Oregon's top offensive guard, Emmanuel Pregnon, lands with the Jaguars, fortifying protection for Trevor Lawrence and boosting the run game.
The Jacksonville Jaguars bolstered their offensive line with their 88th pick, selecting guard Emmanuel Pregnon from Oregon on Day 2 of the NFL draft on Friday in Pittsburgh.
Offensive lineman wasn't assumed by draft analysts to be a positional need for the Jaguars, but they added more depth to protect Trevor Lawrence and open up gaps for the running backs.
Standing 6-foot-4 and weighing 314 pounds, Pregnon was first-team All-Big Ten last season. He started 14 of 15 games at left guard, playing 849 of his 910 snaps at the position.
Pregnon earned an 86.7 offensive grade from Pro Football Focus (PFF), which ranked second-best among all FBS guards. The Denver, Colorado, native recorded an 85.8 run-blocking grade (third best) and 88.1 pass-blocking grade (seventh best).
Jacksonville's 88th pick allowed five pressures and one sack in 445 pass-blocking opportunities.
Pregnon had an impressive combine, posting a 79 production score (first), 78 athleticism score (ninth) and 80 total score (first). He ran a 5.21-second 40-yard dash, 1.82-second 10-yard split, had a 35-inch vertical and a 9-feet, 3-inch broad jump.
Finishing with a 6.36 prospect grade, he is projected to become a good starter and earned a second-round draft pick grade.
Pregnon fell to the third round for the Jaguars, and his combine stats and his college performance should make the selection a great pick.
Jacksonville's trend in Day 2 is buffing up its blocking abilities. The Jaguars selected Texas A&M tight end Nate Boerkircher with the 56th pick, and he has shown promise as a blocker in his fifth year for the Aggies.
Ezra Cleveland is the starting left guard for Jacksonville, meaning Pregnon would compete with Jerome Carvin to become Cleveland's backup.
Pregnon is durable and experienced in his position, using his length to disrupt pass rushers and is quick to diagnose blitzes from the defense.
"He’ll get beat to first contact but usually reclaims the rep using well-placed hands, a broad base and upper-body power to displace and finish with authority," NFL analyst Lance Zierlein wrote in Pregnon's bio.
Although it isn't the defense-slanted draft various mocks projected for the Jaguars, the team is developing its protection to give Jacksonville's offense another gear they can kick into with Lawrence, Coen and the rest of the team aiming to build off its 13-4 season.
Jacksonville beefs up their pass and run protection by drafting Pregnon with the 88th pick.
Join our ROUNDTABLE community! It's free to join. Share your thoughts, engage with our Roundtable writers, and chat with fellow members.
Download the free Roundtable APP, and stay even more connected!