Draft Day Depression

Being a Jaguars fan since their 1995 inception has led to very few rewarding, happy times. Their draft record is atrocious and this year I fear similar mistakes occurred. Blake Bortles was clearly the rookie QB the Jaguars wanted and this is actually not a review of his skill, it's the Jaguars inabilities to gauge other teams and their valuations. Bortles wasn't the consensus #1 QB, the pick directly after the Jaguars (Cleveland Browns #4) was traded for the #8 overall pick, an unprotected first round pick next year (Buffalo Bills= Almost certainly a top ten) plus another 4th rounder. My thoughts were that Bortles could certainly be available at #9 and an additional first round pick next year (the 4th rounder wouldn't hurt either) should certainly be worth trading down 5 spots. Instead the Browns made first round waves this year by getting their desired CB & QB AND secured a positive outlook next year. Could the Jaguars have done something similar? I'd certainly think the Bills offer would have landed at the Jags feet just like it did the Browns. I was also bothered by the fact that Khalil Mack would guarantee a better pass rush and was almost certainly a better value at #3 that would address a need that's been around since the early 2000's with Jacksonville, the complete lack of QB pressure. Bortles could be a good NFL QB. I don't think he could ever be elite and that's my issue. How much beter can he be than Bridgewater (#32), Manziel (#22), even Derek Carr? Certainly not worth the drastic difference in draft positions the others were taken in. He almost certainly wasn't the best player available, a tagline that SO many teams swear by. QB is certainly a "Need" position at Jacksonville but what's been proven time and time again is that you cannot just force a QB, especially a young QB, into a rough situation and expect success. Jacksonville has a lot of needs that could have been addressed with #3. I really liked Khalil Mack as an amazing talent that would certainly help with the pass rush issue. Sammy Watkins (even Mike Evans) would help with the lack of big play talent on the offensive side of the ball. Jake Matthews could have been re-united with Luke Joeckel on the Jaguars offensive line and give them book-ends and the possibility of a very good line for years. I even really liked Taylor Lewan, though he perhaps lacks the "Top-end" athletic ability needed for a left OT in the NFL. In any case I'm just lamenting the Jaguars fucking up again in the very important 1st round. I just don't see Bortles panning out. Even if they put Henne in as the sacrificial lamb for another year while they attempt to accumulate some more offensive talent (though Marquis Lee is a great addition) and more pieces among the line. Instead they've mortgaged another few years in drafting a QB who will not be a star and watching other players who will be stars pass them by. Matt Jones, R. Jay Soward, Derrick Harvey, Reggie Williams, Tyson Alualu, and even Byron Leftwich and Blaine Gabbert. Just a hideous track record. I'm amazed I didn't drink myself into submission Thursday night.