It took him a while, but Blackmon finally showed that there’s more to receiving than just a good burst.  Source: Robert Mayer-USA TODAY Sports

This week’s edition of What’s Next isn’t so much about what’s coming as about how Justin Blackmon’s experience with the NFL Combine projects to this year’s NFL combine.  Like Zain Gowani has been saying, there are workout warriors that can move up due to their combine results and then there are players who can slide.  Thinking back to the 2012 NFL Draft, it seemed that even Blackmon, the consensus top receiver, may take a slide.

Never known for a quick first step, Blackmon’s refusal to run the 40 yard dash at the combine made for some interesting news.  Here’s NFL.com’s analysis of Blackmon’s weaknesses:

Blackmon is not as quick off the ball as his athletic ability would suggest. He has good top-end speed and acceleration in the open field, but struggles to burst enough in short areas to separate. He has such an elongated stride as a runner that he has difficulties running sharp routes.

For the top receiving prospect in the 2012 draft, that kind of analysis plus his refusal to run the 40 didn’t make for the best endorsement.  Fortunately his 38 touchdowns over his final 25 games and two Blitnikoff awards could go toe-to-toe with his quick step struggles.  When Blackmon finally did run the 40, he posted a decent 4.46.  But until his Oklahoma State Pro Day, there were whispers that what he wouldn’t do during the combine may affect his draft status.

There’s a lot of speculation that goes on in late January and February, and the truth is that we just don’t know who’s who until they put on the pads and play 16 games.  As it turns out, Blackmon does struggle to find separation while running routes and is forced to outmuscle his defender in order to get the ball.  He isn’t the cleanest route-runner and not all of the routes required of him are going to get him to his top-end speed.

But he couldn’t prove his detractors wrong.  Even if he had managed to show a 4.46 at the combine, there probably would have still been questions about his explosive speed.  Heck, even if he really did run a 4.39 (video below) the questions were proven valid by his on-field play.

When looking at the Jags’ prospects, remember that as good as some players may be, the combine is just the combine.  A lot goes into figuring out what a player can do on the football field.  Whether it’s trying to figure out red flags or just relying more on game tape, the draft process is so much more than a few days in Indianapolis.  Players like Matt Barkely may not throw during the combine, but they still have a shot at greatness.

When watching to see how some Jags’ prospects do, look for the sliders.  See if someone isn’t doing as well as you know or perceive them to do.  Game speed is different from the 40.  And, as Blackmon proved in his rookie campaign, there are more ways to be successful than just moving quickly.

- Luke N. Sims

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You can also find me on Twitter @LukeNSims

Blaine Gabbert was a knee jerk reaction pick            Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-US PRESSWIRE

Punter Bryan Anger, out of California, was one of the biggest surprises in the 2011 draft. A punter never goes in the third round; especially when holes could have been filled on both sides of the ball. Yet as the season goes on, the Anger pick makes more sense, but not because he’s a game changer.

Since Gene Smith has become General Manager for the Jaguars, he has professed a style of drafting players who are the BAP, or best available player. According to Smith BAP also includes being academically sound as well as being a captain for multiple years. In 2011 The Jaguars moved up to the 10th selection from the 16th, trading with the Washington Redskins, to select Blaine Gabbert. While I do think Gabbert was a great selection at the time and still do, better picks could have been made. The Titans had selected Jake Locker two picks before, the Gabbert selection was a knee jerk reaction. As was Anger. Projections slated the Jaguars to fill the even bigger void of defensive end with either J.J. Watt or Ryan Kerrigan, which in hind sight, were much better selections.

At the time, David Garrard was coming off an improved season from 2009. He was slated to start, even being introduced by the organization as the starter for the season. He had three years remaining on his contract, and coming off the lockout, he would give the team the best chance to win while Gabbert learned the offense on the sideline. Yet injury cut him short early in the preseason, which resulted in him getting the axe.  It was a knee jerk reaction. Gabbert was forced to start after a horrendous week 2 performance from Luke McCown. The Jaguars ended up going 5-11.

If the Jaguars had not drafted Gabbert, the Jaguars may have done worse as a whole if they would have had to rely on McCown or a free agent pick up, but that misses the mark of the article. In this year’s draft, Justin Blackmon and Andre Branch were drafted with the first two picks, in order to improve both wide receiver and defense end positions. These positions should have been filled the year before, but the Gabbert pick cost both a first and second round pick. In the third round, the Jaguars knee jerk reaction once again forced them to stray away from a BAP mentality, taking Anger out of need.

Punter Bryan Anger was needed to give the team a chance Mandatory Credit: Phil Sears-US PRESSWIRE

The Jaguars would need a punter this year to make up for last year’s bandages in free agency. Matt Turk and Nick Harris were not performing to expectations, forcing the former to be cut for the latter. Harris was eventually let go as well. Anger was picked in the third round because pressure would be on the offense again this year. With the defense coming off a great year, a punter would help pin opposing offenses deep into their own zone, which would result in a shorter field for a struggling Blaine Gabbert.
Yet injury and poor performances have once again sundered the team, resulting in a current 1-3 record. If the Jaguars are to improve for the future, the draft has no more room for knee jerk reactions.

- Antonio Furgiuele

Could he become the best wide receiver in the NFL? Source: James Lang-US PRESSWIRE

Even with the aforementioned pedigree, a 2nd DUI arrest and a 12-day contract hold out seemed to have most NFL pundits tempering their expectations of the former Oklahoma State Cowboy, with some even suggesting the Jaguars had reached for him at #5 in the 2012 draft.  Reports surfaced of the rookie struggling to grasp the playbook, and what seemed to be such a slam-dunk pick for our hometown Jags was now being doubted by several analysts both locally and nationally.

Until he stepped on the field.

Like he has done at every level of the game to date, Justin instantly showed the physical ability that warranted the many collegiate awards and a top draft pick.  He and Blaine Gabbert had a noticeable rapport right from the start, beginning the drive with the first pass as well as capping the drive with a 14-yard touchdown strike.  He followed up his 4 catch, 48 yard, 1 touchdown performance in his first game with an even more impressive 4 catch, 72 yard showing against the Ravens Thursday night.  The rookie wide receiver has shown in 2 short weeks the ability to consistently get separation and make the tough catches in traffic look effortless.  More than anything, what radiates from JB’s play is a passion and determination to make plays.  He seemingly has a burning desire to be great; an unwillingness to be tackled.  Very few men can line up against the best athletes in the world and have his talent overwhelm those who line up against him.  We aren’t looking at just a possession receiver, a player with upside, a slot guy, or any other cliche used to describe a pass-catcher with limited abilities.  We are witnessing the emergence of a bona-fide STUD.  A play-making, dominant force that defenses will have to account for on each and every offensive snap, along the same lines as a Calvin Johnson, Larry Fitzgerald and Andre Johnson.

Get used to seeing touchdown catches like this one! Source: Chuck Cook-US PRESSWIRE

The single-most important addition to Blaine Gabbert’s development (which is sure to be the most-talked about story-line for the Jacksonville Jaguars this season) is not his off-season work (although it may have been great) and it’s not the new coaching staff (which is far and away superior to what we suffered through last season). Adding a Perennial Pro-Bowler and elite weapon in Justin Blackmon is. There aren’t many players who live up to the hype and expectations that a top 5 pick in today’s NFL is saddled with.  I’m here to tell you that this pick will go down as the best in Jaguars history…  Kudos, Gene Smith, now sit back and enjoy the show!

- Brad Barrell

You can also follow me on twitter @justjaxjags