The Jacksonville Jaguars’ new regime got busy last week, setting the stage for a retooled roster, especially on offense.
Jacksonville traded veteran slot receiver Christian Kirk to the Houston Texans and announced plans to release star pass-catching tight end Evan Engram. More moves could be coming, but as it stands on the morning of the NFL’s legal free agent tampering period, the Jaguars suddenly have some major voids at the skill positions.
It should come as no surprise that head coach Liam Coen is coveting hand-picked talent as he looks to install his offensive system in Jacksonville. With that in mind, Kyle Crabbs of the 33rd Team predicts the Jaguars will use the No. 5 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft on one of the more intriguing chess pieces in this year’s class.
Here’s why Crabbs projects superstar Penn State tight end Tyler Warren to Jacksonville in the top 5:
The Jaguars underwent a purge last weekend to axe a bunch of payroll and older players off the roster. These moves opened up a load of targets in the passing game — and Penn State’s Tyler Warren is one of the better mismatch players available in this year’s class. Warren will join fellow Penn State tight end Brenton Strange to give Jacksonville a ton of athleticism and size for Trevor Lawrence to use in the middle of the field.
This would be a polarizing selection, as No. 5 overall feels aggressive for a player with just one season of elite college production. This year’s tight end class is also considered to be extremely deep. In this scenario, the Jags would be passing on star defensive prospects like Michigan interior lineman Mason Graham and rising Texas Longhorns cornerback Jahdae Barron.
Warren did, however, showcase uncommon versatility for one of college football’s best teams. He racked up 104 catches for over 1,200 yards and eight touchdowns as a receiver, and Penn State utilized his 6-foot-6, 257-pound frame around the goal-line for four additional scores as a rusher. With his size, Warren could be the NFL’s next unicorn tight end in the right system.
Coen got a career year out of tight end Cade Otton last season as offensive coordinator of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He could probably do the same thing for Brenton Strange, who showed some real chemistry with Trevor Lawrence last season while Engram sat out with a nagging hamstring injury.
Would this be the wisest move? Probably not, given Jacksonville’s needs. But there’s no doubt the Jaguars will be looking to add young, startable talent this offseason, and phenom pospects like Warren and Arizona Wildcats receiver Tetairoa McMillan can’t be ruled out for the fifth pick in April’s draft.