After moving back twice, the Jaguars have finally made their first selection of the draft. With the No. 27 pick, Jacksonville has selected Oklahoma offensive tackle Anton Harrison.
The rookie started at left tackle for Oklahoma for each of the past two seasons. After earning a second-team All-Big Ten nod in 2021, he was first-team All-Big Ten in 2022. He was also a consensus All-American pick this past year.
Harrison’s pedigree helped make him a projected first- or second-round pick in the draft. While Harrison endured knocks for his lack of athleticism, he has elite size (6-foot-4, 315 pounds) and length. His ability to play to his owns strengths made him one of the safer offensive line prospects in the draft, although his ceiling might be somewhat limited.
Harrison was ultimately the fifth offensive lineman to hear his name called during the first round, with the Jaguars trading back a handful of times before landing on their preferred prospect. It comes after a rocky offseason for the Jags at tackle.
Starting left tackle Cam Robinson is facing a PED suspension, perhaps forcing the front office’s hand at the position. The team let four-year right tackle starter Jawaan Taylor walk in free agency; Taylor signed a whopping four-year, $80MM deal with the Chiefs. The organization used a 2021 second-round pick on tackle Walker Little, but the Jaguars will surely find a way to get their 2023 first-round selection in the lineup.