The Jacksonville Jaguars were one of the biggest surprises of the 2022 season. After starting 3-7, they won six of their last seven regular season games to steal the AFC South title from the Tennessee Titans, who ended the season on a seven-game losing streak.
Jacksonville will be looking to build upon that momentum in the 2023 season. But, there is still a little bit of work to do this offseason. After being relatively quiet in free agency, the 2023 NFL Draft will provide the franchise a chance to address some needs.
Defense is where the Jaguars should look early and often in the draft. Last year’s No. 1 overall pick, Tavon Walker, showed flashes but he could use some help. With the No. 24 overall pick in this year’s draft, it wouldn’t be surprising if the Jaguars looked into defensive linemen again.
Defensive end and defensive tackle have been named the two biggest needs for the team heading into the draft next week. Luckily for them, this year’s draft class is pretty deep at both spots and one could fall into their lap.
Clemson products Bryan Bresee and Myles Murphy would both be excellent options for Jacksonville. They have found plenty of success with Clemson players recently, as Trevor Lawrence and Travis Etienne both played collegiately for the Tigers.
Bresee was the No. 1 recruit in the 2020 high school class. There is a lot to like when it comes to Bresee’s build and athleticism, but his inability to stay on the field is a concern. He suffered a torn ACL in September 2021 and had shoulder surgery in January 2022.
But, when on the field, he produced. He had 15 tackles for loss and 9.0 sacks in 25 college games. His teammate, Murphy, possesses a rare combination of size, length and athleticism that should translate well to the next level.
Murphy can fit in all sorts of schemes with his versatility to line up all over a defensive formation. He also spent three years at Clemson and was very productive. In 35 games, he racked up 116 total tackles with 36 tackles for loss and 18.5 sacks.
