Jacksonville Jaguars continue trend of targeting Biletnikoff Award winners

By Luke Sims | Apr 29, 2017

Oct 1, 2016; Fort Worth, TX, USA; Oklahoma Sooners wide receiver Dede Westbrook (11) catches a touchdown pass past TCU Horned Frogs safety Nick Orr (18) during the first half at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports /

The Jacksonville Jaguars continue an intriguing trend of targeting Biletnikoff Award winners with the selection of Dede Westbrook out of Oklahoma.

Out of the last six Biletnikoff Award winners (given to the nation’s top collegiate wide receiver), three of them have found their way to the Jacksonville Jaguars in the NFL draft. The trend started with Justin Blackmon (winner in 2010 and 2011), which did not work out well for the Jags, and has continued into the David Caldwell regime.

Caldwell picked up where Gene Smith left off by selecting Marqise Lee (winner in 2012) and has now continued the trend with Dede Westbrook (winner in 2016). In what seems like a convenient coincidence, the Jags are doing something logical: take the best wide receiver in football and get him on the team.

More from Jacksonville Jaguars News

Naturally, there is more to being an NFL receiver than simply being the best in one year in college. Injuries and off-field concerns have limited past Biletnikoff Award winners for the Jaguars and Westbrook enters with his own domestic violence concerns that will need to be addressed by the team as he grows into a professional.

Other Biletnikoff Award winners that the Jaguars have not selected (Amari Cooper, Brandin Cooks, and Corey Coleman) have made the Jags’ selections look less than ideal as they have performed much better than the winners the Jags selected. Hopefully the Jags will find some success with Westbrook (and maybe Marqise Lee as well). It will be exciting to see both of them grow and possibly become studs in an offense that is quickly filling up with receiving talent.

Home/Jacksonville Jaguars News