Jaguars LB Joe Schobert poised to earn second Pro Bowl nod

Linebacker Joe Schober is poised to earn his first Pro Bowl designation as a member of the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2021.

It will be exciting to see how many games the Jaguars will win in head coach Urban Meyer’s first season as the head coach. It will be equally interesting how their rebuilt roster fares after undergoing a makeover this offseason. The team could still make fortify a few position groups but one they shouldn’t worry about is their linebacker corps, which is led by Myles Jack and Joe Schobert.

Schobert is entering his second season in Jacksonville. In 2020, he appeared in all 16 games, and 141 total tackles, six tackles for a loss, four passes defensed, 2.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, and three interceptions. Although he will have a new defensive coordinator in 2021, it wouldn’t be shocking to see him earn his second Pro Bowl designation.

Last season, Schobert was one of the few playmakers the Jags had on defense. Nevertheless, the team was able to win just one game, so his performance was overlooked. If Jacksonville earns a few more victories and the linebacker plays once again at a high level, he should earn a Pro Bowl nod.

Things are changing in Jacksonville but Joe Schobert keeps working hard.

Schobert recently had a sitdown with the local media. He touched on some of the changes the new regime has made and the upcoming season, among other things. The linebacker says that when he came into the NFL, being in the training room could have been seen as a sign of weakness. However, Meyer and the new coaching staff have made sure players use every single resource they have at their disposal. The 2016 fourth-round pick says the staff won’t look down at you for getting treatment.

Later in the conversation, Schobert mentioned he’s been working out this offseason. He says he’s been spending time with head strength and conditioning coach Anthony Schlegel. The Wisconsin product says the energy in the weight room is infectious and “once you get in, it’s pretty hard not to work hard”. He says that having Schlegel makes it difficult not to get quality training.

Joe Schobert can help the Jacksonville Jaguars turn things around in 2021.

Meyer recently appeared on The Rich Eisen podcast and noted that it wouldn’t be fair to say the team is starting from scratch. He went on to say that there is a good core in place and Schobert is one of those players who will have a key role in the Jaguars’ effort to turn things around. He will have to learn his fifth defensive scheme in six years but he says that comes with playing in the NFL.

Schobert says that once he nails the new defense, it’s difficult to remember anything about the old one. He says that it would be great to have the same playbook for the second consecutive year but he doesn’t think much of it. Even though he will be learning his second defensive system in Jacksonville, he should have no trouble thriving. As he pointed out in his conversation with the media, he’s played 3-4 and 4-3 alignments throughout his career. Other than verbiage, he’s a seasoned veteran that has shown he can thrive in different systems.

The Jaguars have added several new contributors this offseason but they will also depend on their veteran core to continue playing at a high level. Schobert will be among those leading the way.