Re-Grading Jacksonville’s 2025 Rookie Class

9 comments

1. Ransaw and milum are the players that will define the draft. I still believe we gave too much for hunter, but he looks like a good player. If ransaw and/or milum are good then it will be a good draft. If they are not then it would be a bad draft for such a high drafting position

2. The only one that really matters is Hunter.
   The rest are role players. You can’t have the same expectations on eg. Kiser or McLeod as on Hunter. The average careers of late round picks are not the same as for early first rounder.

   This should be obvious but fans too often seem unable to value picks/players.

   EDIT: Not surprised that Jaguars fans think a 7th rounder is as important as 2nd overall. Never change…

3. I believe a good draft class requires hitting on 30-40% of your picks with future starters and contributors. So for the 2025 draft class to get a B or higher, did we get 4 players that will contribute in a positive way through their rookie deals and beyond?

   Hunter (1st): Higher expectations due to increased cost beyond just a first rounder. So far he hasn’t lived up to those and suffered a major knee injury. TBD

   Ransaw (3rd):missed all year with injury so complete unknown. TBD

   Milum (3rd): missed most the year due to injury but looked good at guard when he had played. Potentially a hit but needs more time to say like the 2 taken before him. TBD

   Tuten (4th): Flashes of potential throughout the rookie year and expected to take over as the starting RB. HIT

   Kiser (4th): depth LB/STer but hasn’t looked impressive. TBD leaning to miss

   McLeod (6th): missed all year with injury. TBD

   Lane (6th): Good gunner and STer, depth at safety. Good value and contributed as a late 6th rounder. HIT

   Monheim (7th): Backup center who had some quality snaps, notably against the chiefs. Getting depth in the Oline that won’t kill you in the 7th round. HIT

   Allen (7th): flashed as the 3rd down back as a pass protector and on ST as a KR. Good contributor as a 7th rounder. HIT

   Overall leaning to grading the draft as a whole as a C+ to B- so far. It’s great seeing us have some strong contributors in the late rounds but need some starter juice to really say it’s a successful draft overall. Really need to see Travis Hunter live up to his draft trade status and the 2 3rd rounders play a full season before I get really comfortable to bumping it higher.

4. Regardless of what the Jags traded away to get Hunter, he as a player, performed up to par. He was a chain mover and play maker on offense. The game before he got hurt he was the number 2 go to guy behind Brenton Strange for Lawrence. Hunter was also making plays consistently on defense at a premier position and in a league where most rookie corners can’t be relied upon quickly, he stood out. Great attitude, positive impact on the team and the community. Great pick. Injuries just shortened his season, freak thing and not concerning. Superstar in the making as he continues to grow.

   Tuten proved to be fast, durable, and solved his fumbling issues. Consistently provided pop to the offense and on several metrics performed better than ETN. Time will tell if he’s a bell cow but he convinced the staff they were good enough with him to let ETN walk rather than pay the bag he was worth. Great value selection since fumbling wasn’t an issue this year.

   Allen consistently was relied on to be the pass blocking back and doesn’t back down for any challenge. Especially Maxx Crosby. We didn’t get a large sample size of running work to judge his future but to step in at that weight and be the best pass blocker on the team was impressive. He brings the juice at all times. Good value pick.

   Monhiem and Milum graded great in the little bit of playing time they got but the future will tell how they fit in a scheme once a defense gets enough looks to gameplay against them. Solid but still unknowns.

   Lane did exactly what was expected in that he played great as gunner on special teams. To step in and play meaningful safety reps was a plus but not what we need him to be yet. Plus value from a core special teamer.

   Jack Kiser had to step in as a backup in a few games and in the reps he had I never saw him out of place or missing tackles but the sample size is too small to see his value. He never stood out the way Ventrell Miller did during his first year actually playing but doesn’t mean he can’t fill a role, I just couldn’t judge based on what I saw.

   The class as a whole provided great value and so far is graded as a success for the one year we got to see them. If the players roles only grow from here it’ll look like a solid class but the public will grade the class based on how Hunter performs coming into his second contract.

5. Monheim grade is a little low considering 7th round pick and how game 5 he came in in a big spot and held his own. Not the highest PFF grades but also no penalties….a lot to get year 1 out of a 7th rounder and made the all rookie team.

   Overall grade is be at a b-/c+ vs c-. You have some starters and depth pieces. Great value in the 7th round (2 picks). I get downgrading because of the draft capital to get Hunter but some of that may be because this draft class isnt seen as a great class.

6. Maybe I’m just used to awful drafts, but I felt like this draft made us better as team. Not a single pick was a clear miss. If the C+/B- delineation is average, I think it has to get at least a B-.

   Important to note there will be a lot more clarity on it this year. Several players will have significantly more opportunity this year: Lane, Kiser, Tuten. Plus the players who got injured: Hunter, Ransaw, McLeod.

   Also give my boy LeQuint an A+ coward! /s…mostly lol

7. I’m not gonna do a long response but i would also consider other guys they brought in from not the draft.

   Hunter is still a great selection even if he doesn’t play another snap on offense. Will settle into being a top 7 corner in the league.

   Love tuten, think he is and will be a dawg.

   Otherwise really solid class milum i think will start at some point and stay, monheim will be a good player for some games, the injured guys seemed to be on a good track.

8. I look at the 2025 draft class with the “raising the floor” lens. All picks after Travis Hunter were to churn the middle and bottom of the depth chart in multiple positions. Overall, I think it went very well. Grading a draft class after year 3, maybe even 4, is more appropriate. However, it is offseason and there needs to be stocking stuffers or appetizers available before the draft.

9. The grade right after the draft was I.

   The grade now is I.

   The grade at the beginning of next season will be I.

   You need at least 3 years to assess a player. See: Devin Lloyd.