2021 NFL Draft: Huge QB trades in pre-Super Bowl mock draft
2021 NFL Draft: 25th pick
Ifeatu Melifonwu. player. 52. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. Syracuse. 25. CB
The Jacksonville Jaguars are hoping they hit a home run with the 9th pick in the 2020 NFL Draft in CJ Henderson, who has a tremendous combination of size, ball skills, and athleticism.
After using their top selection on Trevor Lawrence, which everyone expects to happen, where do the Jaguars go next?
Why not the secondary?
The Jaguars need an influx of talent on the back end of their secondary and it just so happens there are a number of playmakers in this class who could step in and give this team some high-upside options right away.
This doesn’t guarantee the Jaguars are going to come away with someone who is going to be defensive rookie of the year, but a player like Syracuse’s Ifeatu Melifonwu could come in, take his lumps as a rookie, and make a few big plays along the way.
The upside is huge for a player like Melifonwu who is 6-foot-3 and has the short-area quickness of a slot corner.
In the last three seasons, Melifonwu broke up 19 passes with three interceptions and he’s shown his ability to attack the line of scrimmage with five tackles for loss.
At this stage of the first round and with so many areas of the roster to address, the Jaguars need to make three-to-five-year decisions, not just decisions based on what players can do for them in 2021.
Melifonwu and his combination of size/athleticism along with the shutdown upside of CJ Henderson could give the Jaguars an enviable pair of outside corners.