Steven Kriz’s Post-Draft NFL Power Rankings

18.  Jacksonville Jaguars

I am a very big fan of what Jacksonville is doing down there, and feel like this is the first year that Gus Bradley should truly be expected to make any noise.  Like the Raiders, this is a very young team with a very nice receiving trio in the Allen’s, and former Bronco, Julius Thomas.  They should have a decent young line, but more importantly a rising young QB in Blake Bortles.  A lot of people don’t realize that Bortles tossed 35 TD’s last season, up from 11 in his rookie year.  He does need to cut down on the turnovers, but if he can improve instead of regress, the Jacksonville offense should be a finely-tuned machine.  Where the Jaguars are going to be highly improved is going to be on the defensive side of the ball.  Gus Bradley must be licking his chops to coach some of these young defenders he now has at his disposal.  Not only did they sign Malik Jackson, they also are returning a top-5 pick in the 2015 draft Dante Fowler Jr., who was lost for the season during rookie mini-camp last offseason.  The Jaguars should probably be arrested for theft, because in the draft they stole two of the top seven players in this draft in Jalen Ramsey, and Myles Jack.  Jack, in particular slipped to them in the second round due to a possible chronic knee issue, despite being a top five talent, and will prove to be the steal of the entire 2016 draft.  His injury concern was never about the now, but about his longevity in the league.  I wouldn’t be shocked if the Jaguars won the division this year, however the defense, with all the youth, may be a year away.  But it will be soon that the Jaguars are a force in this league.

Next: Number 19