Jacksonville Jaguars protect Trevor Lawrence in 7-round 2022 Mock Draft

The Jacksonville Jaguars protect Trevor Lawrence and much more in this seven round 2022 NFL Mock Draft.

The Jacksonville Jaguars will enter the 2022 NFL Draft holding the first overall pick for the second consecutive year. Last year saw the Jags select Trevor Lawrence with high expectations. The arrival of Urban Meyer only increased hope. Now, a year later, Jacksonville is back in the same spot. They hold the first overall pick with a new head coach once again.

The turmoil that came with the 2021 season is hopefully behind this organization with new energy entering the building with Doug Pederson at the helm. A Super Bowl champion, Pederson will have a plethora of picks to help turn around this team quickly. So without further delay, we’ll jump in with the first overall selection in this 2022 NFL Mock Draft.

Jacksonville Jaguars 2022 NFL Mock Draft

Round 1, Pick 1: Evan Neal, OT, Alabama

If the Jaguars want Trevor Lawrence to have success, he needs to stay upright. During his rookie season, Lawrence was sacked on 5% of his drop backs and now Jacksonville could potentially lose the entire left side of their line with both Cam Robinson and Andrew Norwell set to become free agents. This opens the door for the Jags to usher in a new offensive line era in front of Lawrence.

There is the temptation to take an edge rusher here, but Jacksonville needs to protect their most valuable asset in Lawrence. The potential is clearly there for Lawrence, but he needs protection in the pocket if he’s going to progress through his career. While an NFL-leading 17 interceptions can’t be blamed solely on the offensive line, improving the unit will help that number.

Evan Neal, as of now, is the top offensive lineman in this class. If he can test well at both the NFL Combine and his Pro Day, he should be a shoe-in for the top selection in Jacksonville. He can immediately step in and transform this offensive line.