2019 NFL Mock Draft: Jacksonville Jaguars Select OT Jonah Williams at No. 7

With the 7th pick in the 2019 DBN Community NFL Mock Draft, the Jacksonville Jaguars select...

Jonah Williams, OT, Alabama

The selection and write-up were made by Your Friendly Neighborhood Esq:

This pick could have gone a few different directions. The Jaguars signed Nick Foles to be their starting QB, so no QB was in the picture with this pick. Most of the top flight edge rushers are gone and Brian Burns from FSU is a stretch at this point. I was tempted by Metcalf or Hockenson because of the general lack of impact pass catchers on the team.

If the board fell this way on draft day, then I would try and trade out of 7 to get into the 11-18 range for one of Metcalf, Burns, or Hockenson because all three of those players fill an area of need and help the Jaguars win now. However, none of them have the value, in my opinion, to be taken at 7 over a talent like Jonah Williams.

Jonah Williams is the best tackle in this draft, but concerns linger regarding his ability to play at the next level because of his shorter arms. But you can just watch his tape and see the elite talent he possesses. Williams also may have a lower ceiling than a prospect like Jawaan Taylor, but his technical and leadership skills will be an important addition to a team that only has a couple of years to make a true push for a Super Bowl. Williams also makes sense from a roster perspective because whether he plays guard or tackle, he’ll be an immediate improvement over the players currently on the Jaguars’ roster.

The Jaguars are a run-first team and have a QB in Nick Foles who needs to be protected and upright to perform at his best. The Jaguars suffered injuries to both starting tackles last year and there was a rotating cast along the line as a result. They brought in former first-round pick Cedric Ogbuehi to compete for a starting Right Tackle job against 2018 4th rounder Will Richardson Jr. and backup Josh Wells. Ogbuehi was inconsistent for the Bengals and is not a true solution at Right Tackle. Drafting Williams gives the Jaguars that solution and provides great protection to both Foles and Fournette. Drafting Williams may also put into place a longer term plan where Williams starts at Left Tackle and Robinson moves inside or to Right Tackle, upgrading two positions with a single pick.

With this scenario, I’m grabbing a edge defender, tight end, or wide receiver at the top of the second round and trying to add as many offensive playmakers as I can this draft.

Pokorny: “The Jaguars fell apart last year. Blake Bortles wasn’t cutting it, and the defense had had enough of having to play perfect in order to win. With Nick Foles and a talented young running back on offense, taking an offensive tackle in Williams is a nice move to help both of those guys out. And, it never hurts to draft a tackle who wears No. 73, right?”

The Detroit Lions are up next, led by Bo154033.