The 10 best draft choices by the Jaguars since 2000

Maurice Jones-Drew was able to find the end zone quite often with Jacksonville. [Image Source: Flickr | Parker Anderson]
Maurice Jones-Drew was able to find the end zone quite often with Jacksonville. [Image Source: Flickr | Parker Anderson]

Maurice Jones-Drew helped the Jaguars' running game not miss a beat post-Fred Taylor.

reviewed by Alexander Gates
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After looking at the best draft picks by the teams who currently have the first six selections in April's draft, it's time to look at the Jaguars who currently have the seventh pick. Chris Trapasso of CBS Sports has Jacksonville selecting tight end Noah Fant out of Iowa with that pick.

The Jaguars have been able to draft more than a few quality players in recent years. Here are their top-ten selections since 2000.

Note: Only time with the Jaguars was considered for this list. Where they were drafted makes a difference - meaning this isn't quite a top-ten players drafted by Jacksonville since 2000 list. Some late-round picks who did not quite make the list but had solid careers with the team include Marlon McCree (seventh round, 2001), Josh Scobee (fifth round, 2004), Bobby McCray (seventh round, 2004), Uche Nwaneri (fifth round, 2007), and Dede Westbrook (fourth round, 2017).

1

Maurice Jones-Drew, RB - 2nd round, 60th overall (2006); time with Jaguars: 2006-2013

Jones-Drew led the NFL with 1,606 rushing yards in 2011, a year he was also named a First Team All-Pro. In his eight seasons with the Jaguars, he made three Pro Bowls, rushed for 8,071 yards, and scored 68 touchdowns on the ground.

2

John Henderson, DT - 1st round, 9th overall (2002); time with Jaguars: 2002-2009

A two-time Pro Bowler, Henderson was a dominant run-stopper who also was able to put pressure on the quarterback. He recorded 429 tackles and 29 sacks in eight years with Jacksonville.

3

Marcus Stroud, DT - 1st round, 13th overall (2001); time with Jaguars: 2001-2007

Often paired with Henderson to form an excellent interior of the defensive line, Stroud was named to three straight Pro Bowls from 2003-2005. He had 22 sacks in his tenure with the Jaguars.

4

Jalen Ramsey, CB - 1st round, 5th overall (2016); time with Jaguars: 2016-present

Despite playing just three seasons so far, Ramsey sits near the top of the list. The outspoken cornerback was a First Team All-Pro in 2017, made his second straight Pro Bowl last season, and has picked off nine passes. According to SBNation, he would love the Jaguars to draft Ohio State quarterback Dwayne Haskins.

5

Telvin Smith, LB - 5th round, 144th overall (2014); time with Jaguars: 2014-present

A steal as a fifth-round pick, Smith earned a trip to the Pro Bowl for the 2017 season. In his five years, he has totaled 586 tackles, nine interceptions, and 7.5 sacks.

6

Yannick Ngakoue, DE - 3rd round, 69th overall (2016); time with Jaguars: 2016-present

Already one of the better pass rushers in the league, Ngakoue has 29.5 sacks through three seasons. He brought down the quarterback for a loss 12 times during his Pro Bowl season of 2017.

7

David Garrard, QB - 4th round, 108th overall (2002); time with Jaguars: 2002-2010

More than just a serviceable quartback, Garrard provided plenty of value as a later-round pick. He finished with a winning record as a starter (39-37), completed 61.6 percent of his passes, and threw 89 touchdowns (compared to 54 interceptions).

8

Brad Meester, C/G - 2nd round, 60th overall (2000); time with Jaguars: 2000-2013

Meester is the franchise's all-time record holder with 209 games played. Every one of those he started as he was a mainstay on Jacksonville's offensive line for 14 seasons.

9

Rashean Mathis, CB - 2nd round, 39th overall (2003); time with Jaguars: 2003-2012

Making 129 starts with the Jaguars, Mathis intercepted 30 passes with the club (three returned for scores). He had eight interceptions in 2006 when he was named a First Team All-Pro.

10

Daryl Smith, LB - 2nd round, 39th overall (2004); time with Jaguars: 2004-2012

Twice in his nine years with the Jaguars, Smith ended the season with over 100 tackles. In his Jaguars tenure, he had 21.5 sacks, eight forced fumbles, and six interceptions.

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