JACKSONVILLE, Fla — Round one of the 2025 NFL Draft begins tonight in Green Bay, WI. Over the course of the weekend, dreams will come true for hundreds of men who’ve been training for years to hear their name called.
It’s a big night for the players, but also the fans as they see their favorite teams select players that could take their team to the next level. For Jaguars fans, all eyes are on new head coach Liam Coen and new general manager James Gladstone.
While it’s not certain who the Jaguars will take with the fifth overall pick, most draft analysts have the Jags picking one of two players, Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty and Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham.
Jeanty, a Jacksonville native, was a runner-up for the Heisman Trophy where he ran for over 2,600 yards and 29 touchdowns with the Broncos, taking them to the College Football Playoff. During the regular season, Jeanty ran for at least 125 yards in every game and scored a touchdown in all but one game, a game where he was benched at halftime due to Boise having a significant lead. Some scouts have told The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman that they compare Jeanty to NFL Hall of Famer LaDainian Tomlinson and Jaguars legend Maurice Jones-Drew.
On the opposite side of the ball, Mason Graham was named First-team AP All-American, First-team All-Big Ten, and was a finalist for the Chuck Bednarik Award (Best Defender in College football), and the Outland Trophy (Best Interior Lineman). Graham finished last season with 45 tackles, 7 tackles-for-loss, and 3.5 sacks. “He stacks blockers, locates the ball, and disengages in time to make plays,” says ESPN’s Steve Muench. One Big Ten running backs coach told Bruce Feldman of The Athletic he compared Graham’s play style to future Hall of Famer Aaron Donald.
Trades could also play a factor for the Jaguars. The team could make a selection and trade to make another pick in the first round, or even trade back to acquire future assets.
The first round of the 2025 NFL Draft starts at 8:00.
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