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Sports

Jacksonville Jaguars 2014 Draft Preview

By Sports Network
Published | Updated

(SportsNetwork.com) - Jacksonville is still looking for the answer at the game's most important position after pulling the plug on 2011 first-round pick Blaine Gabbert, sending the former Mizzou star to San Francisco to be Colin Kaepernick's new backup.

The Jags and second-year head coach Gus Bradley did re-sign Chad Henne as a bridge and an insurance policy, meaning they could bypass the position at No. 3 overall and look for the answer in the second round with the 39th overall selection.

If Houston declines a signal caller at No. 1 overall or trades down, it's more than conceivable Jacksonville would have its pick between the two top QBs in the draft, Black Bortles (Central Florida) and Johnny Manziel (Texas A&M).

Neither of those prospects, however, are worthy of being selected with the third overall pick and if the NFL truly is a copycat league as most surmise, the Jags have a leg up when it comes to emulating Seattle' terrific Super Bowl-level defense because Bradley was one of its architects.

That means a player like Buffalo linebacker Khalil Mack could be in play.

The fact that Justin Blackmon is suspended moving forward also has to make Clemson WR Sammy Watkins a serious consideration.

2013 Record: 4-12

Top Needs: QB, DE, WR

First Three Picks: No. 3, No. 39, No. 70

Number of Selections: 11 (1, 2, 3, 4, 4, 5, 5, 5, 6, 6, 7)

CALLING THE SHOTS: General manager David Caldwell enters his second season just like Bradley after spending 15 years climbing the ranks in Indianapolis and Atlanta. The Bradley hiring looks good early on and now it's all about fixing the QB issue, something that will likely tell the tale of Caldwell's stay in the Sunshine State.

RECENT FIRST ROUND HISTORY: 2013 - Luke Joeckel (OT, Texas A&M); 2012 - Justin Blackmon (WR, Oklahoma State); 2011 - Blaine Gabbert (QB, Missouri); 2010 - Tyson Alualu (DT, California); 2009 - Eugene Monroe (T, Virginia); 2008 - Derrick Harvey (DE, Florida); 2007 - Reggie Nelson (S, Florida); 2006 - Marcedes Lewis (TE, UCLA); 2005 - Matt Jones (WR, Arkansas); 2004 - Reggie Williams (WR, Washington); 2003 - Byron Leftwich (QB, Marshall).