Jaguars fielding no offers for ‘top pick’
JACKSONVILLE, Fla., April 24, (AP): The Jacksonville Jaguars are open to trading the No. 1 pick in next week’s NFL draft, something they never would have considered a year ago.
This time, though, there’s little, if any, interest.
“Nobody’s called directly,” Jaguars general manager Trent Baalke said Friday, less than one week before the draft.
So Baalke is preparing to make the top selection for the second straight year. His first one was a nobrainer: Clemson star quarterback Trevor Lawrence. This one is less clear, with Baalke and new coach Doug Pederson offering few clues other than acknowledging they have narrowed their choice to four guys. The presumptive group: Michigan pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson, Georgia pass rusher Travon Walker, North Carolina State offensive tackle Ickey Ekwonu and Alabama offensive tackle Evan Neal.
Hutchinson is the betting favorite and has been for months, according to FanDuel Sportsbook. He probably makes the most sense, too, considering the talent-starved franchise probably would be better served making the safest choice and eliminating as much risk as possible.