Who Are the Experts Predicting to Jacksonville in the 1st Round of the Draft?

Between mock drafts, combine results and discussion of player fits, getting lost in the draft conversation can be pretty easy. There's so much to analyze and discuss that sometimes the top opinions get lost in the overwhelming comment sections and board posts.

While the opinions of a random person may sound as convincing as those of an educated one, don't be fooled. The experts get paid for a reason, and the work they put in typically is a sign of their success.

No one knows for sure who the Jacksonville Jaguars will take with their first-round pick or even if they will make a pick, considering trading is certainly an option. However, the top journalists and analysts have a better idea than a random fan.

The Jaguars have a very interesting situation in this year's draft due to the options at positions they need. There is also the very realistic chance that a team will trade up for a pick, and the Jaguars may benefit from that scenario.

There are a lot of questions, and we won't get any answers until draft day. But in the meantime, we need to speculate and learn to keep our football sanity.

So, with the intro out of the way, let's look at what the top analysts are saying about the Jaguars and their first-round pick.

Lance Zierlein Sees the Jaguars Taking Dante Fowler Jr.

John Raoux/Associated Press

A popular pick for many mock drafts, Dante Fowler Jr. was mocked to the Jaguars at the third overall pick by NFL.com's Lance Zierlein. Zierlein sees the Jaguars taking Fowler after the Tampa Bay Buccaneers take Jameis Winston and the Tennessee Titans take Leonard Williams.

Zierlein's reasoning is, "Fowler provides Gus Bradley with an outstanding fit for his scheme and a talented player who is still very moldable." 

He's definitely correct. Fowler fits the defense very well for Bradley's scheme. He is arguably the best weakside defensive end, or "LEO," available and could be a strong pass-rusher for the Jaguars.

The point I like the most is the fact that Fowler is still "moldable." Fowler can drop back or stay on the line and is a guy with a lot of talent in various aspects of the game.

While I prefer the Jaguars take Randy Gregory instead of Fowler, all of Zierlein's reasoning is fair and correct. I can't argue with it, but I still prefer Gregory.

I think Gregory is the proper pick just because of his pure athleticism. Fowler is a great athlete as well, but nobody matches up to Gregory because of his unorthodox size, speed and strength.

Also, Gregory had the better college career. Gregory got more sacks than Fowler through the past two seasons, beating him 17.5 to 12. What's better yet is that he did it with three less games than Fowler. 

As for Gregory's failed drug test, I also don't feel that is as big a deal as many people may make it out to be. He owned up to it after the combine, and for his athleticism and his college career, he's my guy to take.

Pete Prisco Thinks the Jaguars Will Trade with the St. Louis Rams

Brandon Wade/Associated Press

The Jaguars can gain a lot from a trade. They can get more picks for this year and next year and even players if it works out. For a team that has built itself in the draft, it could gain a lot from a few more picks, and that's what Pete Prisco thinks as well.

Prisco, who is a columnist for CBSSports.com, mocked the Jaguars trading down with their third overall pick with the St. Louis Rams for their 10th pick and others. 

Prisco's analysis on the trade: "I will keep this trade alive. It just makes sense. The Jaguars add more picks and the Rams get a shot at a franchise passer." 

While these are fair points for both sides, saying that something "makes sense" isn't enough for me to believe the trade is a real possibility.

As for the Jaguars, who now have the 10th pick in Prisco's mock, he sees them selecting Alvin "Bud" Dupree. Prisco's analysis: "Here's another team that needs an edge-rusher in the worst way, Dupree could learn from Chris Clemons for a year and then take the lead role."

This is a valid reason, but the Jaguars can find a more talented and better-suited LEO earlier in the draft, and that player would still get the benefit of working with Chris Clemons.

If the Jaguars are going to commit to drafting the LEO role, trading down can't be an option. You have to have the top guy, and that means keeping your pick at third overall.

If the Jaguars just absolutely prefer a player likely to go later in the round, then it's understandable. But GM Dave Caldwell is looking to build the best team possible, and that's going with the best fit/talent available.

(Disclaimer: The draft linked to above is confusing as it says the Jaguars will trade back into the first for the Philadelphia Eagles' 20th pick and select Eli Harold. If you read the analysis, you can see that it's an error and that he meant to mock the pick to the Eagles.)

Dane Brugler Mocks Vic Beasley Coming to Duval

RICHARD SHIRO/Associated Press

Mocking a LEO pass-rusher to the Jaguars is the most popular pick right now, and deservedly so. It's a position they need to fill, and with the options of talent in this year's draft, it makes plenty of sense for the Jaguars to take the best one with the third overall pick.

Dane Brugler, an NFLDraftScout.com analyst, sees the Jaguars taking Vic Beasley, a player who isn't mocked very high on average, but he backs it up. Brugler's analysis on the pick:  

"Pass-rusher makes the most sense for Jacksonville with this pick. The question is, which rusher best fits Gus Bradley's scheme? The answer might be Beasley, who has the athleticism to run circles around offensive tackles when given space."

While Beasley is an incredible athlete and is potentially the best fit for the position, Brugler doesn't give a convincing reason why and doesn't even seem too sure of his pick. Yes, "the answer might be Beasley," but it could also be Randy Gregory, Dante Fowler Jr. or Shane Ray.

And saying he's available to run circles when given space isn't overly convincing, either. What if he doesn't have space? Can he work his way to the quarterback still?

Brugler mocked a different pick than most, and while I appreciate variety, Brugler doesn't do much to back it up here. However, despite Brugler's vague reasoning, Beasley could certainly be the guy the Jaguars want.

He's fast, experienced and really can punish tackles in space. However, the Jaguars have to have a guy who can face adversity and work through it. Maybe that it is Beasley, but I feel much more confident about a guy like Leonard Williams or Fowler in that situation.

Williams and Gregory, for this situation, are two of the stronger options, and they offer speed like Beasley—maybe not his overall speed, but a certain quickness nonetheless to go with incredible strength. Fowler also fits this need for the combination of speed and strength. 

That's what makes the LEO spot so difficult in this year's draft. There's a lot of options for the Jaguars, and they have to figure out who fits best.

Todd McShay Has the Jaguars Taking Amari Cooper

Butch Dill/Associated Press

The Jaguars aren't just in need of a LEO pass-rusher; they're also in need of a top receiver. ESPN's Todd McShay realizes this and has the Jaguars bringing in Alabama's Amari Cooper to fill that role.

Cooper is a highly touted player and has likely caught many teams' interest with his career stats and physical ability. Here is ESPN's Mike DiRocco's summary of McShay's analysis:

"

McShay's reasoning for taking the 6-foot, 211-pound Cooper is that the Jaguars' re-signing of defensive end Tyson Alualu and adding defensive end Jared Odrick in free agency solidified the front and they don't need to take Williams. Instead, they can add a big-time playmaker to help second-year quarterback Blake Bortles.

"

I agree with McShay's point that the Jaguars may not need a LEO at this point. The re-signing of Tyson Alualu and signing of Jared Odrick give the Jaguars depth on the line, and taking Cooper would give Blake Bortles a great young receiver to throw to.

However, while McShay's reasoning is valid, the need for a LEO may be greater than the need for a wide receiver. It all depends on what the Jaguars think is the most important: focusing on position needs or getting the best player available.

If the Jaguars do take a receiver, it should be Cooper. Kevin White is an incredible player and could become really good as he nails his technical abilities down, but Cooper is NFL ready. 

Cooper has been a three-year starter with the Crimson Tide, and while there's no doubt White is a legitimate top receiver, Cooper has been respected as one of the best in the college game since his freshman year.

I can't say that I'd be disappointed either way with White or Cooper. However, Cooper offers more as a better all-around receiver in speed, technical skill and experience. White is a strong and reliable option, but Cooper is the all-around best receiver in this year's draft.

This is my favorite mock yet due to McShay's valid reasoning and the exciting idea that Bortles can throw to both Cooper and Julius Thomas. We'll see if McShay is correct.

Mel Kiper Jr. Thinks the Jaguars Taking Dante Fowler Jr. Is a Lock

Stacy Revere/Getty Images

Dante Fowler Jr. being mocked to the Jaguars is almost commonplace at this point. However, it does seem to be a selection that hits all the requirements and would be the best fit for the Jaguars. 

Mel Kiper Jr. especially thinks so. 

"I think Fowler gives them the pass-rusher they've been looking for for a long, long time," Kiper said in a conference call with reporters, per Jaguars.com writer John Oehser.

Indeed, the Jaguars have been looking for a pass-rusher for a good while. However, Kiper's analysis does not go too far in depth here, and whether that's because that's all Kiper had to say or that's all Oehser felt was worthy to put in, I'm not sure.

However, Kiper's opinion holds serious value. Fowler really might be the best fit for the Jaguars at the third overall pick. He's incredibly strong and fast for his size, and he has three years of valuable experience at Florida.

While he initially didn't make huge splashes with his college stats, his 2014 explosion of 8.5 sacks is encouraging and makes me think he is a guy who is still developing and getting better, which is great for the Jaguars.

Fowler would be a great pick for the Jaguars in 2015, and I can't say I'd be disappointed if they took him. While Kiper doesn't offer much in the way of an explanation here, I can say that I do like Fowler and that it would be a good, sensible pick.

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There's no telling what the Jaguars might do, and the variety of options here really makes me wonder where the Jaguars are going to go with this pick.

However, I want to hear what the readers have to say. Post in the comments below and tell me who you agree with and what you want out of the Jaguars' first-round pick.

All stats were provided by ESPN.com, unless otherwise stated.

Evan Reier is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report covering the Jacksonville Jaguars. Follow Evan on Twitter at @evanreier.