JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Breaking down one of the riskiest draft moves by the Jacksonville Jaguars over the past 25 years.

Round/overall selection: First, No. 5

Did the risk pay off? The Jaguars' decision to trade up two spots and take wide receiver Justin Blackmon in the 2012 draft is the biggest mistake in franchise history -- even bigger than trading up six spots to take quarterback Blaine Gabbert with the 10th pick the previous year. Even though Gabbert won just five of the 27 games he started for the Jaguars, he is at least still in the league. Blackmon hasn't practiced or played since Week 8 of the 2013 season, and the length of his absence prompted general manager Dave Caldwell to say last August that he believes Blackmon's career was likely over. Blackmon was suspended indefinitely in the middle of the 2013 season for his third violation of the NFL's substance-abuse policy. He has had three alcohol- or marijuana-related arrests, including one less than a month after he was drafted. There were red flags during the pre-draft process that Blackmon had issues with substance abuse. He was arrested in Texas in 2010 on a misdemeanor DUI charge (later reduced to underage alcohol possession) after police caught him speeding outside of Dallas. There were other incidents that caused concern, enough that former Buccaneers general manager Mark Dominik said he had a scout shadow Blackmon before the draft. The scout went to a bar near Oklahoma State every day for a week and reported that Blackmon was there often, which led Dominik to take Blackmon off the Bucs' board. The Bucs ended up trading the No. 5 pick to the Jaguars and Jacksonville took Blackmon, expecting to get the No. 1 receiver they hadn't had since Jimmy Smith retired after the 2005 season. Blackmon was pretty good when he did play -- 93 catches for 1,280 yards and six touchdowns -- but he has played in only 20 of a possible 64 games since he was drafted.

Was there a safer move? Had the Jaguars not traded with the Bucs and stayed at No. 7, they could have had with one of the best defensive players in the NFL. Linebacker Luke Kuechly, who has made three Pro Bowls and is a three-time All-Pro, was taken ninth by Carolina. He certainly would have made a difference in a defense that was among the NFL's worst the past three seasons: 31st in scoring defense (27.3 points per game), 31st in third-down defense (43.8 percent), 29th in total defense (375.0 yards per game) and last in interceptions (26). Kuechly also has missed only three games in four seasons. The Jaguars also could have taken defensive tackle Fletcher Cox, who went 12th to Philadelphia and made the Pro Bowl in 2015. Stephon Gilmore (10th, Buffalo) isn't a Pro Bowl cornerback, but he would have been a better option than Blackmon.