A tight end to the Jaguars at four?

ESPN's Todd McShay mocks TE OJ Howard to the Jaguars at four . . . 

By Jordan de Lugo

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ESPN's foremost draft expert Todd McShay released his 2017 mock draft 3.0 earlier this week. He has the Jaguars selecting tight end OJ Howard with the fourth overall pick. At four overall, that would be the highest a tight end has ever been selected in the NFL Draft. 

​Here's what McShay had to say regarding the pick:

4. Jacksonville Jaguars
O.J. Howard, TE, Alabama
After spending big on defense two offseasons in a row, I think the Jaguars will use their first-rounder this season to improve QB Blake Bortles' supporting cast. RB Leonard Fournette is an option here, but I opted for Howard, who has had a spectacular pre-draft process, standing out during Senior Bowl practices and combine testing (4.51 40 at 251 pounds). Howard profiles as a big-play threat in the NFL and an underrated blocker.

This is a lot to take in. If the Jaguars did actually draft OJ Howard with the fourth overall pick it would be a major draft bombshell that would have ripple effects through out the first round and beyond.

I don't believe the Jaguars will draft Howard with the fourth overall pick, but I don't necessarily think it would be a mistake if they did. The Jaguars don't really have an impact tight end right now. Sure, Marcedes Lewis is still one of the better blocking tight ends in football and Ben Koyack and Neal Sterling have both shown flashes, but the Jaguars could certainly upgrade the position.

​If you stay up to date on the draft you will surely have read that the 2017 NFL Draft is loaded with talent at the tight end position, but it isn't necessarily loaded with balanced tight ends that can catch and block. OJ Howard is by far the best balanced tight end in the draft. With his incredible size and athleticism he is a matchup nightmare and combine that with his stellar blocking ability and you have a truly rare prospect.

He does fit the mold of what Tom Coughlin wants in a tight end, which is balance. Coughlin just shipped off a talented receiving tight end Julius Thomas because of his inability to block, so don't expect the Jaguars to draft a tight end that is exclusively a receiver.

There are some guys like Jake Butt and Jeremy Sprinkle that will be available later in the draft and they are said to be balanced tight ends, so the Jaguars could wait to take one BUT make no mistake about it - OJ Howard is ready to play in the NFL right now and will have a major impact on the passing game and running game for whoever lands him on April 27th.

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