2022 NFL Draft: Evan Neal, Ikem Ekwonu Meet With Jaguars at Combine
The Jacksonville Jaguars are wasting little time in Indianapolis.
With all of the top 2022 draft prospects at Lucas Oil Stadium for the NFL Scouting Combine, the Jaguars are doing their due diligence and meeting with all of the possible options for the No. 1 overall pick. According to Florida Times-Union's John Reid, this includes Alabama offensive lineman Evan Neal and North Carolina State offensive lineman Ikem Ekwonu.
It isn't surprising to see the Jaguars' contingent, led by head coach Doug Pederson and general manager Trent Baalke, doing their homework on the draft's top offensive linemen. The Jaguars have three of their five Week 1 starters from a year ago set to hit free agency, including left tackle Cam Robinson and both starting guards.
The Jaguars' meetings with Neal and Ekwonu are far from the only meetings the Jaguars will hold with offensive linemen, but it is still noteworthy considering Baalke's comments on the offensive tackle class when he spoke at the combine on Tuesday.
“You have to take the player that you think is the best fit for the organization as a whole and makes the biggest difference. If that’s the offensive tackle position, you do it. If it’s edge rusher, you do it," Baalke said.
"I’ve always been a big believer in go big or go home. This draft has a lot of unique players in it. There may not be that clear number one but there’s a lot of very good football players at the top of this draft that we’re obviously going to be in position number one (and) have our pick of those players.”
Aside from specifically naming the offensive tackle position and his own preference to draft in the trenches early on, Baalke also noted that he considers the offensive line to be among the deepest positions in this year's draft. Aside from Neal and Ekwonu, other top linemen consist of Mississippi State's Charles Cross, Iowa's Tyler Linderbaum, Boston College's Zion Johnson, and Texas A&M's Kenyon Green./
“I think there’s a lot of strengths to this draft. I think you look at the wide receiver position, you look at the offensive line position. I think you look at the rush position. I think there’s some depth at the cornerback position," Baalke said.
"There’s a lot of good football players in this draft and I think there’s going to be good football players to be gotten through every round. Some are going to need more development than others obviously. As you look back at this draft three years from now, I think it is going to be a pretty positive outcome for a lot of these young men.”
