Jaguars RB Snoop Conner seen as potential contributor from Day 1

The Jacksonville Jaguars used five of their seven picks in the 2022 NFL Draft on the defensive side of the ball and allocated the remaining two to Kentucky center Luke Fortner and Ole Miss running back Snoop Conner. It’s too early to tell how much playing time Fortner and Conner will get this year but the latter has garnered rave reviews.

Chris Trapasso of CBS Sports recently talked about Day 3 picks that could have an immediate impact and Connor’s name came up in the discussion. Trapasso sees the former Rebel as a fit in Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson’s system.

"Conner is a ready-to-go punisher who plays significantly more explosively than his 29 1/2-inch vertical would indicate. He’s a slashing, one-cut type tailor-made for Doug Pederson’s system. And he only totaled 304 carries in college. He doesn’t necessarily seek out contact but delivers a thumping pop on contact and there’s some wiggle to his game."

Trapasso acknowledges the presence of James Robinson and Travis Etienne in Jacksonville but points out that Pederson was a major running-back committee advocate during his tenure with the Philadelphia Eagles. This could in turn favor Conner, who could get a significant workload even though Etienne will tentatively be the starter.

Other Day 3 picks Trapasso mentions are running back Isaiah Spiller (Round 3, No. 123), wide receiver Romeo Doubs (Round 4, No. 132), tight end Charlie Kolar (Round 4, No. 128), edge Tyreke Smith (Round 5, No. 128) and defensive tackle Perrion Winfrey (Round 4, No. 108).

Jaguars RB Snoop Conner will face competition to earn playing time.

This isn’t the first time Trapasso speaks glowingly about Conner. He’s previously named him the Jaguars’ best pick in this year’s draft. While this may be a bit of a hyperbole, it was certainly a good pickup when you take into account that James Robinson and Travis Etienne are coming off season-ending injuries. The team’s brass needed to add depth in the draft and that’s when they did when they took Conner on Day 3.

Having said that, it’s not a given that Conner will be RB2 behind Etienne. The Ole Miss product might need to fend off Ryquell Armstead, who missed the 2020 season after getting COVID-19 but was productive once he returned to the field.

Don’t be surprised if Armstead gives Conner a tough time in training camp and earns a higher spot on the depth. In fact, this could be one of the most interesting camp battles.

If Pederson indeed uses a running back committee, Conner will see the field. How much will depend on how he performs in training camp.