JACKSONVILLE – It's almost here.
Indeed, the 2018 NFL Draft now is a day away – and that means it's time for the final 2018 jaguars.com mock draft. Who will the Jaguars take Thursday? Will they select at all?
That remains anyone's guess, with mystery surrounding the selection because the Jaguars are selecting so late in Round 1 – No. 29 overall – and because their depth chart reveals few glaring needs when seeking the usual pre-draft hints.
The thought here: offensive line remains a likely Round 1 selection. The Jaguars want to be a dominant running team; a Round 1 lineman with All-Pro free agent Andrew Norwell could significantly upgrade a group that helped the Jaguars lead the NFL in rushing last season while allowing a franchise record-low 24 sacks.
Other possibilities if the Jaguars go offense: tight end and wide receiver, with both positions mocked heavily to the Jaguars throughout the spring.
But don't overlook defense as a possibility. The Jaguars' 2019 salary cap situation could necessitate the departure of multiple front-line defenders next offseason; drafting a front-line to defender help a strength remain a strength is more of a possibility than many analysts seem to believe.
A chance also remains that the Jaguars could trade out of the first round in exchange for later selections. The Jaguars never have not selected in Round 1 in 23 previous drafts.
But for this final '18 jaguars.com mock, the Jaguars do have a selection; for the purpose of sticking with the idea that offensive line is the team's most likely possibility, their selection in this mock is:
Isaiah Wynn, guard/tackle, Georgia.
A couple of factors played into the selection. One is that Texas El-Paso guard Will Hernandez and offensive tackle Mike McGlinchey of Notre Dame are off the board in this mock. Another is that the tight end class is deep enough in this draft that the Jaguars could bypass that position in Round 1 and circle back and get a quality tight end in Round 2 or 3.
How close is that analysis? Who knows? But we'll find out soon enough because it's almost here.
Here's a look at senior writer John Oehser's third and final 2018 jaguars.com mock draft:
1.Cleveland | Josh Allen, QB, Wyoming
2.NY Giants | Saquon Barkley, RB, Penn State
3.NY Jets | Sam Darnold, QB, Southern California
4.Cleveland | Bradley Chubb, DE, North Carolina State
5.Denver | Baker Mayfield, QB, Oklahoma
6.Indianapolis | Quenton Nelson, G, Notre Dame
7.Tampa Bay | Derwin James, S, Florida State
8.Chicago | Denzel Ward, CB, Ohio State
9.San Francisco | Trumaine Edmunds, ILB, Virginia Tech
10.Oakland | Roquan Smith, OLB, Georgia
11.Miami | Josh Rosen, QB, UCLA
12.Buffalo | Lamar Jackson, QB, Louisville
13.Washington | Vita Vea, DT, Washington
14.Green Bay | Minkah Fitzpatrick, S, Alabama
15.Arizona | Calvin Ridley, WR, Alabama
16.Baltimore | Mike McGlinchey, OT, Notre Dame
17.LA Chargers | Da'Ron Payne, DT, Alabama
18.Seattle | Harold Landry, DE, Boston College
19.Dallas | Leighton Vander Esch, LB, Boise State
20.Detroit | Marcus Davenport, DE, Texas-San Antonio
21.Cincinnati | Will Hernandez, OG, Texas-El Paso
22.Buffalo | D.J. Moore, WR, Maryland
23.New England | Kolton Miller, OT, UCLA
24.Carolina | Mike Hughes, CB, Central Florida
25.Tennessee | Billy Price, C/G, Ohio State
26.Atlanta | Taven Bryan, DT, Florida
27.New Orleans | Mike Gesicki, TE, Penn State
28.Pittsburgh | Rashaan Evans, LB, Alabama
29.Jacksonville | Isaiah Wynn, OT/G, Georgia
30.Minnesota | Connor Williams, OT, Texas
31.New England | Jaire Alexander, CB, Louisville
32.Philadelphia | Derrius Guice, RB, Louisiana State
