If Not C.J. Henderson, What Else Would the Jaguars Have Considered at No. 9?

Trade down, wide receiver, or offensive tackle. Could any of these have been in consideration for the Jaguars' top pick?

When Florida cornerback C.J. Henderson was still on the board when the Jacksonville Jaguars went on the clock at No. 9 during Thursday's first round, the Jaguars had no doubts. Henderson was their man. 

With Jeff Okudah and Derrick Brown off of the board, the Jaguars' decision was easy in their eyes. And when they reflected on how quickly the cornerbacks came off of the board after him, with four others selected in the first-round after Okudah, it only solidified their trust in the decision to take Henderson.

Jacksonville could have opted to pass on Henderson and attempt to take a wide receiver at No. 20 or No. 42, but general manager Dave Caldwell made it clear Thursday night that these weren't viable options.

“We looked it at No. 9 and No. 20 and who do we feel comfortable taking at No. 9 if we didn’t take C.J. and who would be there at 20. We felt like there could be some corners at 20 that we liked, but we didn’t like as much as C.J. obviously," Caldwell said. "You heard different takes across the league of some teams liking C.J. as the best corner in the draft and we certainly feel he has the upside to be that in time. When you look at No. 42 where we are picking in the second round, we felt that those guys were gone and sure enough as you saw a little run here late in the first round, all of the guys we were looking at No. 42 are pretty much gone."

But what about a scenario in which the Jaguars passed on Henderson for one of the three remaining offensive tackles (Mekhi Becton, Tristan Wirfs, or Jedrick Wills), or instead opted for a wide receiver? 

When it comes to tackles, Caldwell said: "I think the one that we may have considered was probably gone at the time.”  

The only tackle who had been taken by the time the Jaguars were on the board was Georgia left tackle Andrew Thomas, who was selected No. 4 overall by the New York Giants. And even in the event that Thomas made it it to No. 9, it is likely the Jaguars would have chosen Henderson anyways. 

But what about receivers like Jerry Jeudy, Henry Ruggs III, or CeeDee Lamb? If Henderson wasn't available, a receiver could have been the pick instead, Caldwell said.

"We liked some receivers there. If C.J. was gone, we kicked around possibly K’Lavon being that pick at nine but also a receiver or two would have came in play if he was gone," Caldwell said. "We just followed our board and followed the best player that we felt was available at a position of need. We’ve heard for the last year that this is the deepest receiver draft and we know that there are going to be receivers all across the board as the draft goes on.”

The Jaguars could have, of course, decided to not even pick at No. 9. They had been rumored as a trade down candidate for weeks, leading to speculation they would move out of the No. 9 spot when the top-tier of defenders came off the board. 

But it takes two to tango, and according to Caldwell there wasn't much interest in the Jaguars' pick after a certain point.

“At pick nine, I was getting a lot of activity before the pick, then once eight went off, I felt like teams were maybe trying to trade up for [now Arizona Cardinals DB/LB] Isaiah Simmons, it seemed like," Caldwell said. "Then once he went off, that kind of died out."

Ultimately, Caldwell pulled the trigger on Henderson at No. 9, a major decision that will be judged as it unfolds. But this at least gives us insight into the Jaguars' other options and possibilities, one of the most interesting aspects of the draft each year.