Pro Football Focus recently highlighted one “surprise” pick that each team could make in the first round of the 2025 NFL draft. However, at least to me, I don’t find the Jacksonville Jaguars’ selection here all that surprising.
At pick No. 5, Dalton Wasserman had the Jaguars selecting LSU offensive lineman Will Campbell.
“Jacksonville’s offensive line has been a weak link over the past two seasons, and with Trevor Lawrence battling injuries, reinforcing the trenches remains a priority,” wrote Wasserman. “If Will Campbell is available and viewed as an upgrade over Walker Little, Ezra Cleveland or Anton Harrison, the Jaguars could justify making a move. Their line ranked just 23rd in PFF grade last season — far from ideal for a franchise quarterback.”
Maybe the surprise here is that Campbell made it to pick No. 5 instead of being taken at fourth overall by New England. But if available when the Jaguars are on the clock, the pick makes a ton of sense.
While the Jaguars did add fairly heavily to the offensive line in free agency, none of those additions should stop them from continuing to add to this unit.
These signings helped raise the floor of the Jaguars’ offensive line unit, but there are still unknowns when it comes to what the Jaguars really have up front, and adding Campbell to the mix helps address the ceiling of this group.
“I think from that standpoint, we’re always looking to add to the roster, whether it’s through the draft, free agency, things like that,” Coen said recently of the offensive line. “But I do believe we brought in some players to come help compete in that room. Obviously, with (Robert) Hainsey knowing the system, and (Patrick) Mekari playing a lot of football, and guys coming in, it’s only going to help.”
Naturally, all eyes, when it comes to the Jaguars, are on Trevor Lawrence and how Liam Coen gets the passing game back on track. But accomplishing that consistently starts with much improved offensive line play that provides the offense with a running game to lean on and Lawrence with time in the pocket.
Regardless of the position, when there are some question marks, the team should utilize the draft to boost competition and to give themselves options.
This article originally appeared on Jaguars Wire: 2025 NFL draft: LSU OL Will Campbell a ‘surprise’ pick for Jaguars
Pro Football Focus recently highlighted one “surprise” pick that each team could make in the first round of the 2025 NFL draft. However, at least to me, I don’t find the Jacksonville Jaguars’ selection here all that surprising.
At pick No. 5, Dalton Wasserman had the Jaguars selecting LSU offensive lineman Will Campbell.
“Jacksonville’s offensive line has been a weak link over the past two seasons, and with Trevor Lawrence battling injuries, reinforcing the trenches remains a priority,” wrote Wasserman. “If Will Campbell is available and viewed as an upgrade over Walker Little, Ezra Cleveland or Anton Harrison, the Jaguars could justify making a move. Their line ranked just 23rd in PFF grade last season — far from ideal for a franchise quarterback.”
Maybe the surprise here is that Campbell made it to pick No. 5 instead of being taken at fourth overall by New England. But if available when the Jaguars are on the clock, the pick makes a ton of sense.
While the Jaguars did add fairly heavily to the offensive line in free agency, none of those additions should stop them from continuing to add to this unit.
These signings helped raise the floor of the Jaguars’ offensive line unit, but there are still unknowns when it comes to what the Jaguars really have up front, and adding Campbell to the mix helps address the ceiling of this group.
“I think from that standpoint, we’re always looking to add to the roster, whether it’s through the draft, free agency, things like that,” Coen said recently of the offensive line. “But I do believe we brought in some players to come help compete in that room. Obviously, with (Robert) Hainsey knowing the system, and (Patrick) Mekari playing a lot of football, and guys coming in, it’s only going to help.”
Naturally, all eyes, when it comes to the Jaguars, are on Trevor Lawrence and how Liam Coen gets the passing game back on track. But accomplishing that consistently starts with much improved offensive line play that provides the offense with a running game to lean on and Lawrence with time in the pocket.
Regardless of the position, when there are some question marks, the team should utilize the draft to boost competition and to give themselves options.
This article originally appeared on Jaguars Wire: 2025 NFL draft: LSU OL Will Campbell a ‘surprise’ pick for Jaguars
