Jaguars: Possible Undrafted Players to Invite – Defense

Jaguars: Possible Undrafted Players to Invite SS Craig Loston. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

We are at the stage of the draft when fullbacks and kickers are starting to be selected. This is when you can start guessing at what undrafted players will be available for a free agency invite. There are some really good players still available at this time and I’m going to help the Jags remember who they need to send a plane ticket to before they go elsewhere.

DL:

• DE Josh Mauro – Stanford/6-6/271 – I like Stanford defensive players. Good height. Decent speed. Worth a look.
• DE Kerry Wynn – Richmond/6-5/266 – Raw talent. Will need good coaching but has NFL size and speed.
• DE Lawrence Virgil – Valdosta State/6-4/281 – Not ready for pro competition but has NFL size, surprising speed, and natural ability. Get him in and coach him up!!
• DE Adham Talaat – Galludet/6-6/271 – Really neat story. Adham is condition is “severely-to-profoundly deaf”, yet he has garnered a lot of attention from NFL scouts. He has great measurables and has natural talent. If the signing of Michael Sam is groundbreaking, then bringing in Adham would be inspired.
• DT Kelcy Quarles – South Carolina/6-4/297 – I can’t believe he wasn’t drafted. He was projected to go in the 3rd to 4th round range. Whatever caused him to not be drafted is not enough to not bring him in for a look.
• DT Anthony Johnson – LSU/6-3/308 – Another surprise. Has an “under-achiever” label but still played against SEC opponents and with good coaching will shed that description.
• DT Deandre Coleman – California/6-5/314 – Another surprise undrafted and “under-achieving” label. I like the size. I especially like the height. In today’s NFL, a batted down ball is as important as a sack.
• DT Zack Kerr – Delaware/6-1/326 – Great size with sneaky speed. Was once on the Maryland roster but had academic issues. Played well against lessor talent but appears fo be ready for the next level.

LB:

• OLB Jayrone Elliott – Toledo/6-3/255 – Talk about under the radar. Playing for a small college, he still managed to have 70 tackles & 9 sacks. That’s production and he’s worth a look.
• OLB Nate Askew – Texas A&M/6-3/241 – Teams were probably scared off by his limited time playing on defense (only last year), but he was able to do it at a major program and he runs a 4.46. He can be trained.
•  ILB  Shayne Skov – Stanford/6-2/245 – Not sure what happened here. He was projected in the 3rd to 4th round range. Regardless, as I’ve stated before, I like Stanford defensive players. Plus this guy was a tackle machine!
• ILB Brock Coyle – Montana/6-1/235 – Dude! Get this friggin guy. I don’t care he played for a small school. So did Mr. Mack, who went in the first round! This guy has 125 tackles last year and has had 232 tackles over the last 2 years. He also is a master at ball stripping. GO GET HIM!!!
• ILB Dan Fox – Notre Dame/6-3/233 – He doesn’t register a lot of the intangibles, but he has good size, strength, and speed. He had 90 tackles last year, including 15 in their game against Stanford.

DB:

• CB Lavelle Westbrooks – Georgia Southern/6-0/186 – He has the height we need and can bulk up with conditioning. He was a ball hawk at Georgia Southern and is ready for the next level.
• CB Brian Dixon – Northwest Missouri State/6-0/196 – It’s hard to get too much info on this kid but I do know he ran a 4.41 at his pro day. That’s fast and even if he can’t cover, he would be nice for special teams.
• CB Markus Smith – Nevada/6-1/196 – Nice size CB who had 3 INTs & 3 passes defended, but put that with 58 tackles. He could at least be looked at as a safety possibly.
• CB Darius Polk – Kent State/5-11/189 – He had 60 tackles, with 1 INT and 6 passes defended. Worth a look.
• FS  Dion Bailey – USC/6-0/201 – Man, Southern Cal didn’t get a lot of respect in the draft. This player was projected in the 4th round. Must be something up because he has the size most want and was a good player.
• FS Kenny Ladler – Vanderbilt/6-0/207 – Not sure why he didn’t go in the 5th as he was projected. It appears the free safety wasn’t a needed position this year because very few went. I would bring him in immediately. He had 5 INT and 5 forced fumbles.
• FS Pierre Warren – Jacksonville State/6-0/194 –  76 tackles.  5 INTs with a pick six. 12 pass breakups. What more do you need?
• SS Craig Loston – LSU/6-1/217 – Craig was supposed to go in the 5th. Was one of the better SS in the SEC. We could use him here for special teams and possible rotational play.
• SS  Daniel Sorensen – BYU/6-1/205 – Another head scratcher. This player has played at an upper level for a few years and has improved his speed from the combine. Worth a look.
• SS Shamiel Gary – Oklahoma State/6-0/205 – Productive player and tackler that ran a 4.50 at his pro day. At least good enough for special teams.
• SS Garrett Waggoner – Dartmouth/6-0/224 – A team captain for a couple of years. Went to a regional pro day and just killed it. Might be worth a ticket.

Well, that’s it for defensive players. Good luck to all and more so for the Jags to snag a few of these guys.

Michael McDonald

Twitter @gumbussy