Which Jaguars Benefited the Most From the Team’s Draft Decisions?

Which Jaguars' players gained the most from the team's draft decisions last month?

Every year, the NFL Draft presents a changing landscape for each NFL team. Rookies are brought into the team's ecosystem, bringing new starters and backups into the fold, while current players' roles are changed radically over the course of three days.

For the Jacksonville Jaguars, last month's draft consisted of the team selecting a franchise-record 12 picks. Any time a team adds a dozen draft picks, there are clearly changes being made to the roster, and competitions will set be to held throughout the offense and defense.

While some Jaguars, specifically in the cornerback, wide receiver, and front seven groups, have seen the Jaguars add a number of players who could compete for starting roles and roster spots, other Jaguars saw the draft come and go without their jobs being called into question. Aside from this, there were also players whose jobs became easier and their outlooks more positive as a result of the help added via the draft.

So, which Jaguars benefited the most from the team's decisions last month? We select five who stand to be helped by the team's dozen picks.

Cam Robinson

No other player on the Jaguars' roster had more question marks about the stability of his starting position entering the draft than left tackle Cam Robinson. After suffering a torn ACL early in the 2018 season, Robinson had an up-and-down 2020 as he worked his way back to getting to 100%. Thus far, Robinson's three-year career leading up to the draft had bouts of inconsistencies in pass protection and penalty problems.

But with Robinson entering a contract season in 2020, he will face zero rookie competition at left tackle. He will likely have to compete with Will Richardson for the job, but the Jaguars elected to not use the No. 9 overall pick, or any of their picks, on an offensive tackle. Taking an offensive tackle early could have basically relegated Robinson to the bench right away, but instead the only offensive lineman the Jaguars drafted was interior offensive lineman Ben Bartch.

Robinson's job was in jeopardy entering the draft with many analysts projecting an offensive tackle to the Jaguars early in the draft, but instead, the team elected to ignore the position, preserving Robinson's place as at least the front-runner for the left tackle spot.

Gardner Minshew II

Despite Gardner Minshew II leading all rookie quarterbacks in wins with six in 2019, and throwing 21 touchdowns to just six interceptions, it was a widely-held opinion leading up to the draft that the Jaguars could, or should, consider taking a quarterback early in the draft to compete with Minshew. Instead, the Jaguars didn't select a quarterback until the sixth-round with Oregon State's Jake Luton (No. 189 overall pick).

The Jaguars have made it clear they see Minshew as their starting quarterback in 2020 at every step of the way. From trading Nick Foles to the Chicago Bears in March, to opting to sign Mike Glennon instead of Cam Newton, to deciding to not select Jordan Love with either of their first-round picks or trade up for a quarterback, the Jaguars have kept Minshew as the top man in the quarterback room. The Jaguars are rolling the dice on Minshew in 2020, and the decision to not pick a quarterback early on in the draft only solidified his position atop the depth chart.

Taven Bryan

The Jaguars added to the front seven of the defense twice with their first four picks. They selected LSU defensive end/outside linebacker K'Lavon Chaisson with the No. 20 overall pick, and then Ohio State nose tackle DaVon Hamilton in the third round with the No. 73 overall pick. But despite this, third-year defensive tackle Taven Bryan, the team's 2018 first-round pick, didn't exactly get any competition in terms of a pass-rushing interior presence.

Bryan had his share of flashes in 2019 but through two seasons he has just three sacks and eight tackles for loss. The Jaguars are going to need more production from him, but the way the roster is currently set up makes it appear as if he will certainly have his chance to make an impact. No other defensive tackle on the roster has the explosive, penetrating skill set that Bryan has (or at least has flashed), and this has only been solidified by the lack of drafting a pass-rushing defensive tackle. Rodney Gunter and Dawuane Smoot will likely get some nickel defensive tackle reps, but no rookie was added to really compete with Bryan.

Leonard Fournette

While trade rumors swirled about fourth-year running back Leonard Fournette leading up to the draft, seven rounds came and went without the Jaguars selecting a running back to compete with the veteran or even replace him. As of now, Fournette is still the most reliable and talented running back on the Jaguars' roster thanks to no new additions at a position that otherwise consists of second-year players Ryquell Armstead and Devine Ozigbo and veteran back Chris Thompson.

Fournette was one of the AFC's most productive backs from an all-purpose yards perspective, recording 1,152 rushing yards (4.3 yards per carry) and three touchdowns as well as 76 receptions for 522 yards. He has his flaws as a player, but since the Jaguars couldn't trade him and opted not to find someone to fill his shoes, he is set to once again be an important piece to an offense who needs all of the talented players it can get

Josh Allen

Josh Allen did it all in 2019. He led the team, and all rookies, in sacks with 10.5, also setting a franchise record. He earned a trip to the Pro Bowl as a result of turning in one of the best rookie seasons in Jaguars' history, proving he is one of the building blocks of the defense moving forward. But Allen can't be asked to lead the Jaguars' pass-rush alone, and the Chaisson selection added some much-needed insurance for 2020 and beyond.

Allen proved to be a dynamic partner with Yannick Ngakoue on passing downs in 2019, but Ngakoue's present and future with the team are murky after he announced he was not interested in signing a long-term deal with the team. While Chaisson has a long way to go before he develops into a player of Ngakoue's consistency and caliber, he at least gives the Jaguars an athletic and gifted player across from Allen in the event Ngakoue doesn't suit up for the Jaguars in 2020.