The Jaguars have entered the home stretch of their draft preparation this week. With just a little over a week to go before the selection process, Jacksonville's front office is making its list (read: draft board), checking it twice (or hundreds of times) and trying to find out who will be available when they pick at No. 29.
With several scenarios being looked at, it's important to discuss those possibilities with others who have done their homework. NFL.com's Lance Zierlein is among the most prominent media draft pundits and he recently was kind enough to answer some of our Jaguars-related draft questions.
Mike Kaye: While the Jaguars re-signed quarterback Blake Bortles and traded for Cody Kessler, there still seems to be a national perception that Jacksonville should target a quarterback early on in this year's draft. Who are three quarterbacks (in any round) who you think would fit into Nathaniel Hackett's offense?
Lance Zierlein: The name Lamar Jackson obviously comes up and he could work anywhere in the league provided the offensive coordinator was willing to shape his strengths around Jackson. Obviously, Blake Bortles ran plenty of zone-read in college and we saw elements of that worked into the Jaguars offense at times last year. It isn't a crazy stretch to believe that the Jaguars offense could be fit for both Bortles and Jackson.
I also see Mason Rudolph as being a fit on day two and maybe Kurt Benkert as a late day three, but this just isn't the year for QBs unless you are taking one in the first.
MK: Penn State's Mike Gesicki and South Carolina's Hayden Hurst are your top two tight ends. Of the two, Hurst - a Jacksonville native - seems to be the best fit for Jacksonville. Do you think Hurst's age will impact his value to teams? What's his biggest weakness?
LZ: I don't see his age being a big issue because there is a large sample size of TEs playing until they are much older like Tony Gonzalez, Antonio Gates, and Jason Witten. Hurst still needs to work on technique as a run blocker and getting his hands into proper placement. I also see too many of his routes get jumped which means he's giving too many pattern clues away to defenders. Both of those issues can be improved with coaching though.
MK: The Jaguars should be in the market for linebacker depth, specifically at SAM linebacker. Who are two SAM linebacker prospects (in any round) who you think could be a steal in this draft?
LZ: Leon Jacobs - Jacobs is another guy who fits the Jacksonville athletic mold with good size, strength and speed. Frankly, he's very Jacksonvilly. He's got rush potential too which doesn't hurt. If you don't get him in the fourth round, you probably don't get him.
Peter Kalambayi - He never seemed to get better after his freshman year at Stanford, but he is a gifted athlete with good speed and length. He's the kind of traits-based players that the Jaguars have had success with in the past and might be worth a late day three pick.
MK: The nickel corner position can't be ruled out for the Jaguars. Who are 2-3 nickel guys to look out for on Day 2 or 3?
LZ: I love Duke Dawson from Florida. Good size and he's physical against the run which should not be understated with how teams like to run out of three wide-receiver sets. He can handle himself in space from a man coverage standpoint as well. I could see him going as early as late two, but may be more of a third round value.
The Jaguars may not look at nickel cornerbacks who don't hit a certain size threshold so I will eliminate those guys. Donte Jackson from LSU has elite speed and the twitch to close out throws, but he's still a little undisciplined in coverage. Still, he could be worth a look in round three. I also like Kansas State's D.J. Reed. He's just under 5'10 so that could be an issue, but he's competitive in coverage, a solid athlete and is one of the best return men in this draft which may take his value to the fifth round.
MK: A lot is being made of the offensive tackle class and its lack of prime talent. The Jaguars could select a tackle at No. 29 and house them as a swing tackle or have them compete for the right guard job. Of your top five tackles, who do you think projects the best from tackle to guard in the NFL?
LZ: I would say Isaiah Wynn and Connor Williams. Wynn is way shorter than most tackles, but he actually has the skill-set you want from a tackle. I think he's an NFL guard who can bump out to tackle in any given game if needed. Connor Willliams will come in as a projected tackle for some, but his best spot is at guard. Still, with three years of tackle experience, he gives you that tackle/guard flexibility. Both could be considered at 29.
MK: From an outside perspective, what's an under-the-radar future need for the Jaguars? How would you solve that issue in this year's draft?
LZ: I would say running back. [T.J.] Yeldon is a free agent after this season and [Leonard] Fournette has obviously had some injury concerns over his last two years. Because the Jaguars offensive success could be heavily tied to the running game, it might make sense to add another running back with three-down potential in this year's draft. The two best aggressive options in rounds three or four would be John Kelly from Tennessee or Royce Freeman from Oregon. In a later round, you could look at Darrell Williams from LSU or even Jaylen Samuels who can handle pass catching duties as well.
MK: Is this the year that a team pulls a "Teddy Bridgewater" and trades into the back third of the first round to nab a quarterback with a fifth-year option? If so, who would be your best guess for the quarterback?
LZ: My best guess would be Mason Rudolph. There are some teams who like him more than me and I could see them racing ahead of the second round drafters to make that happen.
Follow Mike Kaye on Twitter: @Mike_E_Kaye.