<
>

Jacksonville Jaguars' 2020 NFL draft analysis for every pick

play
CJ Henderson's NFL draft profile (0:47)

See the highlights that make former Florida cornerback CJ Henderson a compelling prospect in the 2020 NFL draft. (0:47)

The 2020 NFL draft is in the books, and the Jacksonville Jaguars' draft class is complete.

The draft, which had been scheduled to take place in Las Vegas, was successfully completed virtually from the homes of coaches, general managers and other front-office staff because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Here's a pick-by-pick look at how each player Jacksonville has selected will fit.

Check out the full NFL draftcast | Updated NFL depth charts


Round 1, No. 9 overall: C.J. Henderson, CB, Florida

play
0:48
K'Lavon Chaisson's NFL draft profile

Check out the highlights that show off former LSU DE K'Lavon Chaisson's good bend and burst off the edge.

My take: Defensive tackle and corner are the Jaguars' two biggest needs and Henderson is a player that some analysts saw as a better cover guy than Jeff Okudah, the third overall pick. Trading away Jalen Ramsey and A.J. Bouye in the past seven months left a big hole in the secondary as a starter alongside Tre Herndon, who played solidly when he stepped into the starting job when Ramsey was traded last October. Henderson shot up draft boards in the past few weeks; Atlanta was interested in him and had talks with the Jaguars about a potential trade into the top 10.

Close to home: Five the Jaguars' past seven first-round picks played in college in the state of Florida. Josh Allen (Kentucky, 2019) and Leonard Fournette (LSU) are the only two that didn't in that span. Henderson is the sixth player from UF the Jaguars have selected in the first round: Dante Fowler, Taven Bryan, Derrick Harvey, Reggie Nelson and Fred Taylor are the others.

Production dip: After intercepting six passes in his first two seasons, Henderson didn't record one in 2019. In addition, per ESPN Stats & Information research, his coverage numbers weren't as good last season as they were the year before. He allowed a 21.7 QBR when he was the primary defender in coverage in 2018, but that jumped to 73.6 in 2019. One possible reason? He battled an ankle injury during the season and sat out four games.


Round 1, No. 20 overall: K'Lavon Chaisson, LB, LSU

play
0:56
Laviska Shenault Jr.'s NFL draft profile

Check out highlights from one of the more explosive players in the upcoming draft in former Colorado wide receiver Laviska Shenault Jr.

My take: The Jaguars had to find a replacement for Yannick Ngakoue, who has spent the past two months on social media saying he didn't want to play for the organization any longer and wanted a trade. Picking Chaisson makes that a little easier because they've got another pass-rusher in house. Chaisson can play end in a 4-3 or linebacker in a 3-4, and that kind of versatility presents defensive coordinator Todd Wash some options to get really creative, especially because Allen can do some of the same things.

Late surge: Chaisson had three of his 6.5 sacks last season in the SEC championship and the Peach Bowl. He had only five sacks in his first 21 games at LSU, but 4.5 in his last four. Chaisson said he has gotten by so far on raw talent and still is just starting to scratch the surface of what he can become. "I've had some coaching, but from a scale of 1 to 10, I'm probably like a 3 right now," he said.

High praise: Rischad Whitfield, who trains NFL players, has said that Chaisson reminded him of former All-Pro defensive end Jevon Kearse. That's pretty high praise because Kearse was an incredible combination of size and speed, racking up 74 sacks in 11 seasons, including 14.5 as a rookie in 1993. Chaisson (6-foot-3, 254 pounds) is just a little shorter and lighter than Kearse was (6-4, 265) and has the same kind of explosion off the edge.


Round 2, No. 42: Laviska Shenault Jr., WR, Colorado

play
0:29
Davon Hamilton's NFL draft profile

Check out highlights from inside the trenches with Ohio State defensive lineman Davon Hamilton.

My take: After going defense in the first round the Jaguars finally get Gardner Minshew some help on offense with Shenault. He's a big receiver (6-foot-1, 227 pounds) who battled injuries and inconsistent quarterback play at Colorado the past two seasons. The Jaguars needed to add a receiver because DJ Chark is the only receiver under contract beyond 2020. Shenault -- who describes himself as a mix between Larry Fitzgerald, Jarvis Landry and Julio Jones -- played all three receiver spots but is a better fit outside. Shenault had core muscle surgery after the combine and his doctor sent a letter to every team saying he would be fully recovered by April 25. Shenault participated in some combine drills despite dealing with the injury, which obviously played into his 4.58 time in the 40-yard dash.


Round 3, No. 73 overall: Davon Hamilton, DT, Ohio State

play
0:37
Ben Bartch's NFL draft profile

Take a look at the highlights of former St. John's (MN) guard Ben Bartch, a potential diamond in the rough in the 2020 NFL draft.

My take: The Jaguars were one of the worst teams in the NFL against the run last season (139 yards per game allowed) and needed to upgrade the interior of the defensive line. The 6-foot-4, 320-pound Hamilton will pair with the 330-pound Al Woods to give the Jaguars a lot of beef in the middle. Hamilton's specialty is playing the run but he still had six sacks for the Buckeyes last season -- more than anyone else except Chase Young (16.5). The Jaguars have addressed their two biggest weaknesses in the first two days of the draft, adding Hamilton on Friday and Henderson on Thursday.


Round 4, No. 116 overall: Ben Bartch, OL, St. John's (Minn.)

play
0:55
Josiah Scott's NFL draft profile

Take a look back at some of the highlights of former Michigan State cornerback Josiah Scott's college career.

My take: Bartch started his career as a 250-pound tight end, but after his sophomore season the staff asked him to bulk up to play tackle. He gained 59 pounds in two years and earned an invitation to the Senior Bowl, where he held his own all week. Bartch is a bit of a project and the Jaguars will work him at both guard and tackle, but finding depth along the line was one of the Jaguars' goals for Day 3. Bartch could possibly be an eventual replacement for guards Andrew Norwell or A.J. Cann in 2021.


Round 4, No. 137 overall: Josiah Scott, CB, Michigan State

play
1:00
Shaquille Quarterman's NFL draft profile

Take a look at the best plays from former Miami linebacker Shaquille Quarterman.

My take: Scott is a smaller corner (5-foot-9, 185 pounds) but can really run (4.42 in the 40 at the combine). He projects more as a slot corner than playing outside. D.J. Hayden has been very good in the slot the past two seasons, but is entering the final year of the three-year deal he signed in 2018, so Scott will get a long look as a potential replacement. Plus he'll help on special teams. The Jaguars needed to address secondary depth and get faster and Scott helps with both.


Round 4, No. 140 overall: Shaquille Quarterman, LB, Miami

play
0:43
Collin Johnson's NFL draft profile

Check out highlights from Texas' dynamic wide receiver Collin Johnson as he heads toward the 2020 NFL draft.

My take: Quarterman, who played high school football in Jacksonville, will be a first- and second-down linebacker for the Jaguars. The Jaguars really don't have a quality backup middle linebacker and Quarterman fits there. He was a tackling machine at Miami (356 in four years) and had some success as an inside rusher (12 sacks). The Jaguars' linebacker depth the past several years has been a major issue because of injuries. Quarterman can help.


Round 5, No. 157 overall: Daniel Thomas, S, Auburn

My take: Safety is a position the Jaguars needed to upgrade and it was a bit surprising they didn't do so sooner. Thomas started the past two seasons at strong safety and right now he slots in behind Ronnie Harrison. He'll have a chance to make an impact on special teams. The bottom of the Jaguars' roster, which is where you get most of your special teams players, was a problem the past two seasons because those players had to fill in as starters or key reserves due to injuries. They were good special teams players, but there was too much of a drop-off as position players. The Jaguars are trying to find special teamers who also can sub in a pinch. Josiah Scott and Shaquille Quarterman, two of their three fourth-round picks, fit into this category as well.


Round 5, No. 165 overall: Collin Johnson, WR, Texas

My take: The Jaguars don't have anyone else at receiver like Johnson. He's the tallest (6-foot-6) receiver on the roster and only Laviska Shenault (227 pounds) is heavier than Johnson (222 pounds). DJ Chark, Shenault and Johnson are the only receivers the Jaguars have under contract beyond 2020 so this is a pick more for the 2021 season than 2020. He's going to have a hard time earning a lot of playing time this year, though, behind Chark, Chris Conley, Dede Westbrook, Keelan Cole and Shenault.


Round 6, No. 189 overall: Jake Luton, QB, Oregon State

My take: Luton is the fourth quarterback the Jaguars have drafted in the sixth round in the last five years (Tanner Lee in 2018, Brandon Allen in 2016 and Gardner Minshew II last year). Minshew and Josh Dobbs were the only quarterbacks on the roster prior to Saturday despite the fact that there are experienced veterans like Cam Newton and Jameis Winston available. Luton had a similar path to the NFL as Minshew. Both played in three programs, with Luton starting at Idaho before transferring to Ventura (California College) and then finishing his career with three seasons at Oregon State, where he threw 38 touchdown passes and only seven interceptions in his last two years.

Luton played in only four games in 2017 before suffering a thoracic spine fracture when he was hit by Washington State safety Jalen Thompson. He lost feeling in his arms and legs after the hit but regained movement before he was taken off the field. Luton will compete with Dobbs to be Minshew's backup and could likely spend his first season on the practice squad. However, that's pretty much what most thought would happen with Minshew last season. Minshew, of course, was forced into the lineup because of a Nick Foles injury, started 12 games and now heads into the 2020 season as the starter.


Round 6, No. 206 overall: Tyler Davis, TE, Georgia Tech

My take: Davis was a graduate transfer from Connecticut and caught 17 passes for 148 yards and one touchdown in his only season at Georgia Tech. He had 47 catches for 500 yards and seven TDs in 36 games at Connecticut. Tight end is a crowded position for the Jaguars, but there is a chance for Davis to get significant play on the field. Tyler Eifert was signed in free agency, but he has battled injuries throughout his pro career and missed 34 games from 2016 to 2018. Josh Oliver, a 2019 third-round pick, played in three games because of hamstring and back injuries. James O'Shaughnessy is coming off a torn ACL that cost him 11 games in 2019.


Round 7, No. 223 overall: Chris Claybrooks, CB, Memphis

My take: Claybrooks arrived at Memphis a receiver but switched to cornerback. He also averaged 30.7 yards on 11 kickoff returns, including one for a TD, in 2019. He reportedly ran a sub-4.3 40-yard dash and he'll have a chance to compete on special teams. The Jaguars used Michael Walker, Tyler Ervin and Keelan Cole as kick returners last season and averaged a collective 24.2 yards per return.