Jaguars Draft Spotlight: Arguments for and against selecting certain positions in the first round

If you're having trouble figuring out which player the Jaguars will select with the 29th overall pick in Thursday's first round of the NFL Draft, you're definitely not alone.

Good teams typically have stacked rosters, making it harder to find clues as to which positions they'll target early in the draft. The Jaguars are no different, as the team has a really strong group of starters on defense and the offense was heavily invested in during free agency.

With few (if any) urgent holes to fill, the process becomes challenging, as the team is ready to win now and selecting a developmental position seems unlikely. On top of that outlook, the majority of the team's needs are mostly superficial at this point, so internal debate based on preference is not only necessary but inevitable.

Those debates are easy to frame as the Jaguars head into the draft. That's why we've compiled the arguments for and against each of the major positions that the Jaguars could target in the first round.

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QUARTERBACK

FOR: The Jaguars signed the incumbent starter, Blake Bortles, to a short-term, team-friendly deal earlier this offseason, so Jacksonville has the ability to stash his heir apparent and let the younger quarterback grow behind the veteran. Most of the quarterbacks in this draft class will probably need some time to adjust to the speed and other nuances of the NFL. If the Jaguars want to prolong their Super Bowl contender window and are only lukewarm on Bortles, selecting a quarterback early makes a lot of sense.

AGAINST: While he signed a short-term deal, Bortles will probably be the Jaguars' starter for the next two seasons. The team is coming off an AFC Championship Game loss and they were just two wins away from the first Super Bowl championship in franchise history. Using the team's premium asset in the draft on a position of the future makes little sense for a squad that is on the cusp of potential greatness. The Jaguars would probably be better served by equipping Bortles with stronger talent around him.

RUNNING BACK

FOR: The Jaguars want to run the ball as much as any team in the league. Last year's first-round pick Leonard Fournette took a beating as a rookie due to constantly stacked boxes and his aggressive running style. Adding another stud to the running back rotation could prolong Fournette's career and allow the team to be creative with its rotation.

AGAINST: While adding another running back during the draft is a logical point of emphasis, selecting the position in back-to-back first rounds seems unnecessary. Much like last year's class, this year's draft features a deep group at running back.

The Jaguars could easily target a running back in the third or fourth rounds and still get relatively the same production behind Fournette. The new running back - whether they're a first-round pick or undrafted free agent - probably won't get more than 10 touches per game, making the job more role-player oriented.

WIDE RECEIVER

FOR: The Jaguars lost two key veterans at wide receiver during the offseason: Allen Robinson and Allen Hurns. While those two were injured throughout last season, their potential when healthy was very strong. The Jaguars leading receiver last season was an undrafted rookie, Keelan Cole, who had his struggles as well. While Jacksonville re-signed Marqise Lee and brought in Donte Moncrief, the position still seems very unsettled at this point.

Moncrief signed a one-year deal, so he could essentially be a rental. He is also coming off back-to-back disappointing seasons in Indianapolis and has a history of injuries. It would be hard to fault the Jaguars for wanting to hedge their bets at wide receiver. Also, while Cole and Dede Westbrook have the ability to play in the slot, they may not be ideal fits as bulk possession receivers across the middle.

The Jaguars lack size at the position and could also use a natural slot presence. Adding a big receiver or a talented slot target could make the offense more dynamic, freeing up the tackle box for the running game to feast.

AGAINST: The Jaguars invested heavy dollars in Lee and Moncrief this offseason and Cole and Westbrook flashed frequently during their rookie year. While there doesn't seem to be a natural No. 1 target among the bunch, the Jaguars' offense is so predicated on the running game that having a top receiver probably doesn't matter. The Jaguars also have high hopes for Moncrief, who has a lot of potential when it comes to stretching the defense and making big plays in the passing game.

On top of what they already have at wide receiver, the draft class features several specialized pass-catchers who could be had later in the selection process. There are plenty of big development receivers - like FSU's Auden Tate or Georgia's Javon Wims - who should be available on Day 2 or 3. The class also features interesting slot receiver options in later rounds like Washington's Dante Pettis and Penn State's Daesean Hamilton. The Jaguars can wait to address the position if they don't feel it's a major need.

TIGHT END

FOR: The Jaguars released longtime veteran Marcedes Lewis earlier this offseason, opening up a massive hole in two-tight end sets. While the team brought in Austin Seferian-Jenkins during free agency, the Jaguars could still use a dynamic player across from him in 12 personnel looks, especially with the way the team likes to run the ball.

The Jaguars also struggled to work the middle of the field at times last season and adding another passing option who could be targeted between the hashes could make the offense more dynamic.

AGAINST: The tight end position isn't a premium spot in the NFL, unless the player is extremely dynamic. This year's class has a weird vibe, where none of the prospects are particularly bulletproof from an evaluation standpoint.

While the Jaguars would probably want to assure themselves that they'll get a traditional two-way tight end, any prospect they select early on will still have some pretty evident pitfalls. Instead of reaching for a 1a or 1b tight end option, they may be more inclined to wait until later rounds for the likes of Stanford's Dalton Schultz and Indiana's Ian Thomas.

OFFENSIVE LINE

FOR: The Jaguars need to continue to protect Bortles and open up holes for Fournette. The offensive line was very good at protecting the passing game last season but was inconsistent in the running game, despite the team's league-leading numbers. The Jaguars could look to upgrade the right guard position, similarly to how they enhanced the left guard spot with Andrew Norwell in free agency. With right tackle Jermey Parnell getting older and facing some durability issues, the team could also prepare for his inevitable departure.

AGAINST: If the Jaguars select a guard early, they are doing so in what is believed to be a strong interior offensive line class. The guard position is typically a spot where you can find starter-level players later on in the draft.

If the Jaguars draft a tackle, that prospect will either be forced to compete with A.J. Cann for the right guard spot or serve as a swing tackle for his rookie season, unless the team cuts Parnell in a corresponding move. Parnell has been among the team's most effective linemen when healthy, so it may be too early to punch his ticket out of Jacksonville. The team could also like Cann much more than his external critics.

DEFENSIVE LINE

FOR: While the Jaguars' strength in depth comes from its defensive line, several of the group's veterans could be gone after this season. The Jaguars could allow defensive end Dante Fowler to test free agency and potentially move on from big-money defensive tackles like Marcel Dareus and/or Malik Jackson. The Jaguars should plan for their departures accordingly by adding talent to the rotation in advance. While those players would have small roles as rookies, they would be able to learn the defense and prepare for bigger jobs in the future.

AGAINST: The Jaguars are in a spot where they need to take advantage of early returns. With a playoff window open, the Jaguars need to add fuel to other flames in order to improve production in spots that under-delivered last season. Adding a defensive tackle or end to the mix would probably lead to a more widespread rotation, which in theory is nice, but not essential.

LINEBACKER

FOR: The Jaguars have a clear opening at SAM linebacker and they need to fill it with a talented player. While the team has Blair Brown in place, he would be an ideal fit as a weak-side linebacker. Brown and a talented rookie could compete for the strong-side job while also allowing the team to take on some much-needed depth at the position.

AGAINST: The SAM linebacker position is rarely on the field these days, as nickel packages have become the base formation in the NFL. The Jaguars would be spending a premium asset on a role player spot, which seems like a poor allocation of resources at this point. There are talented linebackers throughout the draft and the Jaguars may be better served by waiting until Day 2 to make a move at the position.

CORNERBACK

FOR: The Jaguars let Aaron Colvin walk in free agency and filled his roster hole with veteran D.J. Hayden. While Hayden has plenty of experience in the NFL, he has seen limited looks at the nickel position. The Jaguars could hedge their bets on Hayden by selecting a talented nickel corner like Louisville's Jaire Alexander early on in the draft.

A move for a nickel cornerback early on would then make Hayden the top backup to both Jalen Ramsey and A.J. Bouye on the outside. Cornerback depth is hard to come by in the NFL and adding a stud like Alexander would give the Jaguars the best cornerback group (on paper) in the league.

AGAINST: The Jaguars already have two elite players at cornerback and adding a third would be a luxury at this point. Hayden was paid a lot of money to be the third cornerback, so the team clearly has a lot of faith in him. Journeyman backup Tyler Patmon also played well in the slot when Colvin was forced out of the wild-card playoff win over the Buffalo Bills.

SAFETY

FOR: The Jaguars have two veterans at safety who could easily be expendable after this season. Jacksonville could decide to plan for the future at the spot by adding a player like Stanford's Justin Reid at the bottom of the first round. Reid could play as the third safety in the Jaguars' defense and give them a serious depth upgrade at the position.

AGAINST: The Jaguars just signed Cody Davis to a deal in free agency and the former Los Angeles Ram played very well when given opportunities on defense. Davis is likely to take on the third safety role at a low cost, so adding a first-round pick to the mix may be an added expense for a spot that isn't all that urgent of a need.

Follow Mike Kaye on Twitter: @Mike_E_Kaye.