The Jacksonville Jaguars Draft History and Comments: 2005 NFL Draft pt 2
The Jacksonville Jaguars Draft History and Comments: 2005 NFL Draft fifth round pick Gerald Sensabaugh. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
In the eighteenth 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 with the 2005 draft. 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 2004 NFL Draft pt 2
- The 2005 NFL Draft pt 1
The Jaguars showed promise with a 9-7 record, their first winning record in five years. This earned the Jags the 21th pick in the 2004 Draft. The Jags had only six 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. Restarting in round four…
Round four/Pick #127 – Alvin Pearman, RB, Virginia – Another JAG, Pearman was seemingly mostly brought in for special teams as he returned a lot of punts. He did work his way into the offense as a receiving back, catching 32 passes his rookie year. He didn’t do too much the next year and was traded away. He ended up returning a second time when Fred Taylor got injured in 2008, but didn’t do much than provide depth. This was not a pick that stood to fourth round standards. Would I have picked differently? – I would have to. Three picks after Pearman, the Chargers selected RB Darren Sproles. He would have been nice to have.
Further fourth round info – Two QBs were selected in the 4th round. Two eventual Pro Bowl players were picked. Offense was the name of the game in the fourth round as 23 of the 35 players selected were from that side of the ball.
Round five/Pick #157 – Gerald Sensabaugh, S, North Carolina – Very interesting young man. Played for the Jags for four years. By his final year, he put up 70 tackles, eight passes defended, & 4 INTs. Great numbers. But he also had the bad habit of going back to his hometown of Kingsport, TN every offseason. Each offseason starting with 2006, he would get arrested. One year for speeding and having an unregistered firearm. The next for reckless driving that included doing wheelies on a motorcycle. The offseason after his stellar year, when he was gunning for a nice free agency contract to stay with the Jags, he got pulled over again for speeding and this time he had THREE firearms in his possession, including an AK-47! The Jags had their fill and pulled back any contract offer and let him walk. Gerald ended up having four successful years with Dallas and even signed a one day contract with them so he could retire a Cowboy. Wasted potential, with the extra sting of another team getting his prime years! Would I have picked differently? – Yes. At #179, the Titans selected TE Bo Scaife, who aside from getting hurt more often than you’d like, was an outstanding TE.
Further fifth round info – Two QBs were selected in the fifth round. Only one player in the fifth went on to a Pro Bowl. The second QB selected was Adrian McPherson, and what a story he turned out to be. First he was arrest at FSU for stealing a blank check from a business, letting one of his buds cash it out and give him the money. He was then arrested and charged with placing illegal bets on both pro and college football. That got him kicked out of FSU. He then had difficulty transferring to a small college so he quit college all together and signed with an Arena League team, where he won Rookie of the Year honors. He was then drafted by the Saints in the fifth round at #152. After sitting and learning in 2005, all indications were that he was competing for the starting QB position. At a preseason game in Tennessee, while warming up on the field during halftime, he was RUN OVER BY A GOLF CART DRIVEN BY THE TITAN’S MASCOT!!! He got injured and was placed on the IR. He never was able to get back on the field in the NFL. He has continued to play in the Arena League and now in the CFL, where he is still under contract. McPherson eventually sued the Titans for the cart incident for 15 million dollars. The case was eventually settled without the terms being released. You can’t make this stuff up!
Round six/Pick #185 – Chad Owens, WR, Hawaii – Owen was as fast as lightening and was one of the best returners in college football. I remember being really excited about this pick because the Jags never really seemed to do anything in the return game. What a disaster he was. He made his rookie debut the 2nd game of the season and proceeded to muff THREE punts in the game. He was cut the next day, cleared waivers, and was resigned to the practice squad. He stayed there all 2006. In 2007, he was claimed off our practice squad by the Buccaneers. We later reclaimed him back and activated him for the last game of the season. He then muffed the first kick that went to him and he was back on the bench. He was eventually released again. After a short stint in the Arena League, he went to the CFL. He is now considered one of if not the best player in the CFL and just signed a contract making him the highest paid CFL player who is not a QB. Would I have picked differently? – At the time, NO!
Round six/Pick #194 – Pat Thomas, LB, N.C. State – Part time player. Didn’t do much. Went back & forth between the Chiefs and the Jags the four years he was in the league. He is finished out his career in the now defunct UFL. Would I have picked differently? – Yes. At #200, the Broncos selected OG Chris Myers, who has gone on to go to 2 Pro Bowls and is still currently playing.
Further round six info – One QB was selected in the 6th round. There were 2 Pro Bowl players selected. Nothing else interesting. Moving on.
Round seven/Pick #237 – Chris Roberson, CB, Eastern Michigan – Man, the Jags are really limping to the end of the draft. Roberson played 6 games, had 2 tackles, and was gone. wasted pick. Would I have picked differently? – I hope so! At #250, the Rams picked up QB Ryan Fitzpatrick, who has played well in spurts and is still in the NFL.
Further round seven info – Three further QBs were selected in the 7th round. A total of 14 QBs were selected in the 2005 draft. Two Pro Bowlers were selected. A total of 30 Pro Bowl players were picked this draft. The three most drafted positions were LB (36), WR (31), & CB (29).
UFA info – There were no notable undrafted QBs. There were 11 undrafted free agents that made it to the Pro Bowl.
2005 Draft Summary and Grade – Round 1 (D) / Round 2 (B-) / Round 3 (C+) / Round 4 (D+) / Round 5 (B-) / Round 6 (D-) / Round 7 (F). Totaling their entire draft, the Jaguars’ 2005 NFL draft scored a (C-). That score was a step backwards by Shack Harris. Overall, it was not a very good draft which is depressing because the team had started to make a positive move and there is nothing like a poor draft to bring you crashing back to earth.
I will be back soon with the 2006 draft.
See ya in 2006!
Michael Mcdonald
Follow me on Twitter @gumbussy. I’d buy that for a dollar!!!