Jacksonville Jaguars’ Jonathan Woodard signed
By Luke Sims
The Jacksonville Jaguars have begun signing their 2016 NFL draft picks already, with seventh rounder DE Jonathan Woodard being the third to come aboard.
The first day of rookie orientation and seventh round selection Jonathan Woodard has signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Woodard is the third player from the 2016 class to sign with the team, leaving only Jalen Ramsey (first round), Myles Jack (second round), Yannick Ngakoue (third round), and Sheldon Day (fourth round) left to sign.
Coming out of Central Arkansas, Woodard was already an established threat. He set school records with 53 tackles for a loss and 30.5 sacks. While the step up to the NFL may be difficult for a smaller school player, he certainly seems to have a knack for making plays.
"“It’s honestly just crazy to see all of my dreams come to fruition, and to be part of the Jacksonville Jaguars officially. I’m just ready to take the next step, make the team and get going.” – Jonathan Woodard"
It’s exciting to see the Jags already jumping on the opportunity to sign their players, especially with the impressive haul they have added to the roster. Woodard may not be more than an occasional rotation guy for a while, but he has tremendous upside, which is why the Jags opted to bring him in. He, like many other young players, will be competing to be on the roster and contribute in any way possible.
It’s tough to work from a small school program to get into the NFL and Woodard is likely among those players with drive to see his dreams come true. There is a crowded group of defensive linemen on the roster right now, but he’d be one to watch to see if he can emerge and get some reps with the more established players and the bigger name additions.