Jags gear up for 17th Pick on Day 1 of the 2024 NFL Draft

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Thursday night is Draft Night, and the Jaguars have the 17th Pick.

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General Manager Trent Baalke and the Jags will be looking to find a bona fide starter who can jump right in.

The big question tonight is if the Jags will be able to find an impact player at Pick 17. The answer to that is yes, but who that is will be something to keep an eye on.

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Barring a stunning trade-up or move in the NFL Draft, the Jaguars are set to Pick. No. 17 overall with picks at 48 and 96 on Friday night. Picks for rounds 4 through 7 will happen on Saturday.

Some names to watch for at cornerback: the fierce duo of Terrion Arnold and Kool-Aid McKinstry out of Alabama in the first round.

Or, if the team gets a shiny new weapon for Trevor Lawrence, Brian Thomas Jr. is a name that keeps getting floated around at receiver.

Read: 2024 NFL Draft: Jacksonville Jaguars draft order, players selected

Jags coach Doug Peterson said that no matter who the pick is, it’ll be a collaborative decision from the team’s brass.

One thing the front office is set to emphasize going into the War Room: The program they’re coming from.

“It takes everybody, you know, to put a roster together, and it’s not about one guy making all the decisions. So, there’s a lot of input,” Couch Peterson said in a news conference. “He [Baalke] values what the coaches say and how the coaches rank and stack players. It’s been a really good process, one that, as a coach, you can really appreciate.”

Read: 2024 NFL Draft: Jaguars need to recreate the magic of 2021, when they drafted Lawrence and Etienne

The NFL Draft kicks off at 8 p.m. Thursday from Detroit. Stay tuned for all the coverage ahead on Action News Jax.

If you can’t make it to the Bank, our Action Sports Jax team has you covered. They’ll have a full hour of “Draft Night in Duval” coverage, including live interviews with Tony Boselli and Travis Etienne. That will happen from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. live from Everbank Stadium on FOX30.

Read: Jaguars sign Josh Allen to new 5-year, $150 million contract

After the Draft Weekend is complete, attention will likely turn back to Trevor Lawrence and his future with the team. The Jags have given out a few big extensions this offseason, and it seems that QB1′s turn could be next.

Trevor Lawrence is still on his rookie contract. Jaguars General Manager Trent Baalke said the team is already working toward taking care of Trevor at the team’s Draft Luncheon last week.

Baalke has been very busy this offseason keeping the Jags’ best players in Jacksonville for the future. Earlier this month, the team resigned Josh Allen to a monster extension: 5 years for $150 million with $88 million guaranteed.

A few weeks before that, they extended linebacker Foye Oluokun to a 3-year deal that included $22.5 million guaranteed.

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