The 2012 NFL Draft officially came to a close on Saturday evening, with teams using three days and seven rounds to bolster their squads for the upcoming season. The Jacksonville Jaguars added just six players in the draft, most notably trading up to take wide receiver Justin Blackmon at No. 5.
Now comes the time for instant (over)analysis by pundits. First up to bat, ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper, who gave Jacksonville an overall grade of "C" for this year's draft.
Summary: Give the Jaguars credit for hitting needs with their top two picks. Justin Blackmon isn't a guy you want to have to trade up for, but it didn't cost Jacksonville dearly, and the Jaguars had to find a receiver to complement Laurent Robinson. If they didn't get Blackmon or Michael Floyd, they would have been no closer to knowing if Blaine Gabbert can develop into a franchise quarterback. Andre Branch can start early. He's better when he goes wide -- he won't be able to rush through tackles -- but he's a viable guy for a team lacking any punch in the pass rush. Bryan Anger was the top punter on my board, but taking him in the third round, with several guys who profile as potential starting right tackles available? I didn't like that pick. The Jags also didn't adequately address the secondary. Their only pick at corner or safety was Mike Harris. He was my No. 27 corner prospect.
Given that Jacksonville chose a punter in the third round, albeit the highest-rated punter, I'm a little surprised Kiper didn't hand the Jaguars an even lower grade than "C".
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