REPORT: Could the Jaguars Trade the Top Pick?

The Jacksonville Jaguars will likely have one of, if not the top pick, in the NFL Draft. Could they pass on the player most believe they will select in the first round if given the opportunity?

Apr 25, 2024; Detroit, MI, USA; LSU Tigers wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. poses after being selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars as the No. 23 pick during the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft at Campus Martius Park and Hart Plaza. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Jacksonville Jaguars will likely have the first overall draft pick this offseason. Matt Miller of ESPN recently released his mock draft for the upcoming NFL Draft. While most people believe the Jaguars will keep the first overall pick, Miller is not confident that is the case.

Miller believes that because the Jaguars have more holes on their roster than one player can fill, they could look into trading back, collecting additional draft picks, and still picking up a quality player they can use immediately.

“I have the [New York] Giants going big to fix their quarterback situation, giving Jacksonville their second-and third-round picks in 2025, plus a 2026 second-rounder, to move up from No. 3,” Miller said. 

Miller noted that multiple teams would likely be willing to trade up with the Jaguars. This could help the Jaguars rebuild their roster quicker than many thought.

“It gets New York out in front of Cleveland, which could also be looking at the QB class, and crucially doesn't involve any future first-round picks,” Miller said. “And the Jaguars, meanwhile, collect valuable draft capital to restock a roster in desperate need of repair.”

“The Jaguars are already stocked with draft picks. This bold move would give them a projected 12 picks in 2025 alone, including No. 3 overall (from New York), two picks in the second round, and three picks in the third round. They would have three picks inside the top 35 and six inside the top 100. That kind of capital would allow them to be aggressive and trade back into the first round if an opportunity presented itself.

Miller explained how the Jaguars could benefit from other teams around the league who are hungry for a quarterback and may not want to risk losing the one they have in mind.

“Taking advantage of teams like the Giants, [Cleveland] Browns, and [Las Vegas] Raiders who could be willing to overpay for a quarterback makes a ton of sense for the Jaguars," Miller said. "Especially if they parlay a trade back with a selection like this: Left tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. of the Texas Longhorns."

“Left tackle moved to the top of the Jaguars' wish list for 2025 once they traded Cam Robinson to the Vikings before the deadline. Robinson's replacement, Walker Little, is set to be a free agent after the season and hasn't played enough to establish himself as a reliable future building block. Banks has been rock solid for the Longhorns except for a rough outing against Georgia on Oct. 19, when he surrendered his only sack of the season. Jacksonville should be excited by Banks' experience and productivity, as he has given up only three sacks and 13 pressures over 36 starts since cracking the lineup as a freshman.”

Miller's idea of the Jaguars trading back makes sense, assuming they can receive fair compensation. However, one would think it will be harder to get as much in return when there are multiple quarterbacks available, and the Jaguars are not in the market for one.

If the Jaguars still wanted to go the Travis Hunter route, they might still afford to trade down and land the Colorado star, too, given the need for quarterbacks at the top of the draft.

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