Big shoes to fill: Replacing 2019 NFL Draft first round picks

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - DECEMBER 01: Ohio State Buckeyes defensive end Chase Young (2) reacts after getting the sack against the Northwestern Wildcats during the Big Ten championship game on December 1, 2018 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

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NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE – APRIL 25: Josh Allen of Kentucky poses with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell after being chosen #7 overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars during the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft on April 25, 2019, in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /

Jared Casey – Kentucky

Replacing: Josh Allen, Jacksonville Jaguars

It feels safe to say that the Jacksonville Jaguars didn’t enter the 2019 NFL Draft with a pressing need to take an edge rusher. However, when a player like Josh Allen from the Kentucky Wildcats dropped to them, they couldn’t pass up the value that he presented. For a team that lives and dies by the success of their defense, the Jags nabbed a player in Allen that could be the future of their pass rush.

While playing in Lexington, Allen made the decision early in 2018 to return to the Wildcats for his senior season, which turned out to be a wonderful decision as he reeled off a monster year. The edge rusher notched 88 total tackles, 21.5 tackles for loss, 17 sacks and five forced fumbles. No, those aren’t multiple-season stats — that was just in 2018.

Kentucky has certainly improved immensely in recent years, but they are far from being a hotbed for players of Allen’s ilk. As such, it’s going to be tough for the Wildcats to replace what the star pass-rusher brought to the table. Currently, it looks as if it’ll be a two-man race to see who ultimately takes that spot between Jordan Wright and Jared Casey.

Wright is the one with experience as a redshirt sophomore who was Allen’s backup in 2018, but he has seen little action to this point. Meanwhile, Casey is a 4-star recruit that was already in Lexington this spring and really turned some heads. Just a hunch here, but Casey’s arrival and emergence will land him the starting job — though it’ll likely still be a rotation used to replace Allen.

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