The Jacksonville Jaguars are amid a rebuild and the 2020 NFL Draft is their next source of adding more players that can hopefully expedite the process of returning to the playoffs. After a dismal season in 2019, the Jaguars possess the No. 9 pick in the first round of this year's draft.
Similar to most teams with a top ten pick, Jacksonville has quite a few glaring holes on their roster. Luckily for the Jaguars, they'll have two first-round picks in 2020. Therefore, they'll have two chances to add cornerstone players early in the draft.
On the offensive side of the ball, the Jaguars are moving forward with Gardner Minshew under center. Just a year after signing Nick Foles in free agency, Jacksonville shipped the veteran quarterback to the Chicago Bears.
With the offense pretty much set for next season, Jacksonville can turn their attention to the defense in the draft. More specifically, the Jaguars need to address the interior defensive line and the secondary.
While a potential trade involving Yannick Ngakoue could leave a void off of the edge, Jacksonville could very well target an interior defender at the ninth overall pick. With that in mind, here is why Javon Kinlaw is the perfect choice for the Jaguars with the No. 9 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.
Why Kinlaw makes sense for the Jaguars
In recent years, the Jaguars have undergone quite a few changes to their defense. Most notably, they've traded Jalen Ramsey, A.J. Bouye, and Calais Campbell. Plus, it's expected that they are going to trade Ngakoue prior to the 2020 season.
At the same time, Jacksonville is going to look quite a bit different along the interior defensive line next season. This offseason, the Jaguars have signed Rodney Gunter and Al Woods to provide short-term depth in the trenches. However, drafting Kinlaw would give them a long-term starter in the interior.
While at South Carolina, Kinlaw was extremely explosive and would constantly disrupt plays. Given his current skill set, there's a chance that Kinlaw could evolve into one of the best interior defenders in the NFL early in his career.
In his final two seasons at South Carolina as a full-time starter, Kinlaw accumulated 10 sacks, 15 tackles for loss, and two forced fumbles. Even though the Jaguars have been known to have a premier pass rush off of the edge, Kinlaw would give them a wrecking ball in the interior.
Along with his pass-rushing ability, Kinlaw is a stout run defender in the middle of a defensive line. That should pique the interest of the Jaguars after finishing with the 28th ranked run defense in 2019.
With Jacksonville steadily rebuilding, finding surefire starters in the draft are a remarkable way to build a contending roster again. Taking that into consideration, Kinlaw would be a home-run selection with the No. 9 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.
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