Jacksonville Jaguars re-draft: Fixing their 2021 NFL Draft haul

Round 1, 25th overall

Actual pick: Travis Etienne, RB, Clemson

I certainly understand the appeal of the Jaguars selection Travis Etienne at No. 25 overall. Etienne is an explosive running back prospect whose familiarity with Lawrence should help the immediate comfort level of their young franchise quarterback. That being said, James Robinson was fantastic for the Jags as an undrafted rookie last season. Investing in the position so early in the draft after seeing Robinson shine last season was foolish.

I understand that Urban Meyer wants more speed on his offense but there were other ways to accomplish this than reaching on a first-round running back. In this re-draft scenario, the Jacksonville Jaguars right the wrong of the Etienne pick with the selection of cornerback Greg Newsome II.

Newsome is an extremely talented cornerback prospect who shows a ton of upside in both man and zone coverage. He mirrors opposing receivers extremely well, shows impressive natural quickness and attacks the ball in the air extremely well.

After signing Shaquill Griffin in free agency and drafting Tyson Campbell early in the second round, the Jags clearly do not have confidence in last year’s first-round cornerback CJ Henderson. However, instead of reaching for Campbell early in the second round like they did in the actual draft, the Jags find value by taking Newsome late in the first of this re-draft.

Simply put, Etienne was a reach. It was a luxury selection that a team like Jacksonville simply could not afford to make. In this re-draft, they instead find value at a position that they clearly believe is a major defensive need.