2025 NFL Draft: Who Does Draft Expert Project to Jaguars at No. 5?

The Jacksonville Jaguars get big-time defensive help in the latest 2025 NFL Mock Draft.
Feb 27, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars general manager Trent Baalke speaks at a press conference at the NFL Scouting Combine at Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Feb 27, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars general manager Trent Baalke speaks at a press conference at the NFL Scouting Combine at Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
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The Jacksonville Jaguars are entering the offseason with the No. 5 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, their first time picking in the top-5 since they had the No. 1 pick in 2022.

But which ways could the Jaguars lean with the No. 5 pick? Would they want to reinforce either the offensive or defensive lines? Or would they want to add to a secondary that was attacked weekly?

With as many needs as the Jaguars have entering the 2025 offseason, it surely seems like the Jaguars couldn't really go wrong by addressing either position group. And that is what will make mock drafts projections moving forward fascinating when it comes to the Trent Baalke-led Jaguars.

The latest such mock draft comes from ESPN's Jordan Reid, who opted to give the Jaguars a star in the making in Michigan cornerback Will Johnson at No. 5 overall, giving Tyson Campbell a true running mate.

"The Jaguars recorded only six interceptions this season, the third-lowest total in the league. So their secondary needs a boost, and Johnson -- who set Michigan's school record with three career pick-sixes -- can provide that," Reid said.

"At 6-foot-2, 202 pounds, he's a big corner who has drawn some comparisons to Broncos Pro Bowler Pat Surtain II. Pairing Johnson with Tyson Campbell would give Jacksonville a young, lockdown duo on the perimeter."

The Jaguars' issues on defense in 2024 were well-known, with the Jaguars ranking near the bottom of the league in essentially every key stat despite the well-received hire of Ryan Nielsen during the offseason.

The defensive issues were so prevalent that they even up a number of times in Jaguars owner Shad Khan's end-of-year press conference on Monday, a rarity for an owner who does not often touch on on-field matters.

"If our defense would improve, get to the middle of the pack, we were what, 2-10 this year [in one-score games]? How many of those games we could win?" Khan said.

"I think the schemes on offense just being less predictable. I think we could be more productive on offense. We have the ability through the Draft coming up and salary cap to be able to use that to get more specific players we were seeking. I expect for us to have success very quickly."

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John Shipley
JOHN SHIPLEY

John Shipley has been covering the Jacksonville Jaguars as a beat reporter and publisher of Jaguar Report since 2019. Previously, he covered UCF's undefeated season as a beat reporter for NSM.Today, covered high school prep sports in Central Florida, and covered local sports and news for the Palatka Daily News. Follow John Shipley on Twitter at @_john_shipley.