New 2022 mock from the Draft Wire has Jags drafting top CB prospect and a TE

The 2021 NFL season hasn’t even kicked off yet, but it’s never too early to start thinking about the future. Jacksonville will hope to avoid a repeat of the 1-15 season that landed it the first overall pick (which was used on quarterback Trevor Lawrence). With Lawrence on board and new additions all over the field, the team has a lot fewer needs than it did just a few months ago.

But it still has some, and one area at the time with a good bit of uncertainty is the secondary. Aside from starting cornerback Shaquill Griffin and strong safety Rayshawn Jenkins, the team will be heavily relying on youth this season. Second-year corner C.J. Henderson has a lot to work on after a forgettable rookie season that was cut short due to injuries, while cornerback Tyson Campbell and safety Andre Cisco, both of whom are rookies, could be expected to start Year 1 as well.

Secondary could definitely remain a need heading into 2022 if any of those players don’t pan out, and it’s for that reason that this mock draft from Draft Wire’s Luke Easterling has the Jags taking a popular cornerback prospect in LSU’s Derrick Stingley Jr.

Stingley was a First Team All-American as a sophomore in 2020 despite being limited to just seven games. He notched 27 total tackles with five pass breakups. He enters the 2021 season as one of college football’s best defensive players, and if Jacksonville picks in the top five yet again (as Easterling predicts), he could be an option.

The Jags have invested heavily in the position in the last two drafts, but if Henderson struggles in 2021 or Campbell struggles to find a role, adding an elite prospect like Stingley could make a lot of sense.

In the second round, the Jags selected Iowa State tight end Charlie Kolar, which would address a position fans felt was a huge need this offseason. If the Jags were to land Kolar, they would be getting a massive pass-catcher (6-foot-6, 260 pounds), who has registered over 590 yards and accumulated seven touchdowns in the past two seasons. However, if he has similar production or better this season, it wouldn’t be shocking to see him garner first-round grades.

By the end of the 2021 season, tight end may not be as big of an issue as some believe it is now as the Jags could make things work with what they have. Still, there isn’t a tight end on their roster who is as physically gifted as Kolar, who may not have the speed or twitch some would like but utilizes his size well and is solid in snagging contested catches.

For a team that’s trying to build around Trevor Lawrence, spending a second- round pick on a weapon like Kolar could be a steal if you can get him there. But again, it’s just hard to say where he’ll fit within the first two rounds right now.