With the 2025 NFL Draft in the books, it’s time to reflect on how the Jacksonville Jaguars fared. Did rookie GM James Gladstone deliver a masterclass, or has he just set the Jags back five years? Truth is, we probably won’t know that for some time. But we can get to know the newest members of the team a little bit better. In the latest of our mini-series of deep dives, here are three things to know about Jonah Monheim, C, USC:

Versatile

Jonah Monheim may have been listed as a center when his name was called in the 7th round of April’s NFL Draft. But take one look at his college career and you will see that the offensive lineman is adept in a range of roles and positions.

During his time at USC, Monheim featured in 52 games, starting 46 of them. Of those 46 starts, only 12 of them came at center, a position he made his own in his senior year. Prior to that, Monheim was moved around the line and played where was needed, recording 18 starts at right tackle, 12 at left tackle and four at right guard. Referring to him as ‘a grand slam pick’, Monheim’s former head coach Lincoln Riley praised him for his ability to play anywhere he asked him to:

“Well, Jacksonville still just got a heck of a player. And frankly, I think he was just massively underdrafted… …the ability to start at all three levels of an offensive line – you just rarely find guys that both mentally and physically can do that at a place, especially a place like USC,”

It’s a notorious struggle for 7th round draft picks to make a roster. And when they do, it’s usually because they are able to contribute in a number of ways. Jonah Monheim is certainly able to do that.

Intelligent

USC C Jonah Monheim seems like a Luke Fortner replacement for the #Jaguars and an overall better scheme fit with Liam Coen’s wide-zone blocking scheme. He agile, has nimble feet, and plays with good body control and quickness. pic.twitter.com/dVTXfvI50c

— Jared Feinberg (@JRodNFLDraft) May 23, 2025

Jonah Monheim, by all accounts, is incredibly intelligent. The first signs of this was during his recruiting as a three-star prospect out of Moorpark High School; Monheim received thirty scholarship offers, with many of them coming from some of the most revered academic institutions in the country. Ivy League schools Yale, Princeton, Harvard, Dartmouth and Columbia all tried to lure him from California, whilst in-state schools Stanford and Cal both wanted him – not just for his football ability, but because he met their high academic eligibility requirements.

Enrolling with the Trojans in 2020, Monheim was a model student for his entire time at USC. He earned a placement on the PAc-12 Academic Honor Roll three years running until the program departed for the Big Ten, and in the spring of 2024, he was recognized as a David X. Marks Scholar – an award given for graduating with a GPA of 3.0 or higher and having a GPA in the top 10% of his team. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, and went on to pursue a certificate in Gerontology, the study of aging.

In the aforementioned interview with Lincoln Riley, Monheim’s former head coach wasn’t just appreciative of the center’s versatility, but also his high IQ:

“In my opinion, this guy is probably the smartest offensive lineman that I’ve ever worked with at any of the stops. His mind for the game, his ability to process and understand schemes and defenses, and adjustments; it’s incredibly impressive.”

60

Despite wearing number 79 throughout his time at USC, it was announced that Jonah Monheim will be taking the number 60 jersey with the Jaguars. He becomes just the fifth player in team history to wear that number, following in the footsteps of at least one Jaguars legend…

The first 60 for the Jaguars was Mike Brewster, an undrafted free agent center from Ohio State in 2012, Brewster managed to stay on the roster for two years, playing in 26 games with the Jags and starting 10. A fractured ankle ended his time in Duval County, and despite stops with the Miami Dolphins and New Orleans Saints never played in the NFL again. The most famous Jaguar ever to wear the number 60 was guard AJ Cann, who spent seven years in Jacksonville, playing 111 games between 2015 and 2021 – incredible production from a 3rd round pick.

After Cann left for the Houston Texans in 2022, Darryl Williams picked up the jersey. His longevity was the total opposite to his predecessor, with the center suiting up just once and playing three snaps on special teams. He spent time on the practice squad before being waived during roster cuts ahead of last season. The last person to wear the number 60 was guard Dieter Eiselen, who was signed to the team in November and waived in March without ever playing a game.

If Monheim can come even close to having a career like AJ Cann did, then James Gladstone will be considered a draft genius.