2025 NFL Draft: Who Does ESPN Mock to the Jaguars?

Who does ESPN mock to the Jacksonville Jaguars in their annual preseason mock draft?

Jacksonville Jaguars Manager Trent Baalke walks off the field during the third day of an NFL football training camp practice Friday, July 26, 2024 at EverBank Stadium’s Miller Electric Center in Jacksonville, Fla. / Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK

There is a long, long way to go until the 2025 NFL Draft.

But that doesn't stop the machine that is the mock draft industry. This time around, it is ESPN's Field Yates delivering a way-to-early mock draft to dissect.

With the Jaguars picking at No. 15 overall, Yates projected Ohio State cornerback Denzel Burke

"The Jaguars were commonly linked to cornerbacks in this year's first round, and they eventually took one in the third round with Jarrian Jones," Yates said. "But they still need help opposite Tyson Campbell. Burke has excellent suddenness and the ability to drive back toward the football as a playmaking corner (24 pass breakups in three seasons). With his great speed, he can hold up on the perimeter on downfield throws."

Burke, a former four-star recruit, has made plays since his first season with the Buckeyes. He recorded 37 tackles and 13 pass breakups -- both career highs -- and picked off a pass in 2021, earning Third-Team All-Big Ten honors. In 2022, he recorded 34 tackles, three tackles for loss, and five pass breakups and was named honorable mention All-Big Ten.

2023 saw Burke have another big year, recording 24 tackles, three tackles for loss, nine pass breakups, one interception, and one forced fumble.

While cornerback was a trendy pick for the Jaguars in the 2024 NFL Draft, it does remain hard to see the Jaguars taking a cornerback in the first round in 2025, even with a full football season still having to play out.

The Jaguars have Tyson Campbell on the books as their No. 1 cornerback for a few more years, and the Jaguars are also clearly high on their second- and first-year cornerbacks in Christian Braswell, Jarrian Jones, and De'Antre Prince. Even if starting cornerback Ronald Darby doesn't return in 2025 for whatever reason (he is under contract through 2025), the Jaguars would likely want to see what Jones can do as a starter.

The Jaguars under general manager Trent Baalke have traditionally been a needs-based drafting team in the first round, so offensive line makes more sense here considering the Jaguars have three players (Cam Robinson, Walker Little, Brandon Scherff) in contract years and an aging center in Mitch Morse.

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