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Michael Bennett Among the Top 10 Steals of the 2015 NFL Draft

By Luke Sims

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Michael Bennett is leaving the Ohio State University to become a rotational player for the Jacksonville Jaguars on a defensive line that is already quite stocked with talent. For the former college star, this may not have been what he expected. This is what happens when you slide in the NFL Draft.

Bennett had an unprecedented slide in the 2015 NFL Draft. The slide ended in the sixth round when the Jacksonville Jaguars saw him available and eagerly picked him 180th overall.

Pro Football Focus looked at his slide more in depth. Here’s what they had to say:

"The biggest reason is that teams likely see him as a scheme specific player to a 4-3 because of his size (6-foot-2, 293 pounds). The other reason could be the unrefined nature of Bennett’s game. He was a bit of a snap jumper that if he didn’t win with his first step had few counter moves to regain control of the block.These seem like minor quibbles for a player who was dominant down the stretch for the national champs with an 11.2 run stop percentage over Ohio State’s last five games. Few players in the draft can match Bennett’s balanced production as both a run defender and pass rusher where he graded among the Top 10 for interior defenders in each."

If minor quibbles let Bennett fall to the Jaguars, then the team really came away well. Every indication is that Bennett is a productive defensive tackle who plays hard and makes his presence felt on the snaps he plays. That’s the kind of player any team would like to have and many of them could have a player like Bennett playing significant time at defensive tackle. The Jaguars have some injuries to start the season at the defensive tackle position, so having Bennett in will be important for the team this season.

Hopefully his worth is also proven after defensive tackle settles down again with Sen’Derrick Marks and Roy Miller as the primary anchors. With guys like Michael Bennett and Jared Odrick, the Jaguars will have a lot of flexibility in rotating their defensive tackles. Tyson Alualu originally played defensive tackle as well but figures to be used more at defensive end now.

Even if the Jaguars don’t see Bennett as a starter right now or in the future, it’s great to have another player on the team who has a high talent ceiling and can assume duties in case of injury or a failure to succeed by another player.

We’re happy to have Michael Bennett on the team and think he can do something special as part of the rotation immediately.

Next: How Do the Jaguars Replace Dante Fowler's Production?

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