Do Jaguars have a new John Henderson in Jay Tufele?

Big? Yes. Fast? Checked. Mean? Maybe. Jay Tufele was picked by the Jacksonville Jaguars with the first pick of the fourth round, the 106th overall. Given the lack of defensive production in 2020, there’s no question why the Jags took the USC product. In fact, he was recently named their best value pick. Standing 6’3″ and weighing 305 pounds, he resembles a fan favorite in Duval. It’s fair to wonder why he wasn’t selected sooner.

Tufele stands out at the position, posting a 5.0 second 40-yard-dash, 105-inch broad jump, and 30 reps on the bench press (225 pounds) at his Pro Day workout. During the 24 games he played for the Trojans, he managed to make 64 total tackles, ten of those for a loss.

Add the 6.5 sacks and a scoop-and-score fumble recovery, Tufele is sure to not only make the starting squad, but he stands a chance to become a premier defensive tackle in the NFL.

What stands out the most is his “motor” and ability to shed blocks. He maintains a disruptive presence on the offensive side of the line of scrimmage, as you can see here:

Which former Jaguars player does Jay Tufele resemble?

Big John Henderson!! Tufele may not have the same size (6’7″ tall and 335 pounds) but he certainly has the potential. Henderson played eight seasons for the Jaguars and in that time, he amassed 426 tackles, 58 tackles-for-loss, 29 sacks, and 39 passes defensed. He may be best known for his pre-game hype ritual and is arguably the best defensive tackle to ever boast the Jaguars’ logo.

Remembered fondly by many tenured Jags’ fans, John Henderson was a pivotal part of what was possibly the best defense to ever play in Jacksonville. His legendary stature and physicality created a serious mismatch on the field as he was capable of plowing through offensive linemen and dominating in the backfield.

Could Jay Tufele become that monster that Jacksonville Jaguars fans have been missing for so long? That would be great. As the start of this NFL season inches closer, opposing teams are sure to make note of Tufele’s jersey number (97).

The former Trojan is sure to make a splash in his rookie year and hopefully can become one of Jacksonville’s greatest defensive linemen. Stay tuned next week as we take a peek into the Jaguars’ secondary and pay a little homage to one of the hardest hitters to play the game. The safety position is hardly safe…