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