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With the No.1 pick of the 2022 NFL Draft the Jacksonville Jaguars select...

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell at the Draft

After picking Trevor Lawrence with the top pick last year, Planet Sport looks at five players the Jacksonville Jaguars could make the No.1 overall pick of the 2022 NFL Draft.

The Jacksonville Jaguars have the first overall pick of the NFL Draft for the second year running, but it's a much more difficult choice for them this time around.

Last year the Jags simply had to take quarterback Trevor Lawrence - he may not have pulled up any trees during his first season in the NFL but he was playing in a very, very weak team in Jacksonville.

The Jaguars overhaul now needs another overhaul after their experiment with top college coach Urban Meyer went down in flames dramatically, and in Doug Pederson they have a steady pair of hands and a recent Super Bowl winner with the Philadelphia Eagles.
There seems no real panic with Lawrence, who showed enough under tough circumstances to suggest he could be a franchise QB given the right kind of help around him.

So who will the Jags take as number one this year? It's a much trickier task this time around as Lawrence was a huge consensus top pick - Jacksonville simply had to take him - but this year there's no real stand-out.

Who should the Jaguars take as No.1?

Trevor Lawrence Jacksonville Jaguars NFL
The lack of one superstar means the Jags will likely be unable to trade their top pick for a sufficiently lofty price, as most teams around them will fancy addressing their needs with what looks like a deep pool of talent if not ultra-elite.

So where will Pederson and the Jags go? Could they try and beef up their anemic pass rush with a new rusher off the edge? Or will they look for that dominant offensive lineman to help protect their franchise QB Lawrence?

Let's look at the options for who could become the No.1 overall pick of the 2022 NFL Draft...

Evan Neal, OT, Alabama

The huge 6ft 7" offensive tackle is a plug-in-and-play now prospect who could operate at various positions across the line, including at left tackle to protect Lawrence's blind side.

The Alabama man can play left or right tackle, but also be used on the interior and coach Pederson has already talked about versatility in linemen being one of the qualities he's looking for.
Neal didn't work out at the combine and some feel that he's more solid and spectacular with not much room for improvement - but the Jags may feel he's a solid citizen they'll need in their line for years to come.

Aidan Hutchinson, DE, Michigan

Trying to find the next TJ Watt or Nick Bosa could lead the Jags to picking Heisman Trophy runner-up Hutchinson from Michigan to add a big spark to their dodgy pass rush.
Getting pressure on opposing quarterbacks has been something most successful NFL teams have been doing these last few years - and Hutchinson certainly did just that last season with 14 sacks and 16.5 tackles for loss.

He's 6ft 6" and 265 pounds but with unnerving speed and a relentless motor that sees him often grind his opponents into the ground late on.

Whether he can do that to NFL blockers is the question but he's predicted to go first with a lot of draft experts.

Ikem 'Ickey' Ekwonu, OT, NC State

Ekwonu isn't as big as Neal and isn't as polished in his technical skills, but he's still 6ft 4", 320 pounds and with freakish athleticism who blocks like a brick wall.

The three-year starter played at left tackle and left guard in North Carolina so also has the versatility needed, and possibly has more upside than Neal due to his physical gifts and more physical nature.
Ekwonu is described as a "bully" who blocks like a "nightclub bouncer" by NFL draft expert Bucky Brooks and with his combination of speed, aggression and room for improvement he could well get the nod.

Kayvon Thibodeaux, DE, Oregon

Back to the edge rushers with Oregon stand-out Thibodeaux who was widely regarded as the top prospect a year ago. But since then, he's somewhat fallen down the rankings with some rumblings about his engine and love for the game.

Thibodeaux had 19 sacks in 32 career games for Oregon, and frankly his speed out of the blocks is scary, his anticipation top notch and his variety of pass-rush stunts outstanding.

Some say he should have had more sacks and dominated more games with his physical gifts, and those doubts look like costing him top spot, but he looks NFL-ready and if his head is right he could make an instant impact in the league.

Travon Walker, DL, Georgia

Walker was a star at the NFL Combine as he produced some eye-popping numbers in the annual test of college prospects that had team coaches dreaming of what he could become.

He only had 9.5 sacks in college but his impressive physical attributes suggest that he could be a monster like Aaron Donald in terms of generating QB pressure up the middle.

That looks like a work in progress but NFL coaches believe they can take this freakish athlete and turn him into a star - it could be a bit of a gamble, but he looks certain to be a top five pick.

READ MORE: Full 2022 NFL Draft order and team-by-team picks

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