Jaguars Monday week 4, 2009

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Follow Jaguars.com Senior Editor (and one of my favorite football personalities) as he interviews Jaguars GM Gene Smith and takes a few calls.


Yahoo! sports also talks Garrard here.

-Brandon Clark

Rashad Jennings on LRP

My real site that I own is called LateRoundPick and we cover most NFL stuff (or try too). On this site, I chose Jaguars rookie 7th rounder RB Rashad Jennings as my featured Late Rounder this season. If you want, you can read an article about him that I wrote and a stats page that I keep for him by clicking here. Jennings had over 50 yards against the Titans and was key to running the clock out and securing the victory.

What We Know So Far at 2-2

*pictured: Jaguars guard Vince Manuwai. back from surgery to move those chains in 2009.

We saw the Jaguars put up a mighty fight in Indianapolis week 1, yet the secondary was carved like a turkey on Thanksgiving day. We then saw the Jaguars fail to play football against the Arizona Cardinals and then somehow get competitive at the end. If it wasn't for WR Nate Huges dropping two TD's in the mid-4th quarter. We may have had a real chance to pull a victory out of nowhere.


Then, it got better. The Jaguars offense was unstoppable through the air (not a typo, that really happened) against the Texans and a late fumble recovery in the end-zone by OLB Darryl Smith sealed the game. Then the terrible Titans came to their "second" home stadium. They were embarrassed and it feels so good to type that. They were outplayed, out-coached and simply embarrassed. Jeff Fisher's team can go back to their real home field where they have no victories.

So, this raises the question. What turned the season around? Can it last?

The simple answer is the passing game. David Garrard has been playing excellent football the last two weeks. This past week, he threw for over 300 yards and had 3 TD's.

Mike Sims-Walker has emerged and he is "who we thought he were" having over 270 yards and 3 TD's in the only 3 games he recorded a catch this season (the most recent 3). Will this continue? It should.


The offensive line has grown up over night and is always the main reason behind a succesful passing game. After starting two rookie tackles against pro bowl defensive ends in week 1. LT Eugene Monroe and RT Eben Britton missed this past weeks game against the Titans. Monroe had the flu (not swine) and Britton has an sprained knee but should be back soon. Monroe also held star DE Mario Williams of the Texans to no sacks.

The only real problem is that our secondary is tied for last with the Titans. In my opinion this is due to having no pass rush at all. During the Colts' game in week 1, DE Reggie Heyward was lost for the season along with WR Troy Williamson. The Jaguars have failed to produce a consistent pass rush since that one sack Heyward had and after trading all those draft picks away in 2008 for DE Derek Harvey and DE Quentin Groves, no questions were answered.

This is just a little update. I might write some more later.

-Brandon Clark

Jaguars 37-Titans 17

New Website

My friend and I have a new football website


LateRoundPick.com

Torry Holts gift from the game

Torry Holt showed off his "gift" from the game. A broken middle joint on his middle finger of his left hand at a news conference Thursday.

Article:

"This is my trophy, man," says Holt. "Over the year, catching a lot of balls...popping it in, popping it out. A couple of years ago against the Steelers, I popped it out and it never went back."

"People ask me if I'm going to get it repaired, get it fixed," Holt said. "I tell them this is what I got out of the game. Some crooked fingers."

-Brandon Clark

Jaguars 3rd round pick Derek Cox

Derek Cox is little known to the media because of the school he played for-William and Mary. This caused him to be a surprise on draft day. The Jaguars claiming to have stuck to the top of their draft board, drafted the unknown wonder after a trade with the Patriots. The trade cost the Jaguars thier 2009 7th round pick and 2010 2nd round pick. Before you complain, this is a good thing. The Jaguars save salary cap room by paying next years 2nd rounder this years 3rd round money and they draft a guy that they feel is a 2nd round pick, on any draft. Remember, Gene Smith (GM) knows what hes doing. Just sit back and enjoy the show. We are fans for a reason.

Cox's Measurables:
6'1"
180 lb.'s
4.39 40 yard dash
11' 8" Broad Jump
36.5" Vertical Leap

Virginia Gazette Article:
The 6-foot-1 cornerback was a three-year starter for coach Jimmye Laycock. He compiled 172 career tackles and finished with nine interceptions and 20 pass breakups.

During his pro-day workout, Cox ran a 4.39-second 40-yard dash and posted a 36-1/2-inch vertical nearly reached 12 feet in the broad jump.

Terry McDonough, the Jaguars director of player personnel, was even more impressed with what he saw on film.

"I watched every game tape in which he played and I think he is really, really good, “McDonough told Jaguars.com. “When you put Derek Cox’s tape on, you go, ‘Whoa!’.”

The Jaguars weren’t the only team interested in Cox’s services. The Washington Redskins, Cincinnati Bengals, Atlanta Falcons, St. Louis Rams, New England Patriots, Indianapolis Colts and the Pittsburgh Steelers were all very high on the W&M corner.

“You do not give next year’s [No. 2 pick] if you don’t think that guy will be a starter,” McDonough said. “We said we believe our eyes. If he’s not a starter at sometime over the next two years, we made a mistake.”




Derek Cox Highlights:
Punt Return
Pick 6
Big Hit
INT
Tackle
Tackle for Loss
Amazing Steal!
Low Tackle
Back-Jump to Block Pass
Another Pick 6

Interview:
Click Here
Thanks to Adam Stites for the links!

I'm not gonna lie, Im excited to see what he can do.

-Brandon Clark

Rashad Jennings-Future Star?

HB Rashad Jennings of Liberty

Stats

6'1"

231 lb.'s

1,500 yards rushing in senior season

17 Touchdowns in Senior Season

4,051 Career Rushing Yards

42 Career Touchdowns

4.67 40-Yard Dash at NFL Combine

29 Bench Press Reps @ 225 lb.'s(2nd among RBs) at the NFL Combine

34" Vertical Leap at the NFL Combine

10' Broad Jump at the NFL Combine

6.86 3-Cone Drill Time(5th among RBs) at the NFL Combine

4.20 20-Yard Shuttle at the NFL Combine

11.46 60-Yard Shuttle at the NFL Combine

NFL.com Scouting Report

"Overview: A Walter Camp All-American who transferred from Pittsburgh after a successful freshman season (411 rushing yards) to be closer to his father, who suffers from diabetes. Jennings had surgery on a broken pinky finger in early September last season, but still rushed for 1,500 yards (his third consecutive 1,000-yard season) with his bruising yet nimble running style. The twice-named Big South Offensive Player of the Year also showed some versatility by making 24 receptions in 2008. Had an arm span of 32 inches and a hand span of 10 3/8 inches at the combine."

"Positives: Good size with well-developed upper body. Played in part-time zone read offense, sometimes in I-formation. Good vision, able to change directions using quick feet. Can stiff-arm and run through tacklers in the open field by lowering his pads. Very good second gear once in the open. Runs tough inside, able to lean forward for additional yards. Looks natural catching the ball out of the backfield. Will keep his feet churning after contact and fight for the first down or goal line. Can hit an inside hole quickly. Surprisingly quick stop-start if the hole is not there immediately."

"Negatives: Played against a lower level of competition, although he had one year of experience in the Big East. Runs loose; must consistently keep the ball high and tight to prevent fumbles. Only gets in the way as a blocker, giving marginal effort. A bit stiff in the hips, and is not overly shifty. Runs a bit tall, which will leave him open to big hits in the NFL. Must sink his hips when cutting."

Sirius Radio Comments

On Sirius radio NFL Ch. 124, they were talking about draft steals and they brought Jennings up. I will quote this as best as i can.
"And of course Rashad Jennings. You know what the upside of him is.....Fred Taylor."

I've been thinking about this. Jennings does have some similarities to Taylor, one of which is the willingness to hit the pile and another is a deadly stiff arm. After watching some footage on him, I am even more astonished that he dropped to the 7th round and even more grateful that he will be playing for my team. It doesn't matter, he found a home. He will make the team and he will prosper. He may even bump Greg Jones back to full-time FB. Just watch for yourself, the guy is the real deal.

Jennings is now widely considered the number one steal of the draft. The Liberty HB was given a late second to early fifth round grade. That alone shows how widely the views range. With the lesser competition playing too big a factor with NFL front offices, Jennings slipped to pick 41 of the 7th round.

Jennings Jr. and Sr. year Highlights from Liberty

Jennings-One of the Good Guys

According to Jennings, NFL scouts have questioned his accomplishments playing against lesser competition at Liberty. He explains his decision to play there was a selfless one. After his freshman year at Pitt, where he played ahead of NFL draft prospect LeSean McCoy, Jennings' father became a leg amputee as a result of his battle with diabetes. After watching his mother travel 12 hours to and from Pittsburgh to watch him play, Jennings decided to transfer to Liberty, which is 10 minuntes from his home. "If you do the right things, then no one will be able to stop you," says Jennings. Link

Jennings has met MJD and Fred Taylor-two Jaguars greats at HB

When Rashad Jennings worked out at Perfect Competition in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., this spring, he got an introduction to life at an NFL training camp. Jennings was at the training facility with a number of big-name NFL players, including Maurice Jones-Drew, Thomas Jones, Fred Taylor, Frank Gore and Chad Johnson. He would run simple errands for the players, making sure they had water after workouts and helping to carry equipment from the fields. That's no different than being a rookie at an NFL camp, where even the first-round picks spend time toting the veterans' helmets and shoulder pads from the practice field to the locker room. In return, Jennings asked for one thing ??? advice. "I wanted to learn how to handle on-the-field and off-the-field problems," Jennings said. "Wanted to know how they took care of their bodies. They've been teaching me a lot. "They all accepted me as a little rookie, befriended me. I was trying to get their respect." Link

Rashad Jennings Benching 395 lb.'s

Rashad Jennings has given me yet another reason to root for the Jaguars.

-Brandon Clark

Jags Draft Comments

Scouts Notebook:
First Day Take
"The Jags take a pair of OTs in Eugene Monroe and Eben Britton. I didn't see that coming. Very interesting. Jack Del Rio talked about wanting to get back to being a physical team that could dominate up front. I thought they'd go for BJ Raji at pick 8 and get the OT in the 2nd. Del Rio added LT Tra Thomas in free agency and had Tony Pashos in place at RT. He got his OTs for the future, but I could also see both guys pushing the veterans in front of them."

Round 3 Take
"I know a lot of people are on the Jaguars for their 3rd round picks, DT Terrance Knighton and CB Derek Cox. I understand that those guys came off the board earlier than expected. I liked both guys, but figured they would be picked in the 5th and 6th rounds respectively. I do think there is some logic to the picks. Knighton had the best combination of size, athletic ability, and production in a DT outside the top 50 picks. Teams will reach for guys like that. The Jags defense is predicated on big DTs. Going for him at that point isn't unreasonable at all. Cox going in the 3rd definitely caught me off guard, but I had just watched 3 of his games in the last 10 or so days and he had grown on me. Cox is a big CB with athletic ability and cover skills. While he went early, at least you can understand that he is is also somewhat of a rare commodity. Big CBs like Bradley Fletcher, Kevin Barnes, and Keenan Lewis also went in the 3rd round. Cox might have the most athletic ability of the group. He is the only one with good RS ability. Take away the school name beside these prospects and Cox makes a ton of sense at that spot. The fact he did play at the I-AA level is a factor, but the Jags have had luck with some small school guys. Both picks make more sense than many realize. "


Ross Tucker of Sports Illustrated
"Jack Del Rio was tired of drafting guys who didn't pan out. That, and he wanted to get back to his meat and potatoes philosophy. That meant getting more physical up front. The Jags got amazing value in picking offensive tackles Eugene Monroe and Eben Britton much lower than most people anticipated. Terrance Knighton is the big body that was needed next to John Henderson, and Jacksonville waited until later to get receivers like Mike Thomas and Jarrett Dillard after their negative experiences with Matt Jones and Reggie Williams early in previous drafts."

Gene Frenette of Florida Times-Union
"B- An almost perfect first day by taking bookend offensive tackles Eugene Monroe and Eben Britton. The big question is whether the third-round picks, DT Terrance Knighton and CB Derek Cox, who cost the Jaguars a 2010 second-round choice, represent the best value."

Nolan Nawrocki of Pro Football Weekly
"The Jaguars filled a pressing need on their offensive line, building inside out under first-year GM Gene Smith, with Eugene Monroe and Eben Britton, both of whom slipped into their hands, expected to start immediately. After busting on too many first-round receivers, they may have addressed the need better than ever with the additions of Mike Thomas, Jarrett Dillard and Tiquan Underwood in Rounds 4-7. Thomas could be a steal. They took a lot of shots on lesser-known and small-school talent with their other picks, even giving up a 2010 second-round pick to the Patriots to select William & Mary CB Derek Cox. DT Terrance Knighton, TE Zach Miller and RB Rashad Jennings all have upside and could earn roster spots, but each may take some time, especially Miller, the highly athletic, converted quarterback. The first team to release its undrafted free-agent signings following the draft, where they signed 18 players, the Jaguars may have overhauled their roster and could easily have come away with four starters.
Grade: Outstanding"

Jason Cole of Yahoo! sports
"Positives: Monroe, Britton will start immediately.
Negative: No wide receiver at a huge need position.
Bottom line: A-.
Some people might argue that WR Michael Crabtree would have been a better selection for the Jaguars with the No. 8 overall pick. But Monroe was also projected by many people to go a few picks higher. Thus, Monroe is a solid value pick at that spot. Moreover, Monroe is a quiet, dignified leader that the Jaguars desperately need in a locker room that has been chaotic the past few years. Getting Britton in the second round gives the Jags an immediate starter at right tackle and gives coach Jack Del Rio’s team the chance to be dominant in the running game again. That said, the Jags really need another wide receiver, even after the signing of Torry Holt."

Rashad Jennings

I can't say I know a lot about this guy, except that we stole his value that late in the draft.

Anyway,
On Sirius radio, they were talking about draft steals on NFL Ch.124 and they brought Jennings up. I will quote this as best as i can.
"And of course Rashad Jennings. You know what the upside of him is.....Fred Taylor."

wow! Im going to dig up more info. He could beat out Chauncey Washington, he could be turned into a FB-who knows.



-Brandon Clark

Jaguars sign 18 UDFA's

per Jagnation

These players are expected to sign contracts when they arrive for next weekend’s mini-camp. The players who agreed to contracts are:

Russell Allen, LB, 6-3, 230, San Diego State

Kyle Bell, FB, 6-1, 233, Colorado State

Brock Bolen, FB, 6-0, 233, Louisville

Nathan Brown, QB, 6-1, 219, Central Arkansas

Weldon Brown, CB, 5-10, 185, Louisiana Tech

Michael Desormeaux, SS, 6-0, 204, Louisiana-Lafayette

Maurice Dupree, WR, 5-10, 168, Jacksonville State

Jason English, WR, 5-10, 188, Tuskegee

George Hypolite, DT, 6-1, 299, Colorado

Pete Ittersagen, CB, 5-10, 191, Wheaton

Tyler Lorenzen, TE, 6-5, 226, Connecticut

Mike McClendon, RB, 5-9, 196, North Alabama

Jeremy Navarre, DE, 6-3, 283, Maryland

Cecil Newton, C, 6-2, 300, Tennessee State

Kevin Patterson, SS, 5-10, 185, Wake Forest

Todd Peterson, WR, 6-4, 215, Nebraska

Johnny Williams, LB, 6-2, 236, Kentucky

Julius Williams, DE, 6-2, 260, Connecticut

Jags draft DB Derek Cox: Was he worth a 2 and a 7?

via www.jaguars.com

"You get a guy who you feel is a second-round talent. That’s why you do it," Smith said of why he made the trade.

If you don't already know, Gene Smith and company traded our 2009 7th round pick and our 2010 2nd round pick to the Patriots for their 2009 third round pick that immediately followed our 2009 third round pick. This was a move to get William and Mary DB Derek Cox. William and Mary? Is that his parents?

No, William and Mary is a small college that produced Darren Sharper, Mike Leach, and Mike Tomlin. That said, was Derek Cox worth next years second round pick? Well, he must be worth the trade for this to have a chance at this making sense as Gene Smith has never done anything that didn't make sense to me. He did mention, in an interview that I can't find, that he knew the criticism would come when they picked Cox, just as criticism came when they picked DB Rashean Mathis. Mathis was a small-school player that wasn't regarded to be drafted as high as he was, but Smith knew he had talent, that he represented value and Smith made sure to collect value-this is the point of the draft.

These FCS, or Division I-AA, players tend to flourish in Jacksonville. Off the top of my head, I can name starting cornerback Rashean Mathis, a Pro Bowler, and starting weak-side linebacker Justin Durant. These are two defensive starters that were drafted in the second round, which is what we spent on Cox. The Jaguars can scout these small-school guys, the problem has always been who they pick. Will Derek Cox be the right starting cornerback? I can't say. I do know that he stands 6'1" and weighs 180 pounds. These are great paper measurables, so we have that going for us. But let's not forget what only paper measurables mean.....Matt Jones. Cox, however, has great character going for him, which is one of the stamps of the new "Gene Smith Era".

Jaguars.com had the following to say about Cox off the field:

"Derek Cox brings a lot more to Jacksonville than just his football accomplishments. Cox played under head coach Jimmye Laycock at William & Mary and was one of only four players in the coach’s 30-year tenure to be named team captain for two seasons. Cox was elected as the Student Athletics Advisory Council (SAAC) President for the 2008-09 athletics year and was presented the 2008 Leadership Award by Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. In addition, he was part of the gospel choir at William & Mary and the group performed at local churches and different campuses around the area. "

I recommend that we all sit back and trust Gene until he proves himself to be an inadequate GM. However, the best GM's miss picks, but this will not be written off if missed. The move to get the pick was a big deal and affects not only this draft, but next years as well. This move was purposeful, with vision in mind and that alone makes it feel better. He was special and they wanted him because he could change our defense, for the better.

"Judge him when he gets here," Smith said.

We will Gene, and I hope you prove yourself. I genuinely do.

-Brandon Clark

Jaguars 2009 Draft Class: A quick look

1st round..LT Eugene Monroe(best pass protector in the draft. Absolute steal!)
2nd round..LT Eben Britton (Britton will play RT or RG and wants to punish the teams who skipped him in the 1st)
3rd round…DT Terrance Knighton( Big 6'3" 320 lb run stuffer, GM Gene Smith thinks he can start)
3rd round…CB Derek Cox(trade with pats, we lost this 7 and next years 2, but they feel this guy will start)
4th round..WR Mike Thomas (short and very very quick)
5th round…WR Jarret Dillard (60 td’s in 4 years.. tied ncaa record)
6th round..TE Zach Miller (runs a 4.53 40 and is also an option QB)
7th round (1st comp pick)...Rashad Jennings, HB (bruiser HB from a small school)
7th round (2nd comp pick)...Tiquan Underwood, WR (Special Teams gunner, great leaping ability with wiry frame)

-Brandon Clark

Gene Smith drafts value in 2009

Pictured Above: Jacksonville Jaguars first round draft choice in 2009, offensive tackle Eugene Monroe.


With Mark Sanchez going early to the Jets at pick 5 in a trade with the Browns, I thought all hopes of a trade were gone. Well, the trade was gone because value far exceeded at each of our picks and I will rest easy tonight because we had a great first day. Thank you Gene Smith.

Jaguars Selections in round 1,2:
Eugene Monroe, LT Virginia- More than value, that is why there was no trade. No one could equal a fixture at a premium position for 10 years. Rare that we get one.


Eben Britton, LT Arizona- My first reaction was that it was odd. Then i heard on Sirius NFL Radio that Gil Brandt had Britton as 22 on his value board. Smart move as this was value that solidified the ends of our offensive line for years to come.

Both of our picks should not have happened. Each of these players represented far greater value than their selection as they both should have been gone much earlier. I am proud to be a Jaguars fan on this day and Gene Smith will have me sleeping easy because I truly can trust his moves as our General Manager. He is a rookie no more as he solidified the tackle position of our O-line for years to come. This leaves me even more excited about tomorrow.

Now I hope for Shawn Nelson (TE Southern Miss) and Jarret Dillard (WR Rice) in 4.


Off-the-wall thoughts:

Bill Belichick is the best drafter ever, if certain contract-year starters don't play for reasonable contracts, he has their replacements, and for much cheaper.

Mangini made our move (he traded down three times-in the first round). Touche.

My prediction of Pat White to the Pro Bowl will be right, as White is the new (wild)cat in town, and I have a 3 year window for him to make the ProBowl.

Andre Smith was the second LT taken.

Oakland did take DHB, and off the top of my head the rest were more than likely wrong.

Al Davis is still insane.

Our new uniform looks great on stage, especially when it was held by a 10-year bookend at LT.

In the words of the late Heath Ledgers Joker, Gene Smith is "a man of his wuuurd-ah".


Quotes:
Eugene Monroe was interviewed by Deon Sanders of the NFL Network. Great interview, Monroe has a likable personality and seeing him genuinely excited to see his dreams come true as a Jacksonville Jaguar, well it genuinely made me happy.

Britton also seems likable, but more because of the now "chip" on his shoulder for being drafted low. This should remind you of someone. Yes, Maurice Jones-Drew. Maybe you've heard of him.

On a Jaguars.com interview, Britton had the following to say:

“I couldn’t be happier. Every team that passed on me is going to regret it,” he said. “I’m going to work my (butt) off to be a Jacksonville Jaguar,” Britton said.

“When that first game comes, somebody is going to pay for it,” Britton said. “People told me I wasn’t big enough, I wasn’t strong enough. That all ends today.”

“There’s nobody in this draft that has a bigger heart than I do. I’m so fired up to be a Jacksonville Jaguar you can’t even believe it.”

Britton is a 6'5" 317 pound offensive tackle that will likely compete for the RT spot or possibly play guard.


I am always for a guy that wants to hurt the other team. It may not sound nice but football is a physical sport. The weaker man loses. This goes for the mental aspect as well.

Positional Needs remaining.
WR
DT
CB
C

Remember, new GM Gene Smith drafts by Best Available Player, not by needs.


-Brandon Clark

Bill Murray and brothers visit the Jaguars

In Florida for the ninth annual Murray Bros. Caddyshack® Charity Golf Tournament, actor Bill Murray and his five brothers visited the Jacksonville Jaguars for the day and participated in workouts. HAHAHA. Link. Here are some photos.

Height, I promise you, had nothing to do with the outcome.

Bill Murray "helping".

Bill Murray with now slimproved QB David Garrard. I really like that word-slimproved.

Jack Del Rio and Bill Murray go over film.

More slimproved Garrard.

This photo of Rich Eisen is just funny for no other reason than it's "rich".

**Jags photos are from Jaguars.com and Eisen is from NFL.com**

-Brandon Clark

Jaguars Get New Uniforms

Everyone has seen them so theres no point in the announcement, but here are some photos that stood out to me. Click the picture for a larger version. The first one is hilarious!

Longsnaper/Emcee Joey Zelenka "pokin" fun at Center Brad Meester in the tight-fit jersey.

Greg Jones , #33, our FB/#2 HB is HUGE!!

Rashean Mathis-One of my favorite players spors the home jersey. I admit, they are growing on me.

The new and slimproved David Garrard, on the verge of a ProBowl Season. Yes I just made up the word slimproved and I find it fun to say, much like whippersnapper

New helmet that changes colors in the light. It is base black and when the sun hits, it will turn the team color teal. Much like how cars can shift colors..

**Jags photos are from Jaguars.com Photo Gallery**

-Brandon Clark

Mike Mayock on Pat White

"Pat White is not a gimmick,'' Mayock said. "He's the type of kid who you want the ball in his hands. I don't care if he's running it, throwing it, or catching it. I want the ball in his hands. Some teams like him as a quarterback. I'd take him in the second round with no hesitation, use him as a Wildcat this season, and try to develop him as a full-time quarterback, because I think he's got that kind of ability.

Quote from SI.com.

This is interesting as Pat White is a solid third round choice to most mock drafters, and I can't even pretend to know what true scouts think of him. I do agree with Mayock that he is a play-maker. He would be around for years and be a great influence in the locker-room. He's a coach's boy. By that I mean that when you say play wr, he says,"Yes sir". When you say play QB, he says,"Yes sir". Pat White is a great guy that I would love to see playing for the Jaguars this fall, although I do wonder how well his WR possibilities are.
I think Pat White's value is increased for the Jaguars because they need youth at QB, this is where he serves extra value. Remember, it's all about value for the Jags. Does his ability to play multiple positions move him up their board? We may never know. Good luck to Pat Whit, I hope his highlights make the top next season.

-Brandon Clark

A Look At Saturday's Draft

First-off, the Jaguars would like to trade down and collect more picks. This is due to the many holes that are on the team, but don't let that fool you. The Jaguars are every bit set to become a contending team in 2009. Will they make the playoffs? The draft will tell.

The Jaguars needs are WR, DT, CB, SS and line depth all over. Will a WR be looked at in the first round? Many people say that this is a bad idea due to the high bust rate, and Jaguars ability to higher that rate. What are new GM Gene Smith's thoughts?

“Wide receiver is a position on our team that we’d like to see what’s available when we pick. We’re not going to force a pick. You still want to stay with garnering value and getting the best available player,” Smith said.

If they still elect to trade down, Mark Sanchez would be the the catalyst as many teams would love to have the former USC star. The problem is, he might not make it to 8.

“He’s the guy the whole league wants to know where he’s going. Is it Seattle at four? The whole league is saying he’s a pivotal player,” Jaguars Director of Player Personnel Terry McDonough said of Sanchez.

McDonough goes on to say that it's unlikely that Sanchez will fall to the Jags.

Does this leave options at halfback? I've already discussed Chris Wells and Knowshon Moreno as options, but not necessarily at 8, as this appears to be too high of value for both of these players. Gene Smith does want to run a two-back system, but we do have Greg Jones, so factor that in.

“I do feel like you need two backs, a feature back and a companion back,” Smith said.

This does not mean the Jaguars are desperate to find a "companion" back, it only means that the Jags agree with a two-back system. Greg Jones is being paid the money to carry the rock, not just block for it, so the possibility of a high pick at tailback is in doubts. Now, a mid-to-late round selection wouldn't surprise me, or anyone for that matter.

If the draft does magically rob the Jaguars of all great picks before 8 and leave no room to trade down, I could see a posibility of Moreno or Wells, but it's not likely.

**All quotes are derived from a Jaguars.com article posted on April 21, 2009 entitled "Sanchez Draft's Pivotal Player" and written by Vic Ketchman**

2009 NFL Draft: Interior Lineman Leave Question Marks

I did not know that the class of guards was not that great this year. I hear names and I look into a few of them and I'm thinking,"OK, this is what we got, seems good". Well, apparently they are not that good. After reading former Pro Scout Tom Marino's thoughts on these guys-I left dissapointed. You see, the Jags need depth at the interior of the O-line. Manuwai and Mo Williams should be back and hopefully playing well. The problem that arises is that this years depth isn't that great at the interior, or so it seems.

Read the articles yourselves, and then we can discuss in the comments below.

Marino on Centers

Marino on Guards

Then again, this could just be a classic example of over examining. Although that's not normally a scout's mistake, it's normally the media...



-Brandon Clark

Jaguars Will Draft Linemen in 2009

Here is a quote from Gene Smith:

"Winning starts up front," Smith said shortly after his promotion. "I don't think you can ever be strong enough in the offensive and defensive line. You have to have people up front on both sides of the ball that can play downhill, that can help you win football games."

How should we take this? We should take this to mean that our new GM will draft an area of need during the 2009 draft. An area of need that has been largely ignored for about 4 years. Gene wants to build up the trenches.

The linemen, on both sides of the ball, are the most important players in the game. Imagine Tom Brady getting rushed around and being sacked the entire Super Bowl. Even Brady wouldn't be able to win-Oh Wait, that happened!

Gene will draft the real "BIG Uglies" and we will win because of it. Look for a DB as well, either SS or CB. More likely Corner because Brian Williams can play SS for now.

This is all strategy, however, because Gene will stick to his board and whoever he feels to be the Best Available Player (BAP) will be drafted. This is just a possible clue as to what that board look like.

-Brandon Clark