2014 Senior Bowl – Players to Watch for the Jacksonville Jaguars on Offense

Jan 20, 2014; Fairhope, AL, USA; South Squad quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo of Eastern Illinois (10) drops back to pass during practice at Fairhope Municipal Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

With the Super Bowl being the only remaining game of the season, most teams are in full-fledged draft mode. The Jacksonville Jaguars have the privilege of getting up close and personal with several draft prospects as head coach Gus Bradley and his staff run the South team. The Jaguars have plenty of needs and the additional hands-on time with these prospects gives them insight into the players’ ability and work ethic.

Some of the top prospects are underclassmen and therefore not at the senior bowl, but there are still plenty of players who could get drafted high and contribute immediately. Here are some players Jaguar fans should keep a close eye on:

Quarterbacks Tajh Boyd out of Clemson and Jimmy Garoppolo out of Eastern Illinois are two guys who probably aren’t first round picks, but they could be solid options for a team early in the second round. If the Jaguars opt to address the defense with the third overall pick then they could take a look at one of remaining signal callers at the top of the second round. Boyd has some of the mobility Jedd Fisch is looking for but Garoppolo seems like a much more polished passer in the pocket.

The Jaguars are probably going to address the offensive skill positions in the mid-to-late part of the draft and there are a few guys who they might target at the senior bowl. Cody Hoffman out of BYU measured in at 6’4” and could serve as a big target down the field. Shaq Evans from UCLA is a late round prospect who presents a nice blend of size and speed but didn’t produce huge numbers receiving. There plenty of solid running backs in this year’s draft and Charles Sims of West Virginia might be the most well-rounded. Sims is a capable runner and showed the ability to catch the ball out of the backfield his entire collegiate career. James White was very productive in Wisconsin despite sharing the backfield. He isn’t a burner but he’s reliable and should be available in day 3 of the draft.

The Jaguars need interior offensive line help and center Travis Swanson out of Arkansas could be a solid replacement for Brad Meester. Swanson and Bryan Stork from FSU are the top center prospects at the senior bowl and could be drafted in day 2. The Jaguars would be lucky and should pull the trigger if either of them are available in the third round.

– Daniel Lago

Yell at me on Twitter @dlago89