It's easy to overcomplicate the game of football. Sure, the schematics have changed, and playbooks have become more involved as the game makes its advancements.

However, the Jacksonville Jaguars can hang their hat on something. Some things will never change in the business of winning.

Winning and doing so consistently can be achieved by keeping Trevor Lawrence healthy and standing upright while harassing the other team's signal-caller as often as possible. 

Coordinators grow younger each season. They're as imaginative as ever, especially on the offensive side of the ball, but a great pass rush trumps offensive ingenuity.

Jacksonville already features elite talent in the already-existing rotation with Josh Hines-Allen and former No. 1 overall pick Travon Walker. Depth at edge rusher is, however, limited and needed. 

Adding another pass rusher could unlock the defense’s next level. The Jaguars don't own a first-round pick in the coming NFL Draft, which means they don't make their initial choice until the 56th overall selection.

Roundtable's Matthew Feldman sees adding to the running back room at 56 as a possibility. Let's stir the pot some and assume the pick is used to bolster the defense. 

If they elect to address the EDGE at that time, one of their more pressing needs, there will fortunately be some solid options.

If the Jaguars avoid the temptation to trade up (which is possible with 11 overall picks) they'll hold steady with the 56th selection in Round 2.

Here's where educated guesses come in. For the sake of argument, let's remove six of the perceived top edge rushers in this year's class and assume they'll be off the board when Jacksonville is on the clock.

That being said, David Bailey (Texas Tech Red Raiders), Rueben Bain Jr. (Miami Hurricanes), Keldric Faulk (Auburn Tigers), Zion Young (Missouri Tigers), Cashius Howell (Texas A&M Aggies), and Gabe Jacas (Illinois Fighting Illini) are all unavailable now.

Here's a vote for Miami's Akheem Mesidor. Let's assume he's seen as the best remaining player available and as a potential second-rounder on many team's draft boards.

Mesidor is a six-foot-two, 259-pound game-wrecker. He racked up 63 tackles, 12.5 sacks, and forced fumbles during the Hurricanes' march to the College Football Playoff National Championship Game last January.

Those 12.5 sacks led the ACC and were more than the 9.5 that teammate Rueben Bain posted. Some of that may be attributable to the attention Bain commanded on the other side of the formation, but left's get something straight. Mesidor don't earn  First-team All-ACC honors and a Second-Team All-American nod by accident.

Don't be shocked if T.J. Parker rises or falls during the coming weeks leading up to the NFL Draft. He's certainly someone worth mentioning. He too has been given Round 2 grades. He certainly helped his stock with a solid week at the most recent Senior Bowl. 

The 2025 NCAA football season may have been the worst of his three years collegiately. Still, he managed 37 tackles and five sacks. Might that be the reason for the questions? Or should we assume the 2024 season is more representative of what he is capable of? 

As a sophomore, he tallied 57 tackles and 11 sacks for the Clemson Tigers en route to Second-Team All-ACC honors. This after he earned Freshman All-American honors in 2023. 

Some may rank R. Mason Thomas ahead of Mesidor and Parker. If you do, you won't have many issues with finding co-signers or making a compelling argument. Jaguars Roundtable has mentioned him as an idea at 56 before. That said, place an asterisk by his name.

If wagers were to be made, many will place him as a candidate who will still be available when the Jaguars make their first selection. 

The former Oklahoma Sooners standout is small by NFL standards in terms of edge rushers. He, however, finished his career by being named a First-Team All-SEC selection. 

As a junior, he was again given postseason attention. He earned Second-Team All-SEC honors in 2024. A four-year run in Norman produced 42 in-game appearances, 65 tackles and 17 sacks.

Of those 65 tackles, 25.5 resulted in a loss of yardage. He also forced four fumbles in his career and knocked down three passes.

The verdict? If Jacksonville added him in Round 2 at the 56th selection, they should be very happy with the decision. 

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