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The 2022 NFL Draft had plenty of interesting draft classes, but the Jacksonville Jaguars may be the most intriguing. General manager Trent Baalke followed up a controversial free agency period with one of the most controversial draft classes in the NFL, led by first overall pick Travon Walker. There's a ton to discuss here, so let's get straight into the draft grades.
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Jacksonville Jaguars 2022 NFL Draft Grades
Rd 1 Pick 1 – EDGE Travon Walker (Georgia)
The Walker pick was one of the more polarizing selections in the entire draft. On one hand, the Georgia product is one of the most athletic prospects the league has ever seen, sporting an insane combination of speed and strength. He certainly has the potential to grow into one of the best defensive ends in the NFL, but there needs to be a ton of development. The Jaguars don't have a great track record of bringing talent along, especially their first-round selections. Edge rusher K'Lavon Chaisson was selected in the first by the Jags in 2020, and he had a similar college profile to Walker. Both were ultra-athletic pass-rushers who needed to develop technically. Chaisson hasn't developed in the slightest during his time in the NFL, as he's notched two sacks over two years.
Because of their bad track record of helping out their draft picks, it would've been nice to see Jacksonville take a more sure prospect. Aidan Hutchinson and Kayvon Thibodeaux were both more technically sound at the same position. Overall, the Jaguars could have done far better with this pick.
Selection Grade: C
Rd 1 Pick 20 – Linebacker Devin Lloyd (Utah)
The good news is that Lloyd was easily the best linebacker in this draft class. He has incredible range, solid coverage skills, and is obviously a great tackler. The Utah product will immediately step into the role of a starting linebacker next to free agent signing Foyesade Oluokon, turning linebacker from a position of weakness to one of the better position groups on the team.
The question of positional value has to be asked here. The NFL is actively moving away from spending big money or premium draft capital on linebackers, and the Jags have spent both this offseason. It's especially questionable when considering the state of the rest of Jacksonville's roster. There are so many other positions that needed to be addressed this offseason. Instead, Baalke and the front office doubled down on one of the least important ones.
Selection Grade: B
Rd 3 Pick 65 – Center Luke Fortner (Kentucky)
This was one of the better selections the Jaguars made this draft. Fortner played both guard spots and center at the University of Kentucky, and he played them well. He's solid in both the run game and pass protection, and he has the chance to step in to a starting role right away for the Jags. Finding a guy like that in the third round is an absolute steal. Addressing a position of need without reaching also makes this move a good one.
Selection Grade: A
Rd 3 Pick 70 – Linebacker Chad Muma (Wyoming)
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This pick was truly puzzling, and it has nothing to do with Muma. He's a good player who probably shouldn't have fallen to the third round. However, the Jaguars shouldn't have been the ones to stop his slide. They just used a first-rounder on Lloyd and paid huge money to Oluokon. Again, linebacker isn't exactly the most important position on the field. Instead of addressing other areas of need, the Jags tripled up on off-ball linebackers. That doesn't sound like a recipe for success, but it doesn't have anything to do with Muma as a player.
Selection Grade: C
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Rd 5 Pick 154 – Running back Snoop Connor (Ole Miss)
Unsurprisingly, this was another confusing pick. The Jaguars are loaded at running back with James Robinson and last year's first-round pick Travis Etienne. They certainly didn't need to add another draft pick at the position. Making this pick even worse is the fact that the Jags traded up for Connor. They only paid two sixth-round picks, but that's far too much for a third-string running back. Overall, this was a pretty poor pick.
Selection Grade: D
Rd 6 Pick 197 – Cornerback Gregory Junior (Ouachita Baptist)
Junior is essentially a shot in the dark, just like most late-round selections are. He put together a decent showing at the Senior Bowl, and he showed some solid athleticism throughout his time in college. It's unlikely that he makes any sort of impact this season, but his potential was worth a gamble.
Selection Grade: B
Rd 7 Pick 222 – Cornerback Montaric Brown (Arkansas)
Brown was a surprisingly good selection late in the draft. He had a fantastic final season at Arkansas, as he led the SEC in interceptions with five. He's likely not athletic enough to keep up with the rest of the NFL, but maybe he can scrape out a roster spot. That's pretty much all anyone can ask of a seventh-round selection.
Selection Grade: B
