And just like that, the 2023 NFL Draft is in the books. Per usual, it was a wild and unexpected ride, starting with all the Round 1 action. Day 2 and Day 3 delivered surprises of their own. Some teams capitalized on the opportunity, while others came up short. Let’s take a look at the 2023 NFL Draft recap, analysis, and grades for the Jacksonville Jaguars. NFL Draft analysts Andrew Erickson and Thor Nystrom combine to provide their thoughts below.
- NFL Draft Grades for Every Team
- Thor’s Draft Grades (AFC | NFC)
- NFL Draft Day 1 Winners & Losers (Day 2 | Day 3)
- Fitz’s Round 1 NFL Draft Picks: Dynasty Rookie Draft Outlook (Day 2 | Day 3)
- Latest Dynasty Rookie Mock Draft
2023 NFL Draft Recap, Analysis & Grades: Jacksonville Jaguars
NFL Draft analysts Andrew Erickson and Thor Nystrom combine to provide their thoughts below.
Thor Nystrom’s Overview & Grades
Jacksonville Jaguars | Draft Grade: C-
| Pick | Team | Position | Rank | Name | School | Comp |
| 27 | Jaguars | OT4 | 35 | Anton Harrison | Oklahoma | Charles Cross |
| 61 | Jaguars | TE9 | 149 | Brenton Strange | Penn State | Jonnu Smith |
| 88 | Jaguars | RB6 | 87 | Tank Bigsby | Auburn | Sony Michel |
| 121 | Jaguars | LB15 | 189 | Ventrell Miller | Florida | Shaquille Quarterman |
| 130 | Jaguars | ED25 | 216 | Tyler Lacy | Oklahoma State | Jeremiah Ledbetter |
| 136 | Jaguars | LB8 | 115 | Yasir Abdullah | Louisville | Josh Uche |
| 160 | Jaguars | S2 | 68 | Antonio Johnson | Texas A&M | Ronnie Harrison |
| 185 | Jaguars | WR28 | 204 | Parker Washington | Penn State | Amari Rodgers |
| 202 | Jaguars | CB33 | 238 | Christian Braswell | Rutgers | B.W. Webb |
| 208 | Jaguars | S40 | — | Erick Hallett II | Pitt | Colt Anderson |
| 226 | Jaguars | OL41 | 452 | Cooper Hodges | Appalachian State | Adrian Klemm |
| 227 | Jaguars | DL61 | — | Raymond Vohasek | North Carolina | Gabe Wright |
| 240 | Jaguars | ED45 | 396 | Derek Parish | Houston | Leon Jacobs |
The Jaguars reached a bit for OT Anton Harrison, but you can forgive them for that. The offensive tackle class fell off a cliff after him.
My bigger issue was the reach on TE Brenton Strange in Round 2. I thought Strange was an underrated player in a very deep tight end class – versatile game and a strong blocker. But the depth of the tight end class is why there was no reason to panic-pick him at No. 61.
Tucker Kraft was taken just before Jacksonville’s Round 3 pick and Darnell Washington was taken five picks after it – both are superior prospects. I think Strange would have been available in Jacksonville’s No. 88 slot.
The Jags salvaged their grade with nice value buys on RB Tank Bigsby, LB Yasir Abdullah, and, especially, nickel defender Antonio Johnson.
Andrew Erickson’s Overview & Grades
It was the exact pick that Jacksonville needed to make in Round 1, by acquiring tackle Anton Harrison. Cam Robinson is going through a pending PED suspension and the team lost last year’s starting tackle Jawaan Taylor to the Chiefs in free agency. Harrison played left tackle for the Sooners for three straight seasons, capped off by a great 2022 campaign where he allowed zero QB hits on 447 pass-blocking snaps, per PFF. Overall, his 0.8% blown block percentage ranks third-best in the 2023 tackle class.
Jacksonville added tight end Brenton Strange in Round 2, which seemed like a reach for a position that they didn’t really need to address considering more pressing issues at DL, safety and offensive line. Seems odd to load up on offense by drafting a straight backup tight end after re-signing Evan Engram this offseason. They also added another running back to the fold in Round 3 with Tank Bigsby, which I also did not love. Why blow more picks on running backs when you already have capable guys on the roster?
They need more help on defense (DT, EDGE, S) and elected to not invest any of their Day 2 capital into that side of the ball, opting for backups on offense. And they kicked off Day 3 with the selection of an off-the-ball linebacker who played all of last season with a foot fracture. Woof.
Jacksonville finally added to DL at the end of Round 4, with Tyler Lacy. He’s strictly a run defender without much to offer as a pass rusher. Doesn’t help him that he weighs 279 pounds (3rd percentile). The Jags kept the theme going of acquiring undersized linemen with the first pick in Round 5. Yasir Abdullah tied Michigan’s Mike Morris for second in the class in sack rate (3.6%) while finishing third among all edge rushers with a 19% pressure rate. But the plus-production is expected with Abdullah taking advantage of his speed and lightweight, measuring at just 237 pounds.
My favorite pick for the Jaguars outside Round 1, was their selection of Antonio Johnson in Round 5. I was shocked that he fell this far, as my 59th-ranked player. Johnson offers a versatile skillset with experience covering as a slot cornerback combined with sure-tackling. He has been a top-15 PFF-graded run defender for the past two seasons. He also allowed just 3.1 yards per target, which ranks third best in the class. Johnson can also bring the heat as a pass-rusher, boasting the No. 1 pressure rate in the class (44%). He fits exactly what Jacksonville needed at the safety position, and they are head-over-heels about snagging him as late as they did.
FINAL DRAFT GRADE: C-
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | SoundCloud | iHeartRadio
