Drake Jackson