To continue our own mock draft, the Jacksonville Jaguars are on the clock with the 8th Pick in the draft.
The Jaguars will look to rebound from a dismal 2008 campaign and return to the 2007 form that saw them reach the AFC Championship game. To do this, they will need to improve on both sides of the ball. At #8, they will have options to address a number of different areas. It appears there most pressing needs are on the offensive side of the ball. With the recent signing of Tra Thomas, they appear to have addressed one position that needed an upgrade, at least for the near future. They will still need to address an underwhelming offensive line, but do they do that here or try to add a playmaker at WR.
8th Pick: Jeremy Maclin, WR Missouri
There have not been many, if any, bright spots at the WR position for the last several years. Whether it's the massive overpayment to free agent WR Jerry Porter a year ago, or the first round reach for converted QB Matt Jones (who appears to have a significant problem staying away from Arkansas drug dealers) in 2005, the results have been far less than expected. There will need to be an upgrade over the pedestrian lineup of Porter, Jones (if not released), Reggie Williams, and Dennis Northcutt. With Crabtree off the board, is it a stretch to go for Maclin, and seeing how there last first round WR panned out, will they be a bit gun shy?
All of this is operating under the assumption that David Garrard is still the answer at QB. Was the 2007 season, in which he only threw three picks and 18 touchdowns , the real David Garrard or are the Jags more likely to get the 2008 Garrard (13 INT and 15 TD). The real question is whether the Jags brain trust believes him to be a franchise QB capable of leading the team to a title, or do they go after a top 5 talent guy in Mark Sanchez as the future for the franchise. It is hard to tell how good or bad Garrard truly is with the cast of characters mentioned previously.
The Jags probably feel a return to form in 2009 is well within reach with the right moves in free agency and later in the draft. For that reason, they probably need a player to make an immediate impact instead of a complete shift at the most important position on the field. Despite their past transgressions with WR's, the pick is Jeremy Maclin. With a legitimate playmaker at WR, we will finally see if David Garrard is the real deal, or if we will be talking about the Jags picking a QB in the 2010 draft.
Green Bay is now on the clock with the 9th pick in the draft.
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