JAGUARS TRADE UP: BREAKING DOWN JOE MARINO'S LATEST MOCK DRAFT

Jeff Okudah (Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire

Should the Jaguars trade up to acquire one of the top talents in the draft?

BY JORDAN DE LUGO

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​Joe Marino of the Draft Network released his latest mock draft on Monday morning. In his sixth mock draft of the 2020 draft season, Marino projected two rounds and included trades.

The Jaguars were one of the teams to use their current draft capital in order to move up in the first round. Let's take a look.  

Joe Marino:

Trade terms: Jacksonville Jaguars acquire No. 6 overall; Los Angeles Chargers acquire Nos. 9 and 42 overall  

Jeff Okudah, CB Ohio State

A side effect to the Lions drafting Tagovailoa at No. 3 is a potential slide for Jeffrey Okudah, who is among the elite talents in the draft. Unlikely to get to No. 9, the Jaguars would be wise to jump up a few spots to secure a blue-chip prospect like Okudah. He profiles as a true shutdown corner in the NFL. With Jalen Ramsey traded and A.J. Bouye likely to be a cap casualty, the Jaguars have a massive hole at cornerback and Okudah is the ultimate way to fill it.

I can't disagree with Marino on this one. Acquiring a player with Jeff Okudah's skill set would be a home run. He's viewed by many — including myself — as the best cornerback to enter the draft since Jalen Ramsey. He's got all the size, physicality, and swagger that you could ask for and has gotten the job done in some of the biggest moments. 

Thanks to the Jaguars' midseason trade with the Rams, giving up the 42nd pick isn't too big of a deal. They've still got the 20th overall selection and plenty of draft ammunition later on. 

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Here's what Joe has the Jaguars doing with pick number 20. 

Joe Marino: 

Kenneth Murray, LB Oklahoma

The Jaguars’ dominant defense from 2017 feels like a distant memory. There has been an exodus of top defensive personnel and given the salary cap situation Jacksonville is facing, more losses are likely to come. Murray has the upside to become a second-level enforcer with speed and physicality alongside Myles Jack.

I think Kenneth Murray will develop into an above-average middle linebacker at the next level. I do, however, like Patrick Queen from LSU quite a bit more than Murray. Unfortunately for the Jaguars, Queen went off the board just one pick ahead of them. Both linebackers have sideline to sideline speed and pack a punch when they arrive at the ball. Both have shown the ability to cover. But Queen is just a bit better at sifting through the mud in the middle against the run. Murray often gets lost in the shuffle when attacking the middle of the offensive line in run defense, where Queen seemingly always finds his way to the ball. Still, I think Murray would be a fine selection here and would help the Jaguars improve against the run in 2020. 

Overall, this would be an ideal scenario. Okudah is one of the three or four best players in the draft, and for the Jaguars to land him would do wonders for their defense. Adding Murray, later on, is also a major upgrade for the Jaguars at linebacker. Pairing Murray and Myles Jack together would be a sight to see. Still, giving up the 42nd pick stings just a little. 

Is Tua actually in play at number three overall? Time will tell. But there are a number of other scenarios in which the Jaguars could end up trading up for a player of their choosing. I don't think this simulation is out of the realm of possibilities. 

Follow Jordan on Twitter for all the latest Jaguars news and analysis. ​