2012 NFL Draft: 5 Updated Possibilities for the Jacksonville Jaguars

While Gene Smith's pronouncement that the Jacksonville Jaguars may look to draft a defensive end in the April draft may come as no surprise, how the team and its general manager look at talent in the next 25 days may take a shift or turn.

While the need to find an edge rusher is important to the stability of the defense and the continued improvement of the team as a whole, it is still believed that receiver is the team's top priority.

With the seventh selection in the draft, it is believed this team can get the pass rusher it needs, but would have to move back a few selections to take a receiver because Justin Blackmon should be gone in the first seven spots, and taking someone like a Michael Floyd or Kendall Wright may be too much of a reach at that slot.

And with recent free-agent moves and draft trades, the first 10 selections in the draft could be shaken up because Washington moved from the sixth selection up to second to get a shot at either Andrew Luck or Robert Griffin III.

St. Louis moved down to sixth and is believed to be interested in Blackmon as much as the Rams are.

With many scenarios on the table that could be available to the Jaguars in the next few weeks, these five players now become the key figures in how this draft shakes out for a team still needing to fill holes on both sides of the ball.

Melvin Ingram, Defensive End/Linebacker, South Carolina

I believe the Jaguars probably have Quinton Coples on their radar, but Ingram gives this team more versatility.

At 6'1" and 276 pounds, he is a little short for his size, but his range and ability are intriguing. He can play both end positions and outside linebacker and can be asked to play tackle if needed.

The Jaguars have a good linebacking unit with Paul Posluszny, Clint Session and Daryl Smith. Ingram would add depth as well to that unit.

Justin Blackmon, Wide Receiver, Oklahoma State

Everything needs to fall into order for the Jaguars to get their man.

Maybe Gene Smith does not think there will be a chance to get Blackmon, so he is trying to look at other players, or maybe it is a smoke screen.

Blackmon, a 6'1" dynamo, will be the first receiver taken off the board. But as I look at picks three through seven, all of them could use another receiver in their passing game. And this is with Tampa Bay adding Vincent Jackson and Cleveland needing another set of hands for Colt McCoy.

Rueben Randal, Wide Receiver, LSU

If the Jaguars trade down with Cincinnati or someone like the Patriots, then Randal may be an option.

At 6'3", he gives the team a nice target to go along with Laurent Robinson.

Randal has risen up draft boards recently and is expected to be a late first- or early second-round pick in this year's draft and could actually be a steal for a team drafting late in the 25-35 selection range.

Riley Reiff, Tackle, Iowa

While it has been said that the team's starting right tackle, Eben Britton, is healing from injuries last season and is first on the depth chart, what if a big, hulking tackle fell to the team?

Would the Jaguars look to solidify their offensive line?

Reiff is a big boss that can pass block and help the run. Britton is expected to be back in the starting lineup once the season starts, but the signing of Guy Whimper again does not make me feel confident.

Quinton Coples, Defensive End, North Carolina

He isn't Lawrence Taylor and he is not Julius Peppers. Is he Greg Ellis or is he Ebenezer Ekuban?

Who knows, but there are few things that are certain in sports: You cannot teach height in the NBA and you cannot teach size in the NFL.

Coples has both.

At 6'6" and 281 pounds, he is the biggest first-round pass rusher on the board, but is he the type of player who can give you everything on every snap, or does he get lost from time to time?