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Mmmmm, the NFL Draft! So Close, yet so far away! Source: Jerry Lai-US PRESSWIRE

Speaking of speculation, it’s about time to get to the 2012 mock drafts.  What can the Jaguars do with their 7th overall pick?  It’s been speculated on by B&T writers Zoltan Paksa and Adam McGill, but we’ve yet to post every 32 selections of the first round and how it’s all going to go down.

I’m not saying I’m right (it’s before free agency after all), but take a peek, some of them may as well be called a lock.

Let’s get to the picks!

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Gene Smith's speculating face. Phil Sears-US PRESSWIRE

It’s been the offseason for almost four weeks for the Jaguars, which means it’s time to start speculating. Now, the writers on ESPN get paid to speculate, but I don’t. I can afford to say even stupider things. I’m not holding back – this is the time to bring up crazy, far-fetched ideas because why not? We have our new coaching staff in place, so it’s time to start wondering about the roster. Click the jump to see the madness.

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Gene Smith isn't saying too much about the job he does, but he should really be bragging! Source:Phil Sears-US PRESSWIRE

The Jaguars have established a foundation.  A building block.  Gene Smith brought in the cornerstone of the future last year in Blaine Gabbert.

This offseason he has brought in the other pillars of the Jaguars organization for years to come: Mike Mularkey, Bob Bratkowski, Greg Olson, re-signing Mel Tucker and Joe Cullen.  The team is building a structure for success.

A structure of success is built with careful planning, careful analysis, and, to be honest, some pretty careful guessing as well.

Gene smith was recently quoted on Jaguars.com as saying, “If you’ve evaluated them [players] properly coming out, they usually develop into what you thought they would.”  But this applies to more than just players.  This applies to the entire organization.

When Shack Harris left and paved the way for Gene Smith four years ago, Wayne Weaver made a conscious decision to take the team in a different direction.  A direction where winning was important, but more important was winning the right way.  This didn’t apply to a particular football strategy like pounding the ground or airing it out.  This applied to winning, pure and simple. Continue reading this post »

Although the NFL draft is still 3 months away, I’m starting to have issues with the 1st round pick of the Jaguars. Picking at 7 is generally a good thing to boost your roster (just think to Joe Haden and Aldon Smith – the 7th picks of the draft in 2010 and 2011), I started to feel that the Jaguars will be in No-Man’s-Land with theirs in 2012. I think the Top 5 picks of the draft are already set – the Colts will select Stanford QB  Andrew Luck with the 1st overall pick, and after him Baylor QB Robert Griffin III, USC OT Matt Kalil, Oklahoma State WR Justin Blackmon and LSU CB Morris Claiborne will most likely be selected in the Top 5 (unless injuries or something off the field happens). But after those players, I see a significant talent drop. Alabama CB Dre Kirkpatrick could be great good value at 7, but his recent off the field incindent with the law dropped him back (if not out) from General manager Gene Smith’s list. Although it’s a bit early, here are a couple scenarios that could happen with the 7th pick on April 26th.

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Remember This? Source: The Orlando Sentinel

Before I get to the Tom Coughlin connection, I’d like to first introduce myself to the Black and Teal nation. My name is Cody Taylor (known on the web as TheeCodyTaylor), I’m 23 and was born and raised in Orlando, FL. I’m a sports junkie and have been since I can remember. I grew up a fan of the Jaguars, and as most Jaguar fans, my all-time favorite Jaguar is Fred Taylor. I was also a huge fan of the ‘Greatest Show on Turf’ with Kurt Warner, Marshall Faulk, Torry Holt, Isaac Bruce, etc. and I was ecstatic when Holt signed with the Jaguars a few years ago. Wrapping up my introduction, I am a Gator fan, and no, I don’t think Tim Tebow should be a Jaguar. Now, on to this Tom Coughlin connection nonsense.

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From NFL.com -- Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blaine Gabbert (11) scrambles against the Tennessee Titans in the first quarter of an NFL football game on Saturday, Dec. 24, 2011, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Frederick Breedon)

Will Blaine Gabbert make progress as a quarterback before the start of next season? I say, with as much emphasis as I can, “YES!” How, I’m sure your wondering, could I believe that so emphatically after watching him all of this past miserable season? The answer is quite simple. Time and coaching will make him better.  Continue reading this post »

Mario Williams may have been overshadowed for the last five seasons by the fearsome Indianapolis pass-rush duo of Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis, but the quarterbacks of the AFC South know better than to ignore him. In his Monday Morning Quarterback column today, Peter King suggested that the Texans might just let Williams walk in free agency, despite GM Rick Smith recently saying that re-signing the pass-rusher to a long-term contract was a “top priority”. Under new defensive coordinator Wade Phillips in 2011, the Texans converted to the 3-4 defense and evolved from the #30 overall defense in 2010 (#32, dead last, against the pass) to the #2 overall defense and #3 versus the pass despite being without Mario Williams for the final 11 games of the season. Will the Texans part ways with the #1 overall pick of the 2006 draft? And if so, should the Jaguars pursue him? Find out after the jump… Continue reading this post »

Brad Meester, what would we do without you? Source: Bleacherreport.com

The offensive line of the Jaguars is grossly underrated.  While injuries have caused problems in years past (remember when Eben Britton played?) and poor performance (remember when Even Britton played?) has plagued the line worse than injuries, the team has somehow managed to put together a cohesive group of linemen that have grown to trust each other.

Even more importantly, Maurice Jones-Drew trusts them.

I have a history of getting excited over the offensive line but not many other people really enjoy studying the way the linemen duke it out all game in the trenches.  Most analysts and sportscasters tend to overlook the big interior linemen, guards especially, unless the running back picks up a few yards or a first down.  Without John Madden the analysis rarely exists. COME BACK JOHN!

Back to the point, the Jaguar offensive line is good.  But how can it be improved in the offseason? Continue reading this post »