Jacksonville is bringing in Wisconsin's Melvin Gordon, one of the top two running backs in this draft, for a meeting.
A Yahoo! Sports report says the Jaguars will meet with Gordon, who definitely would fill a need on a team that currently has Denard Robinson and Toby Gerhart as its top two running backs. But the Jaguars pick third in the first round, and no way does Gordon fit at that spot.
Jacksonville picks fourth in the second round (No. 36 overall), but would Gordon be available then? He is generally seen as a first-round selection.
Obviously, this is a case of the Jaguars doing their due diligence on a top prospect at a position of need. But it's difficult to imagine a scenario whereby Gordon ends up in Jacksonville -- difficult but not impossible.
- The Jaguars could draft Gordon third. (We'll take a minute to let the laughter die down.) Next.
- The Jaguars could trade down out of the No. 3 spot to nab Gordon; that seems inconceivable, especially to get a running back. The Jaguars need someone to provide a pass rush, and they should have their pick of the top edge rushers available at No. 3. Heck, they need help at almost every position except quarterback, and should be able to get their guy at No. 3.
- The Jaguars could pick a defensive player at No. 3, hope Gordon is available somewhere late in the first round, then trade back into the round. That also seems far-fetched; to move back into the first round would cost a lot, and, again, we're talking about a team that has numerous holes trading a lot to get a running back (a good running back, no doubt, but still).
- The Jaguars are hoping Gordon lasts until the second day. That certainly is possible, but seems extremely unlikely.
At the least, the meeting gives Jaguars officials a chance to get to know Gordon, who could end up on the team's free-agency radar a few seasons down the road.
Jacksonville would seem to need to come away with a running back in this draft; the good news is that even if the Jaguars don't get Gordon, there should be a number of backs available in the second and third rounds who could help the offense.
Mike Huguenin can be reached at mike.huguenin@nfl.com. You also can follow him on Twitter @MikeHuguenin.
