The Jacksonville Jaguars draft brought a smile to my face
By Kathy Clark
The Jacksonville Jaguars front office did what they set out to do during the NFL. And in the process, gave fans and those who cover the team something to think about for this coming season.
The Jacksonville Jaguars draft made sense. The team needed a variety of players to fill the holes in the roster and the front office achieved its goal.
The Jaguars looked at a roster with a badly depleted defense and a very pedestrian offense. How did this happen? The reasons are well documented so it’s time to move forward and to repair the roster and look to the future. This draft began the process of building a competitive team. I like this draft for five reasons.
The Jaguars drafted players in a variety of positions
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This eclectic draft chose players at the following positions: One cornerback, one edge rusher, one linebacker, one safety, one offensive lineman, one defensive tackle, two wide receivers, one quarterback, and one tight end. The only position not chosen was a running back. I had hoped for more on the offensive line but this diversity adds depth to virtually every position.
The Jaguars are rebuilding their depleted defense
The Jacksonville Jaguars defense took them to the AFC Championship in 2017 and played well in 2018 but losses and personality differences left the 2019 group void of talent. It was time to fill some holes and general manager Dave Caldwell did his best to accomplish this.
C.J. Henderson, K’Lavon Chaisson, DaVon Hamilton, Shaquille Quarterman, and Josiah Scott we’re chosen in the first four rounds of the draft. The first four rounds produce most of the NFL starters. All are potential starters on defense.
The Jaguars may move to a 3-4 defense
Todd Wash is a proponent of the 4-3 defense but the exciting edge/linebackers (Josh Allen and Chaisson) and the choice of nose tackle DaVon Hamilton a pocket pusher may change the defensive philosophy. Also, it could make the defense more diverse by allowing both a 3-4 or a 4-3 depending on circumstances.
Wash needs to become more creative and embrace change and this draft points him in the right direction.
Emphasis on character and work ethic was apparent
The Jaguars have had issues with sleeping during meetings, players making comments in the media, drug and alcohol abuse and other behavioral issues. This has hurt the team and caused negative publicity.
The draft choices made it obvious that the team wants to build a different kind of vibe. Henderson lets his play on the field speak for him and is known to be a man of few words. Chaisson is known for his high character. Quarterman never missed a snap in four years.
There were no head-scratcher picks
The past several years have produced some draft choices that left fans wondering “What are they thinking?” No names will be mentioned but… the Jaguars reached for a quarterback with poor mechanics and a defensive lineman who relied on his athleticism and had poor skills.
No one in the NFL can pick perfectly every time but this draft makes sense. There were no surprises and with the state of the Jacksonville Jaguars roster. That was a good thing, The only possible question could be the lack of offensive picks.
The draft is in the books and now we look ahead. Remember that only 60 percent of first-round draft choices are successful in the NFL and even less in the lower rounds.
The draft is in many ways a guessing game. I hope Caldwell and his brain trust guessed right
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