The Jacksonville Jaguars are looking for a replacement for Calvin Ridley, who left the team during free agency. According to a recent report from Albert Breer of NFL Media, they may be willing to trade up in the 2024 NFL Draft to fill the void.
According to Breer’s MMQB column, the Jaguars are considering drafting Rome Odunze or Malik Nabers, both of whom are among the top wideouts in this year’s draft. They currently have the 17th overall pick and would have to move up to No. 8 or 9 to have a chance at selecting him or Rome Odunze.
“The Jaguars have explored moving up—and they’ve done a lot of work on the top receivers in the draft. Losing Calvin Ridley, even with Christian Kirk and Gabe Davis paid, makes that spot a priority. Failing that, corner, if either Arnold or Mitchell are available here, shapes up as a possibility, too.”
The Chicago Bears have first and ninth-round picks. There’s a 99.9 percent chance they’ll take Caleb Williams first overall, but their second pick could be valuable for teams looking to break into the top ten. In the Ringer’s latest Mock Draft, Sheil Kapaida and Benjamin Solak predict that Jacksonville will select Nabers at No. 8 overall.
This was a surprising choice because the Atlanta Falcons aren’t frequently mentioned as potential trade partners. However, doing business with the Falcons or any other team should not be ruled out, particularly if the Jags are serious about acquiring Nabers or Odunze.
A two-year starter at LSU, Nabers can line up anywhere on the field and run a variety of routes. He’s a burner who can cover a lot of ground quickly. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.35 seconds during his Pro Day, which came as no surprise. All of these characteristics enabled him to catch 89 receptions for 1,569 yards and 14 touchdowns last season.
Odunze is also an excellent prospect who has the potential to make an immediate impact. While he isn’t as explosive as Nabers, he was equally productive at Washington, catching 87 passes for 1,553 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2023.
Malik Nabers or Rome Odunze would be ideal, but the Jaguars have options.
At No. 17, the Jaguars could select Brian Thomas Jr., Keon Coleman, or Adonai Mitchell. However, there is a significant dropoff from Nabers to them, which is why the Jaguars may be eager to trade up to acquire Malik Nabers or Rome Odunze.
Marvin Harrison is expected to be the first receiver picked, but teams also value Nabers and Odunze. In fact, some of them rank Nabers as the best receiver on their board. The Jaguars will most likely be unable to draft Harrison, but they may be able to select Nabers or Odunze.
The Arizona Cardinals (No. 4) and the Los Angeles Chargers (No. 5) may select a receiver. At No. 6, the New York Giants are expected to choose a quarterback, while the Tennessee Titans are expected to select offensive tackle Joe Alt. For the sake of argument, suppose the Cardinals select Harrison. The Jaguars would have to hope that either Odunze or Nabers last until No. 8 or 9.
If both are gone by then, it makes no sense to trade up. Heck, if the Jaguars miss out on Nabers, they may feel compelled to trade down and acquire additional picks.
The bottom line is that the draft can unfold in a variety of ways, but the Jacksonville Jaguars will undoubtedly hope that there is no early rush for receivers.
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