Could Alabama WR John Metchie III be a fit for Jaguars at NFL Draft pick No. 33?

Editor’s note: This is the final story of a multi-part series previewing each position group of need for the Jaguars prior to the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft on Thursday.

There's one position in this week's NFL Draft most NFL teams don't have much concern about finding talent.

There is an abundance of promising wide receivers, making it one of the deepest positions in the draft — along with edge rushers.

NFL analyst Daniel Jeremiah's top 50 draft prospect list has five receivers listed among the top 21 players: Ohio State's Garrett Wilson at fifth; Southern Cal's Drake London eighth; Ohio State's Chris Olave at 16th; Alabama's Jameson Williams 17th; and Arkansas' Treylon Burks 21st.

There are also some under-the-radar prospects like South Alabama's Jalen Tolbert, Western Michigan's Skyy Moore and North Dakota State's Christian Watson — all projected to become impact players.

"It's a great wide receiver draft. I feel like we could copy and paste the comments on wide receivers and use it for the next 20 years, because the college game is giving us a ton of these guys every year," Jeremiah said.

7 rounds, 12 picks: Projecting the Jaguars draft selections

Times-Union NFL Mock Draft:: First-round predictions for all 32 teams

Under consideration: Ex-Georgia receiver George Pickens met with Jaguars at Combine, could be a draft option

In ESPN's analyst Todd McShay's latest mock draft, he has 11 wide receivers being selected in the first two rounds, starting with Garrett going off the board first at No. 4 to the New York Jets.

Thirteen wide receivers ran the 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine in 4.4 seconds or better.

The Jaguars need to put more speed around quarterback Trevor Lawrence, but they are not expected to draft a wide receiver with the No. 1 overall pick. They could select a wide receiver at No. 33 overall in the second round or use one of their two picks in the third round at No. 65 or No. 70.

Jacksonville signed wide receivers Christian Kirk and Zay Jones and tight end Evan Engram in free agency. Although the contracts of Kirk and Jones total $51 million in guaranteed money, they need to add a young receiver with promise and speed who can become an outside vertical threat for quarterback Trevor Lawrence.

Could Pickens or Metchie be a fit for Jaguars?

Georgia's George Pickens could fit the Jacksonville Jaguars need if he's on the board, but there are others like Alabama's John Metchie III, Moore and Tolbert, who are projected as second-round picks.

"It's a good group, maybe not as deep as it's been I think in years past," Jaguars coach Doug Pederson said. "The top of the list is pretty good. Some guys have obviously been nicked up coming out of the college season and whatnot. Again, it just goes back to us evaluating them as a player, their talent, and not so much how can they fit us, but where are they from a talent standpoint.

"Once you get down the road a little bit, there's a little bit of a drop-off, but there are still guys that can come in and compete and compete for roster spots, play special teams. There are some guys there that can make a difference."

Recovering from torn ACL injuries

Former Crimson Tide players Williams and Metchie did not participate at the NFL Combine because they are still recovering from torn ACL injuries.

Williams suffered his injury in January during the national championship game against Georgia, and Metchie's occurred in the SEC Championship game in December against the Bulldogs.

Although there is no timetable for when Williams could return, he is ahead of schedule with his rehab and remains a first-round pick projection.

"Hopefully, a team still takes a shot and drafts me," Williams said at the NFL Combine in March. "I don't have a set time or anything, but I want to be right when it does happen. It's just one of those things that I wish never happened, but it did."

Williams, who transferred from Ohio State, had 77 catches for 1,572 yards and 15 touchdowns last season before his injury. A speedster, Williams had four touchdowns of 70-plus yards, a Crimson Tide record.

"I've got speed that you can't teach," Williams said. "I can run great routes, and I know how to read defenses that sit down in zones and things like that. Through all of this, I learned that I'm going to be myself. I always have my head down working because I've never been handed anything."

Metchie is a polished receiver who can line up in the slot and outside. A strength of Metchie is getting off press coverage and working his way back to the ball on slants and curl routes.

"They (NFL teams) saw where I played," Metchie said. "They have seen the type of players I've played with and the type of coach I played under, so I think things I've done speak for itself."

Pickens played only four games last season for Georgia after tearing the ACL in his right knee during spring practice in 2021. But he has fully recovered from the injury and ran the 40 in 4.40 seconds at the NFL Combine.

"I know I can present a team what exactly a first-round pick is," Pickens said at the NFL Combine. "My routes, speed and intelligence of the game are what a lot of people don't know that about me. I watch a lot of football.''

WIDE RECEIVER LOOK

Top five

1. Garrett Wilson

Height: 6-0

Weight: 188

School: Ohio State

Year: Junior

Quick take: He would be an ideal fit for Lawrence and the Jaguars offense as a deep threat. Wilson caught 70 passes for 1,058 yards, averaging 15.1 yards per catch, and scored 12 touchdowns.

2. Drake London

Height: 6-5

Weight: 210

School: Southern Cal

Year: Junior

Quick take: He caught 88 passes for 1,084 yards, averaging 12.3 yards per catch and seven touchdowns last season.

3. Jameson Williams

Height: 6-2

Weight: 189

School: Alabama

Year: Junior

Quick take: Williams tore his ACL in the national championship game against Georgia. If the injury had not occurred, Williams probably would have been a top-15 pick.

4. Chris Olave

Height: 6-0

Weight:187

School: Ohio State

Year: Senior

Quick take: Olave ran one of the fastest times at the NFL Combine, clocking in at 4.39 seconds in the 40-yard dash. He's good at adjusting speed to ball flight and is one of the top vertical threats in the 2022 draft class.

5. Treylon Burks

Height: 6-2

Weight: 225

School: Arkansas

Year: Junior

Quick take: He doesn't have blazing speed, but he has a well-built frame with reliable hands and he has exceptional ability to turn short passes into big plays.

Don't miss any of the picks:

What: 2022 NFL Draft

When:

• Round 1: Thursday, April 28, 8 p.m.

• Round 2-3: Friday, April 29, 7 p.m.

• Round 4-7: Saturday, April 30, noon

TV: All three rounds can be seen on ESPN and NFL Network

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Could John Metchie be target for Jaguars in NFL Draft second round?