Finding Jaguars: Wide Receivers Who Fit Jacksonville on Each Day of the 2021 NFL Draft
The Jacksonville Jaguars have a need for speed.
With Urban Meyer now in the driver's seat of Jacksonville's franchise and how the team will opt to build around impending No. 1 overall pick Trevor Lawrence, there is zero question the Jaguars need to add some juice to an offense that failed to find the end zone last season.
The Jaguars already have a group of talented receivers that is headlined by DJ Chark, Laviska Shenault, and Marvin Jones, but there are few burners on the offense outside of Chark and free agent additions Phillip Dorsett and Jamal Agnew, neither of whom have made big impacts on offense in their NFL careers.
So, which receivers make sense for the Jaguars to fill out the rest of their unit heading into Lawrence's rookie season? We take a look at receivers who make sense in each of the draft's three days below.
Day 1
Picks: No. 1, No. 25 (via Los Angeles Rams) overall
Florida WR Kadarius Toney: This is much too rich for my taste when it comes to selecting Florida's Kadarius Toney, but it is likely the Jaguars would have to select him at No. 25 if they truly wanted to draft him. He just seems like a prospect who is destined to be picked within the first 32 picks after an elite performance at his pro day and a productive 2020 season. He makes sense for the Jaguars because he can operate out of the slot, on gadget plays, on special teams, and played for one of Urban Meyer's former top assistants with Dan Mullen. It
Minnesota WR Rashod Bateman: According to Grinding the Mocks, Minnesota's Rashod Bateman would be a minor reach here since his EDP is 31, but that is just one behind Toney's of 30. If the Jaguars take a receiver at No. 25, then they'll likely have to sacrifice a bit of value. In the case of Bateman, they do get an uber-productive and consistent receiver who has shown the ability to win from all three receiver positions while showing success deep and across the middle. He isn't the burner that Urban Meyer would likely covet, but he is a wide receiver coach's dream.
LSU WR Terrace Marshall: If any of these receivers fit the height/weight/speed profile of a potential future No. 1 receiver, it is LSU's Terrace Marshall. Marshall is likely to go in the first round after running a 4.38 40-yard dash at nearly 6-foot-3 at his pro day. He was a key piece to a stacked LSU passing game in 2019 and was a centerpiece of the offense in 2020, showing the ability to win from the outside and the slot. He is the rawest of these three prospects but has the most upside.
Day 2
Picks: No. 33, No. 45 (via Minnesota Vikings), No. 65
Ole Miss WR Elijah Moore: It is no secret we are fans of Ole Miss wide receiver Elijah Moore. He fits the Jaguars' need for a slot receiver who can also fit in as a gadget player out of the backfield and he produced for three consecutive seasons in the SEC. Add in some elite athletic testing at his pro day and the only knock on Elijah Moore is the fact that he is 5-foot-9. He would be great value at No. 33 overall and would add a much-needed element of short area quickness to the Jaguars' roster.
Purdue WR Rondale Moore: It is impossible to tell where Rondale Moore gets drafted. He is only 5-foot-7, played just seven games in the last two years, and was used almost solely as a gadget player by Purdue. With that said, he is arguably the most explosive and dynamic player in the draft and he was one of the best offensive players in the nation as a true freshman, including a breakout performance against Ohio State in one of Urban Meyer's final college defeats. He is a pure slot and gadget player who has a bevy of red flags, but the potential reward is through the roof.
Western Michigan WR D'Wayne Eskridge: One of the draft's top slot receivers, D'Wayne Eskridge is undersized at 5-foot-9 and 190 pounds but he is one of the easiest evaluations of the bunch. He wins with pure explosion and speed, generating big play after big play for the Western Michigan offense thanks to his athleticism and burst. He is a pure slot receiver who doesn't have the best hands, but he is a tough cover in man coverage due to some of the best feet in the class and he has shown the ability to win deep.
Florida WR Trevon Grimes: Another Florida Gator that Meyer will be able to get intel on, Trevon Grimes is also a former five-star signee with Ohio State who spent the 2017 season with the Buckeyes. He isn't a blazing speed threat or a slot but he has elite size at 6-foot-4 and 222 pounds. With the multiple Meyer connections, he could be a name to watch,
Clemson WR Amari Rodgers: One of Trevor Lawrence's favorite targets in 2020, Amari Rodgers is a slot prospect who has the ball skills and yards after catch ability to fit in well with what the Jaguars have in the receiver room. He doesn't have great size but succeeded as a deep threat with a great connection with Lawrence due to his ability to separate vertically and track the ball. He is a tough projection since he is such a unique skill set (plays more like a running back than receiver at times), but he would make sense if the Jaguars want a player who Lawrence has experience throwing to.
USC WR Amon-Ra St. Brown: Another pure slot, USC's Amon-Ra St. Brown isn't the draft's most explosive receiving threat but he has proven production, especially as an underneath receiver. If the Jaguars want a consistent threat who can win with route-running and soft hands in the short areas of the field, he would make a lot of sense, especially since he could be a long-term replacement for Marvin Jones.
Day 3
Picks: No. 106, No. 130 (via Los Angeles Rams), No. 145, No. 170, No. 249
North Texas WR Jaelon Darden: An intensely explosive receiving threat, few wide receivers have the speed and burst of Jaelon Darden. He comes from a small program and is only 5-foot-8, 175 pounds, but his ability to take the top off of a defense with legitimate stop-end speed makes him a tough cover for any defense. Add in terrific short area quickness and ability to create with the ball in his hands and Darden is one of the best value picks of all receivers.
South Carolina WR Shi Smith: While undersized at 5-foot-9, Shi Smith has the type of quickness and agility to makes him nearly impossible for a defender to stick with in space. He will always struggle with his lack of size and strength and will likely be limited to the slot, but he has the speed to feast on slot cornerbacks and win after the catch. He may not stand out a ton in a stacked slot class, but he is a good football player with translatable skills.
Houston WR Marquez Stevenson: One of the fastest players in the draft, Marquez Stevenson makes a lot of sense as a player who could compete with Phillip Dorsett in camp. He has the pure speed to operate as a deep threat in a specified role, but he didn't hit 1,000 yards in either of the last two seasons and has a lot he needs to work on as a hands-catcher and route runner. His speed can't be taught, but he is raw.
Auburn WR Anthony Schwartz: A star track and field athlete in Florida during high school, Anthony Schwartz is another great example of a pure speed receiver whose natural ability to beat defenses deep should entice Meyer and the Jaguars. He was never overly productive at Auburn but he created some of the program's most explosive plays from a receiver in recent years. He is raw but he has the tools to justify taking a roll of the dice on.
