The Jacksonville Jaguars have been on the clock since their final game of 2021 ended.
They still aren't quite sure who they're taking at No. 1 overall -- at least not enough to admit so publicly. Jaguars general manager Trent Baalke spoke with reporters Friday and gave a bit of a cheeky response, smiling and telling media members "it's a work in progress."
Baalke noted his front office has multiple players at the top of their draft board graded similarly, leaving room for a variety of scenarios. Mock drafts have seemed to follow suit in the pre-draft process, first pairing Jacksonville with one of the top two tackles -- Alabama's Evan Neal and North Carolina State's Ikem Ekwonu -- before Jacksonville franchise-tagged Cam Robinson, causing many to change their predictions to make Michigan edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson a Jaguar.
If you want to get even wackier, a growing number of speculators see Georgia defender Travon Walker as a potential No. 1 overall pick to the Jaguars. NFL Media's Maurice Jones-Drew, Peter Schrager and Charles Davis each sent Walker to Jacksonville in their latest mock drafts, while NFL Media's Chad Reuter had Hutchinson going to the Jaguars.
That's the theme of much of this draft: uncertainty. With a lack of quarterback star power, teams can go in a number of different directions, and much will depend on what the clubs in front of them -- Houston lurks as a potential wild card at No. 3 overall -- decide to do with their own selections.
With so much uncertainty, it behooves franchises to keep their intel close to the vest. Get your respirators ready, too: Smokescreens could (and should) arise in the next six days.
We'll sort it all out live in Las Vegas on Thursday night.
