Dynasty fantasy football is a year-round affair. A sharp manager will be thinking about all aspects of the dynasty season at all times. Managers who are keen enough to look ahead will be the ones that can grab themselves an edge. A large portion of the dynasty off-season will be spent discussing incoming rookies and the related topic, the NFL draft. It is easy for us to fall in love with the next workhorse running back or prototypical alpha wide receiver, but a manager that is in tune with the entire draft class as a whole will find themselves ahead of the game.
Whether it is the next road-paving interior offensive lineman or genetic freak edge rusher, we can find ourselves at quite the advantage in April by building an entire picture of how the 2022 class will play out. Those that prepare ahead will not be often surprised at the outcomes.
The draft order used in this article reflects the finalized draft order. Credit to the mock draft simulation goes to The Draft Network. Team needs are also generated from this site. Compensatory picks have not been assigned and will not be included in this exercise.
2021 Season Recap
2021 featured a first-year head coach paired with a first-year quarterback. As we saw down in Jacksonville, that combination doesn’t always work. However, hope is not lost for generational prospect Trevor Lawrence. The Jaguars front office brought in Super Bowl-winning coach Doug Pederson to lead the team in 2022 and hopefully beyond. A disappointing finish to the 2021 season has left Jacksonville in the position to draft first overall for the second year in a row. The Jaguars enter this draft with a total of 12 picks.
As it stands now, Jacksonville faces a situation where three of the five starting offensive linemen from 2021 are set to hit free agency. Now whether the departure of some of these players is positive is up for debate. Regardless, they will need to draft and sign many starters along the offensive line. Four of the wide receivers on the roster are also set to hit the open market. Placing pieces around Lawrence will be priority number one for the Jacksonville front office this 2022 offseason. Let us see how they can address that in the draft.
1.01 – Evan Neal, OT, Alabama
With the first overall pick in the 2022 draft, the Jacksonville Jaguars selected Evan Neal. Neal is a 6’7” 350-pound monstrous tackle. He was a three-year starter and has played almost every position along the offensive line. Neal possesses the unique ability to play at either right or left tackle. This is extremely valuable to any NFL team that gets him as he may be moved based on roster construction or future talent acquisitions.
As previously stated, there are many holes to fill on this Jacksonville offensive line. Neal will hopefully be the foundational piece that the rest of the line can be built upon. Neal may be asked to play either starting tackle position depending on who is signed in free agency. Something that he can do with ease. Protecting Lawrence is a must, an excellent step in the right direction.
2.33 – Kingsley Enagbare, EDGE, South Carolina
At the top of the second round, the Jaguars can grab Enagbare. Josh Allen is a top ten edge defender in the league, and adding opposite him will help this defense get after the quarterback. The 6’4” 265 pound senior is winning at a 27.3% pass rush win rate and is a headache for opposing offensive lines. These two young edges would make a formidable duo for the entirety of their rookie deals.
Enagbare is an excellent athlete who lacks some polish in his pass-rush techniques. He must learn to use his leverage and positioning more efficiently to get after the quarterback. However, he does possess a decent toolbox of rush techniques, including spin moves and hand swims. Enagbare will do well to learn under a great pass rusher like Allen and should find himself as a starter as early as year one of his career.
3.65 – George Pickens, WR, Georgia
With the 65th overall pick, the Jacksonville Jaguars can grab Lawrence some receiver help. George Pickens is a 20-year-old junior and a former 5-star. Pickens missed most of the 2021 season recovering from an ACL injury in a spring practice game. Hence his availability here in the second round. Georgia was able to lean on defense on their way to the national title game, but it was apparent how much this offense missed the presence of Pickens.
The last time we saw a fully healthy Pickens was against a first-round pick, Ahmad Garnder. In the 2020 Peach Bowl, Pickens went off with seven receptions for 135 yards and a touchdown. This 2021 Georgia offense featured abysmal quarterback play. Pickens has only produced seven receptions for 101 yards in the three games he was healthy. However, if you turn on the tape, you can see a young man with incredible release from the line of scrimmage and a route running ability that sees him quickly gaining separation at the top of his routes.
For more information, check out our profile of George Pickens.
3.70 – Isaiah Likely, TE, Coastal Carolina
Just five picks later, Jacksonville double dips on receivers. However, this one is in the form of a tight end. Likely is an extremely athletic TE out of Coastal Carolina University. He was on the Biletnikoff Award preseason watch list despite playing at a smaller school.
Despite being labeled a TE, I would not be surprised to see him operating as a big slot at the next level. Very similar to how Mike Gesicki was used this past season down in Miami. Fantasy managers are always on the lookout for pass-catching TEs, and Likely might just fit the bill.
4.104 – Alec Lindstrom, IOL, Boston College
Play for the interior offensive line has been an area of great weakness for Jacksonville in the 2022 season. Both starting guards are also set to hit free agency. Lindstrom has the potential to win a day one starting job in training camp this summer, depending on who is brought in during free agency. He was a three-year starter at center for Boston College and could slide in as an immediate replacement for right guard AJ Cann. The hope is that he will eventually be an upgrade once he gets accustomed to the league.
5.156 – Smoke Monday, S, Auburn
At the top of the fifth round, the Jaguars add a little depth to their safety room. Starting safety Andrew Wingard is set to leave in free agency this offseason. Expect the Jaguars to spend some money on the position, and Monday is just a depth piece. He seems to be the type of player that is good at everything but not exceptional at anything. He will project as a rotational depth piece at the pro level. The fifth round is a perfect place to grab a player like this.
For a deeper dive, check out our piece on Smoke Monday.
6.178 – Tyrone Truesdell, IDL, Florida
In the sixth round, the Jacksonville Jaguars selected interior defensive lineman Truesdell. He measures in at 6’2” and 330 pounds. He can provide a much-needed piece in the center of the defensive line. Truesdell takes up a lot of space inside and can overpower undersized linemen with a dominant bull rush. A weakness would be offensive linemen with great length and leverage ability. A large body that can take up space in the run game can’t ask for more in the sixth round.
5.186 – Cole Turner, TE, Nevada
There is very little depth behind starter Dan Arnold in this TE room. An influx of talent is needed. So Jacksonville brings in Turner in the fifth round. He measures in at 6’6” and 240 pounds. He profiles as an athletic pass-catching TE and gives offensive coordinators flexibility when running various personnel schemes. Turner shows good hands and can win down the field in vertical routes. He does need work to polish and refine his route running.
For more on Turner, be sure to check out Andrew Harbaugh’s prospect profile.
6.195 – Yusuf Corker, S Kentucky
The Jacksonville Jaguars select another safety to start the sixth round. Corker was a three-year starter for the Wildcats and was a 4-star recruit coming out of high school. When deployed into coverage, he struggled a bit and will be best used as a box safety at the next level. Corker has some great athleticism, and his main impact may be on special teams as an NFL player. The sixth round is the perfect time to take chances on guys like that.
6.196 – Chase Lucas, CB Arizona State
You can never have enough depth at the corner position in today’s NFL. Lucas will provide some excellent depth for this Jaguars secondary. He will make a nice rotational corner. He excels in zone mostly and is best deployed outside. Lucas’s best trait may be his athleticism, and he can project well as a returner at the next level.
7.219 – Joshua Ross, LB Michigan
Ross was the vocal leader and team captain of the Wolverine defense for the past few years. He is a great locker room presence and may be the perfect pick for a team-building culture. He profiles best as a MIKE linebacker and has the leadership skills to perhaps one day be a green dot guy. Ross’ playing ability will have to improve before that were to happen, but the foundation is there.
7.232 – Jalen Redmond, IDL Oklahoma
With their final selection in the draft, the Jacksonville Jaguars can add a depth piece to the defensive interior front. Redmond led the Sooners in sacks in 2019 with 6.5 but has missed time throughout his college career. 2018 was cut short due to blood clot issues, and in 2020 he chose to opt out of the COVID year. When he returned in 2021, he could post similar numbers to 2019, but the rust was evident. This late in the draft, this is an excellent developmental prospect who may one day turn into a rotational piece on the defensive line.
Fantasy Impact and Analysis
The story for the 2022 Jacksonville Jaguars may begin and end with Lawrence. This offseason, the team must do all they can to put the right pieces in place to help Trevor succeed. From offensive line to playmakers, there are a lot of holes to fill on the offensive side of the ball. That is not to say that the defense looks much better. The front office has plenty of draft capital and their disposal. The true question is if they can effectively deploy it.
Assembling Playmakers
The Jaguars go into 2022 with a receiver room highlighted by Marvin Jones Jr., Jamal Agnew, and Laviska Shenault. The hope is to bring in a few players in free agency and the draft. In this mock draft, we see Pickens brought in to help. He was a spectacular college prospect who unfortunately dealt with some injuries. If we can assume health going forward, Pickens can easily find himself in a starting role early in the season. The hope is this can lead to an immediate WR3 starter for your dynasty fantasy football team.
The Jaguars also brought in two TEs in this mock draft. Turner and Likely will join veteran Arnold as the TE options for Trevor Lawrence. Turner and Likely profile as very athletic TEs that we can see deployed as large slot receivers. This TE class is being slept on, and the fact that Jacksonville took two will muddy the waters. Both will be of great value in the late third to fourth rounds of your rookie drafts this spring.
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I hope you enjoyed this seven-round mock draft. For more content like this, be sure to give me a follow on Twitter @DanT_NFL. DMs are always open for any questions, comments, or craft beer recommendations!