REPORT: JAGUARS HOST JOHN METCHIE, KERBY JOSEPH ON PRE-DRAFT VISITS

The Jaguars add two more prospects to their list of pre-draft visits.

BY JORDAN DE LUGO

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Another day, another group of pre-draft visits for the Jacksonville Jaguars. According to Justin Melo of The Draft Network, the Jaguars hosted Illinois safety Kerby Joseph. And per Jordan Schultz, Jacksonville will host Alabama wide receiver John Metchie III on Thursday.

Kerby Joseph is a former three-star athlete out of Orlando, Florida, who played on both sides of the ball in high school. At six feet and 200 pounds, he has 33 1/4" arms with 10 1/2" hands. Joseph didn't enter the starting lineup for the Illini until his senior year, but he quickly put himself on the radar of scouts around the NFL with his stellar play in 2021. He picked off five passes, added 57 total tackles, two fumble recoveries, and a sack. While Joseph is a senior, he's relatively inexperienced and should have a solid upward trajectory as someone who hasn't been a full-time safety for long. There's some rawness and inconsistency with his processing and instincts, but Joseph has excellent explosiveness, elite length, and a penchant for picking off passes and finding the ball. He projects to be a fit for what will likely be a zone-heavy defense in Jacksonville. In addition, Joseph adds value as a gunner on kick and punt coverage. The Jaguars drafted safety Andre Cisco with the top pick in the third round in 2021, and he appears to be a long-term fixture for the Jaguars at safety. The team also signed safety Rayshawn Jenkins to a starter-level contract last year, but after a disappointing season, the Jaguars could look to add competition to the room in the upcoming draft. 

My take: Joseph would make sense for the Jaguars with either of their third-round picks at 65 and 70 or at the top of the fourth round. He carries an early third-round grade on my board and, with some development, could be a long-time starter in the NFL. The potential long-term pairing of Joseph and Cisco could be a nightmare for offensive coordinators with both having high-end explosiveness and ball skills.

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John Metchie is a former four-star wide receiver recruit out of Hightstown, New Jersey. The six-foot, 195-pound receiver from Alabama tore his ACL in the 2021 SEC Championship game and is still recovering but expects to be 100% for the start of NFL training camps in mid-July. Prior to the 2021 season, Metchie was viewed as a potential first-round pick, but the injury and some inconsistencies at the catch point have Metchie squarely in the day two conversation. A true junior, Metchie racked up 151 catches, over 2,000 yards, and 14 touchdowns over his final two seasons in Tuscaloosa. Metchie aligned out wide and in the slot for the Crimson Tide and was a reliable source of first downs and big plays. His release package and route running are highly polished. He also offers some explosiveness and YAC ability with the ball in his hands. Metchie offers quickness and suddenness with and without the ball. 

My take: While Metchie has improved his ability to make catches in traffic and eliminated some focus drops, he's still a little too inconsistent in those areas for my liking. Still, the Jaguars need more playmakers at receiver, and with Metchie's ability to separate and make plays at all levels of the field, he'd be a fine target in the same range as Kerby Joseph, at 65 or 70. Had he not suffered the ACL injury, Metchie likely would have been a mid-second round pick, and he still could be. Jaguars' general manager Trent Baalke loves a good value, and I'd have a hard time believing he doesn't see that in John Metchie. 

The Jaguars have had pre-draft visits with LSU running back Tyrion Davis-Price, LSU cornerback Derek Stingley, Michigan defensive end Aidan Hutchinson, Georgia defensive end Travon Walker, Georgia linebacker Quay Walker, Alabama left tackle Evan Neal, NC State left tackle Ikem Ekwonu, Colorado State tight end Trey McBride, Florida defensive lineman Zachary Carter, Penn State offensive lineman Rasheed Walker, Michigan running back Hassan Haskins, Tulsa offensive linemanTyler Smith, Alabama linebacker Christian Harris, Oklahoma defensive tackle Perrion Winfrey, and Louisiana safety Percy Butler.

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