Dante Fowler Jr. still a good selection a year later
By Daniel Lago
As we head towards the 2016 NFL Draft, we’ve been inundated by mock drafts and rumors about which players are moving up and down teams’ boards. There’s a lot of smoke and not very much fire going on during this time in the pre-draft process, so let’s take a look at something a little more tangible – the 2015 NFL Draft.
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Last May, the Jacksonville Jaguars were expected to pick a defensive player with the third overall pick to help bolster a defense that had absolutely nothing in terms of playmakers. Ultimately, the team decided on versatile defensive lineman Dante Fowler Jr. out of Florida. While not a traditional LEO in terms of measurables, Fowler seemed to be the best overall edge defender in the class and was pinned to be a premier player for the Jaguars.
Fowler never got the chance to make an impact, as he tore his ACL in the first rookie minicamp practice of the offseason. Analysts praised the moves the Jaguars made throughout the draft, but the impact of Fowler’s injury changed the teams prognosis for the 2015 season.
Looking back now, it was still the right move to draft Fowler.
Pro Football Focus stuck with their initial thoughts on the Fowler pick in a 2015 NFL draft re-grade:
"3. Dante Fowler Jr., ED, Jacksonville JaguarsDraft Grade: A-I’m sticking with our initial grade after Fowler didn’t see a snap last season due to injury. He will move around the Jacksonville line this year to provide matchup issues along their revamped defensive front."
Even with the addition of Fowler, the Jaguars need to add an edge defender in this draft. The luxury of having Fowler however means the team doesn’t need to force the issue in the first round. Joey Bosa would be a fine pick at number 5 overall, but the team can look at Jalen Ramsey or Myles Jack if they have higher grades on the two and then double back in the second or third round for another pass rusher.
It was frustrating to lose Fowler as soon as he touched the practice field, but his presence is playing a big role in what the Jaguars do in the 2016 draft.