The Jacksonville Jaguars Draft History and Comments: 2004 NFL Draft pt 2
The Jacksonville Jaguars Draft History and Comments: 2004 NFL Draft pt 2 best draft selection
Josh Scobee. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
In the sixteenth article in “The Jacksonville Jaguars Draft History and Comments” series, we will continue to review a particular Jaguar draft class, until we have reviewed all 19 of their drafts. Today we will continue to review the 2004 draft with the fourth round. We have previously examined:
- The 1995 Expansion Draft
- The 1995 NFL Draft pt 1
- The 1995 NFL Draft pt 2
- The 1996 NFL Draft
- The 1997 NFL Draft
- The 1998 NFL Draft
- The 1999 NFL Draft
- The 2000 NFL Draft
- The 2001 NFL Draft pt 1
- The 2001 NFL Draft pt 2
- The 2002 NFL Draft pt 1
- The 2002 NFL Draft pt 2
- The 2003 NFL Draft pt 1
- The 2003 NFL Draft pt 2
- The 2004 NFL Draft pt 1
The Jaguars continued downward with a 5-11 record, their fourth losing record in a row. This earned the Jags the 9th pick in the 2004 Draft. The Jags had ten draft picks. I will go over each selection and say something concerning the player, if deserving. I will also bring up any missed opportunity where the Jags, with hindsight on my side, could have made a better selection. I will also bring up anything interesting related to the draft…Jaguar or not. As Jim Croce once famously sang…”If I could save time in a bottle…”
Round Four/Pick #118 – Anthony Maddox, DT, Delta State – This is a guy who was hurt for most of the two years he was with the Jags, played 7 games, 3 tackles, and 1 sack. We move on and release him. He signed with the hated Texans and plays two years there also. While there though, he played 28 games, had 53 tackles, 4 sacks, and even somehow managed a return TD. You could call him a bust, but maybe we were just the unlucky team to get the hurt Maddox. Would I have picked different? – Yes sir. There was only one player picked before the Jags picked again. The Vikings selected RB Mewelde Moore, a barely serviceable back who still managed to play 9 years in the league.
Round Four/Pick #120 – Ernest Wilford, WR, Virginia Tech – I was a big fan of Ernest and I’ll tell you why. I used to work at Citibank. Every year the Jags would send a few players to our work site to sit and sign autographs. Ernest was sent both his rookie & sophomore seasons. The players would have to sit in the eating area at a table for a couple of hours. Ernest never stopped smiling. Never looked at his phone. Never acted like he would rather be elsewhere. He was a good man who looked you in the eye when you spoke to him and would even confirm the spelling of the name he was doing the autograph for. Enough of the personal. Wilford was an average WR who converted to TE and was average there also. On a professional level, Jacksonville could have done better. On a personal level, He was one of my favorite Jags. Would I have picked different? – Absolutely, and this is the easiest one of these so far. At #126, the Chiefs drafted potential future Hall of Famer Jared Allen. Anyone want to argue that one?
Round Four other info – Luke McCown, selected at #106, was the only QB selected in the 4th round. Three players picked went on to play in a Pro Bowl. 36 players were selected in the 4th round and 23 were for the defense.
Round Five/Pick #137 – Josh Scobee, PK, Louisiana Tech – Outstanding pick. This is coming from a person who doesn’t believe kicker or punters should be selected before the seventh round. Scobee has been good, to very good, to excellent in his time with the Jags. Put him on a team with a more potent offense and he would be a perennial All Pro. Would I have picked different? – No one was selected before our next pick that I would pick over the kicker!
Round Five/Pick #150 – Chris Thompson, CB, Nicholls State – The Jags were playing hopscotch this draft. One good, one back. This one is terrible. This player never saw the field for the Jags and was released at year’s end. He next signed with the Bears, played 12 games and put up 10 tackles. He was cut again and has put up no further NFL stats. He went on to become an All Star in the CFL a couple of times but overall was a BUST. Would I have picked different? – Easy. I would have taken #154 to the Chargers, RB Michael Turner.
Round Five/Pick #159 – Sean Bubin, OT, Illinois – WHO?!? Never played an NFL play. Another wasted pick. Unacceptable in the fifth round. Would I have picked different? – God I hope so! Selection #167, center Nick Leckey, was no All Star but he had a successful 7 year career.
Other round five info – Nobody likes the QBs. The only one selected in round five was Craig Krenzel. Two players picked went on to be Pro Bowlers. Defensive players are still being picked more than offensive players with 17 of 33.
The Jaguars had no pick in the sixth round
Other round six info – QBs finally got off the bench with four selected in the 6th round. There was one Pro Bowl player selected in this round. This was a round of interesting first names (Jamaar, Vontez, Triandos, Von, Rex, Jammal, Bo, Marko, Etric, & Jeris!
Round Seven/Pick #249 – Bobby McCray, DE, Florida – Draft slightly redeemed. This was a tragic player management situation though. Bobby played 4 years for the jags. During his tenure, he missed only 3 games, had 93 tackles, 7 forced fumbles, 6 passes defended, and an amazing, for the Jaguars, 22 sacks. He had 35 tackles & 10 sacks in 2007 alone. The issue was that either McCray wanted too much money from the beginning or the Jags waited too long to attempt to tie him down with a long term contract. So when his 4 year rookie contract was up, he left and signed with the Saints. He went on to play two more years, record another 41 tackles and 7.5 sacks. He got a Super Bowl ring while with the Saints. I would have loved to see what he could have done with a few more years with the Jags, but regardless, to use a football term, Jacksonville outkicked their coverage with the McCray selection. Would I have picked different? – Nope.
Other round seven notes – Six QBs were selected in the 7th round, none of which had any significant moments. Overall, because of the 7th round spree, 17 QBs were selected. One last Pro Bowl player was selected in the seventh round, making it 31 selected in the entire draft. It took until the 7th round but offensive players were picked more with 32 selected out of the 54 total. The Jets used their #235 pick on RB Derrick Ward, who went on to rush for over 1,000 yards for the Giants in 2008.
Additional other notes – There were a few successful undrafted free agents in 2004. OT Jason Peters, P Mat McBriar, OT Tyson Clabo, FB Vonta Leach, DT Cullen Jenkins, DT Tommy Kelly, RB Willie Parker, &, most significantly even today, Wes Welker. Everyone of these players made the Pro Bowl.
2004 Draft Summary and Grade – Round 1 (C-) / Round 2 (A+) / Round 3 (D) / Round 4 (C-) / Round 5 (C) / Round 6 (No Score) / Round 7 (A-). Totaling their entire draft, the Jaguars’ 2004 NFL draft scored a (C+). That score was kind of typical for Jaguar drafts. A few “slam dunks”. A few “busts”. An occasional “diamonds in the rough.” Overall, it wasn’t a horrible draft, but it wasn’t helping the Jags get out of their rut.
I will be back soon with the 2005 draft.
See ya in 2005!
Michael Mcdonald
Follow me on Twitter @gumbussy. I’ll make ya famous!