JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The Jacksonville Jaguars aren't picking a player in the top 10 of the NFL draft for the first time since 2018.
They're not even picking in the middle.
The Jaguars have the No. 24 overall pick, which makes it challenging to predict which player the team will take. Though the Jaguars won the AFC South and advanced to the divisional round before losing to the Kansas City Chiefs last season, there are multiple needs that must be addressed -- on offense and defense.
So which direction should the Jaguars go at No. 24?
In perusing the numerous mock drafts out there, four positions have emerged as the most common: Offensive tackle, cornerback, tight end and edge rusher. Each week leading into the draft we've examined one of them and told you why the Jaguars should or shouldn't go in that direction. ESPN NFL draft analyst Jordan Reid also gives a best fit at the position for Jacksonville. We have previously covered offensive tackle, cornerback and tight end.
The last position to explore is edge rusher.
Edge rusher
Prospects to watch: Will Anderson Jr. (Alabama), Will McDonald IV (Iowa State), Myles Murphy (Clemson), Nolan Smith (Georgia), BJ Ojulari (LSU), Lukas Van Ness (Iowa) and Tyree Wilson (Texas Tech).
Pressuring the quarterback was the Jaguars' biggest weakness in 2022. Though the team ranked third in the NFL in pressure rate according to NFL Next Gen Stats, they managed only 35 sacks -- which means they got close to the QB but couldn't finish.
In the divisional round of the 2022 playoffs, the Jaguars had a hard time getting close to Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes despite him suffering a high ankle sprain in the first quarter. The defense hit Mahomes only six times and never sacked him. Nor did they get to backup Chad Henne when he led a 98-yard scoring drive on the sole possession he played.
Doubt the importance of sacks? Eleven of the 14 teams that made the playoffs last season finished in the top 14 (including ties) in the NFL in sacks. Philadelphia led the league with 70 but failed to get to Mahomes in the Super Bowl and lost on a late field goal.
The AFC is loaded with great quarterbacks: Mahomes, Josh Allen, Joe Burrow, Justin Herbert, Lamar Jackson and the Jets' new QB, Aaron Rodgers. Getting to a Super Bowl likely means facing at least two of those QBs and the Jaguars' current pass rush isn't good enough.
And while the temptation might be to wait until the second round and go cornerback, tight end or offensive tackle at 24, there's likely going to be a run of pass-rushers coming off the board in the first round and the ones remaining might not exactly fit the Jaguars' defense.
"[Edge rusher is] another position that has a lot of depth through the early rounds," Reid said. "We are likely to see edge rushers fly off the board very quickly. There are lots of different types [of players] that satisfy various schemes in this years class.
"One consistent pattern with edge defenders drafted by GM Trent Baalke is that he values explosive athletes that still have room for growth."
Reid's best edge fit for Jacksonville
Will McDonald IV, Iowa State -- A lot of the first-round worthy players that fit what Baalke seeks will likely be gone by No. 24 overall, but McDonald is one that could be within range. As an explosive and diverse pass-rusher, he would provide an immediate boost with his ability to pressure the quarterback, but he must become more consistent as a run defender.
Why the Jaguars shouldn't draft an edge rusher
There are options to bolster the pass rush without using the No. 24 overall pick.
The Jaguars are counting on Travon Walker, 2022's No. 1 overall pick, taking a big step in his second season. Josh Allen is playing on the fifth-year option and hoping to get a new contract. The expectation is he'll be extra motivated to hit double-digit sacks for the first time since 2019. Devin Lloyd, the No. 27 overall pick last year, can be used to rush the passer, though he didn't do much of it last year.
There are also several unsigned edge rushers -- including Yannick Ngakoue, Leonard Floyd and Frank Clark -- that the Jaguars could look to sign to bolster the position. The Jaguars obviously could add an edge rusher in the second or third round -- or do as they did last year and trade back into the first to get one later. There are plenty of options for the Jaguars to explore at edge.
And cornerback is arguably as big of a need. Teams are in nickel or dime defense more than their base defense -- 28 teams played with five defensive backs in more than half of their defensive snaps last season, including the Jaguars (66.5% of the time, the 10th-highest percentage in the NFL) -- and the Jaguars need an upgrade at slot corner.
An under-the-radar need the Jaguars have is at offensive tackle. The team lost right tackle Jawaan Taylor in free agency but Walker Little will assume the starting role there. Left tackle Cam Robinson is likely playing his last season in Jacksonville. The team restructured multiple contracts in the offseason to create cap space but they didn’t touch Robinson's deal. He's scheduled to count $22.75 million against the cap in 2024 but the team would save $17.750 million by releasing him. The Jaguars could draft his replacement this year.