Jaguars’ Draft Class: An In-Depth Look at the Critiques and Praise

The 2024 NFL Draft is over and the early reviews are in. According to Sports Illustrated, the Jaguars’ draft class ranks 14th out of 16 in the AFC, just ahead of the Buffalo Bills at 15 and the Tennessee Titans at 16. The Houston Texans hold the tenth spot while the Indianapolis Colts rank fifth.

The Jaguars received criticism for their draft decisions, particularly their decision to pass on high-upside talent and take a wide receiver, Brian Thomas Jr., with their first-round pick at No. 23. However, general manager Trent Baalke defended this decision stating that Thomas Jr was their target at No. 17 and they were pleased he was still available at that point.

However, some experts argue that the Jaguars’ picks of a kick returner/running back and a kicker in later rounds should not be heavily criticized since there wasn’t much talent left in these positions at that point in the draft. Despite this, there may still be some room for improvement in their overall draft class but it seems like most of their decisions were sound and well thought out.