NFL Draft Rumors: Jaguars targeting Jadeveon Clowney, may trade down if he’s not available

The NFL Draft is this May and teams are starting to hash out draft strategies that are likely to change by the time the draft rolls around but are giving fans a good idea of the direction their team is taking. For the Jacksonville Jaguars, who own the third overall pick, it appears they have a plan and may stick very close to it no matter what happens.

According to a Twitter Q&A session held byESPN.com blogger Michael DiRocco, the Jaguars are heavily targeting South Carolina defensive end Jadeveon Clowney, a player who’s projected to be available at No. 3 overall. DiRocco states that if the Jaguars can’t get Clowney with their pick, they may be open to trading down rather than taking a guy like Johnny Manziel or Teddy Bridgewater if they’re available.

"I believe the Jaguars are going to take defensive end Jadeveon Clowney with the No. 3 overall selection. … David Caldwell told me at the Senior Bowl that he’s keeping his options open. He’d be willing to trade down or up. He reiterated that Thursday night before the fan forum."

DiRocco was also asked who he though the Jaguars preferred, Bridgewater or Manziel, to which he answered the two would be options in a scenario where Clowney was gone and no teams wanted to trade up to the No. 3 pick.

"I’m assuming you’re saying that Clowney has already been taken and there’s no team willing to trade down. If I had to choose between those players only — I’d take Bridgewater. I think he’s the most NFL-ready QB in the draft."

This notion of drafting Clowney or trading down is backed up by a rumor this morning that the Jaguars are high on Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Aaron Murray.