2023 NFL Draft: Kicking Off the Offseason With a 2-Round Jaguars Mock

In our first mock draft of the 2023 offseason, we take a look at which directions the Jaguars could potentially go with their first two picks.

The 2022 NFL season has come to a close for the Jacksonville Jaguars, with the Jaguars falling 27-20 to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Divisional Round on Saturday. 

As a result, the Jaguars and 27 other NFL teams are now all in the same mindset: offseason mode.

With the Jaguars unlikely to be major players in this year's free agency after their spending spree last year, the most obvious place for improvement for the Jaguars will come via the NFL Draft.

This year, the Jaguars are set to pick No. 24 overall after their second-round exit. Typically, the Jaguars would pick No. 25 overall, but due to the Miami Dolphins having a forfeited first-round pick, the Jaguars pick goes up a selection.

The Jaguars are set to have nine selections in the 2023 NFL Draft, which will be general manager Trent Baalke's third draft at the helm. To give an idea of what kind of scenarios Baalke and the Jaguars could find themselves in come April, we are kicking off the offseason with a two-round mock draft.

All selections were made via the Pro Football Network Mock Draft Simulator. 

So, who do we take with the Jaguars' first two picks (No. 24, No. 56)? We break it down below. 

No. 24: Illinois CB Devon Witherspoon

A common theme for most of the Jaguars' 2022 season was their cornerback depth coming back to bite them. It was a position the Jaguars had internal questions about entering the season, and there wasn't much done during the season to change the complexion o the room when you consider Shaquill Griffin is a likely subtraction. 

The Jaguars did find massive success with a combination of Tyson Campbell and Darious Williams on the outside over the final month-and-a-half of the season, but that shouldn't stop the Jaguars from considering a cornerback early for several reasons. For one, the Jaguars were one of the worst defenses in the NFL in 2022 in terms of defending the slot. A third cornerback would likely slot into the nickel role and would more or less be a starter considering nickel packages are base packages in today's NFL.

Secondly, drafting a cornerback early would show long-term thinking by the Jaguars. Williams had a terrific end to the 2022 season, but he will be 30 in 2023. In 2024, when he is set to be 31, the Jaguars will save $10 million by releasing him. So while Williams will enter 2023 as a starter, the Jaguars need to have a long-term plan at cornerback that doesn't involve him.

That brings us to Illinois cornerback Devon Witherspoon, who has experience on the outside and in the slot. While Witherspoon doesn't have intimidating size or length, he is a tough-nosed cover man who has proven he can hang with receivers of all sizes.

"Witherspoon was targeted 63 times but allowed just 22 catches for 206 yards with three interceptions and 14 pass breakups. Oh, and he didn’t allow a single touchdown all season. Those numbers were good for a 25.0 passer rating — worse than spiking the ball every play," PFF said about Witherspoon.

There are other options on hand, such as taking a tight end like Notre Dame's Michael Mayer or Georgia's Darnell Washington. Florida guard O'Cyrus Torrence is another name worth considering, too, when you take into account the Jaguars' inability to be a short-yardage team in 2022. 

But for the Jaguars, adding a gifted and versatile cover corner should be a top priority. They do that here with Witherspoon, while not taking a loss in BPA. 

No. 56: Utah TE Dalton Kincaid

The No. 56 overall pick should be an interesting one for the Jaguars. With three fourth-round picks in their pocket, it could be fairly easy for them to package picks to move up if they desire to. If not, they can take advantage of deep classes at several key positions. 

One of those positions is tight end, a position that currently doesn't have much clarity for the Jaguars. Three of the four tight ends on the Jaguars' 53-man roster are set to be free agents in March, including Evan Engram, who was the Jaguars' No. 2 or No. 3 passing option in 2022 depending on the week. 

Engram has expressed a desire to return to Jacksonville in 2023, but he is likely set to be one of the highest-paid tight ends in football after a career season in 2022. While it would be ideal for both sides to make a deal work, there is no guarantee. As a result of all of these factors, the Jaguars should be aggressive at tight end.

Kincaid, who transferred to Utah from San Diego, had a monster year in 2022, leading the Utes in receptions (70), receiving yards (890) and receiving touchdowns (8). He has 16 touchdowns over the last two seasons and could give the Jaguars two pass-catching tight ends like Doug Pederson had in Philadelphia if the Jaguars keep Engram. If they don't, he could step right into his role in the offense, even if it would take some time for him to transition to the NFL.