The Jacksonville Jaguars have a new regime running the draft room with general manager James Gladstone and head coach Liam Coen. Gladstone spent the previous nine years with the Los Angeles Rams, most recently as the director of scouting strategy. The Rams have shown the ability to build a championship-caliber roster through the draft without much at their arsenal. Then there's Coen, who worked alongside Gladstone across two stints.
Jaguars fans will get an idea of how the duo will operate during the NFL Draft this Thursday. Jacksonville holds the No. 5 overall pick, and based on the buzz and mock drafts, the assumption was that they would take Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham. However, that doesn't appear to be the case based on the latest intel.
ESPN senior NFL insider Adam Schefter noted in a pre-draft notebook (subscription required) that one executive says the Jaguars are a "wild card." When it comes to the fifth overall pick, Schefter says that Coen has "a soft spot for wide receivers." The top receiver in the class is Arizona' Tetairoa McMillan, and Schefter says he's drawn comparisons to Mike Evans, who Coen worked with last season as the offensive coordinator for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
"Coen, who coached Evans last year, knows how valuable a player like that can be to an offense," writes Schefter. "Some have questions McMillan's passion for football, but others suggest he is misunderstood and that, when he's on a football field, 'he's an absolute baller.'"
Jaguars deemed 'wild card' of NFL Draft, could draft WR in Round 1
This would certainly be good news for Jaguars starting quarterback Trevor Lawrence. While Lawrence is one of the league's top-paid quarterbacks, he hasn't lived up to the hype since playing at Clemson. Doug Pederson, who was brought in to get the most out of Lawrence, didn't live up to his end of the bargain, and was let go after a horrendous 2024 season.
Coen only spent one season with the Buccaneers, but he made sure Baker Mayfield continued his development into a top NFC quarterback. Plus, he got the most out of Mike Evans, who recorded 74 receptions for 1,004 yards and 11 touchdowns in just 14 games.
McMillan is coming off a 2024 campaign with Arizona, where he caught 84 passes for 1,319 yards and eight touchdowns.
The Jaguars did land a wide receiver in the first round last year in Brian Thomas Jr., who looks like the real deal. The thing is, the depth behind him left a lot to be desired. The Jaguars could use a wide receiver to pair alongside Thomas, and McMillan could be just that. McMillan is the top receiver not named Travis Hunter on the board when the Jaguars are on the clock. But will the Jaguars pick him?