5 Jaguars who are already turning heads at OTAs

DE Myles Cole is turning heads at Jaguars OTAs

Late-round draft picks don't tend to garner plenty of attention but defensive end Myles Coles has gotten the spotlight often in recent weeks. While his production at Texas Tech didn't pop off the stat sheet, his physical traits have made him the talk of the town. Specifically, his arm length of 36.88 inches stands out.

But his impressive athletic measurables aren't the only reason Cole has dropped jaws in OTAs. Defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen has been pleased with the work the Louisiana native has put in.

"When you grind the tape on him, he's made some plays," Nielsen told the media on the first day of OTAs. "You gotta grind through it a little bit and find out, but we're excited about him. The measurables and things like that. But what he was doing on this tape is very similar to the type of the defensive end position that we like."

"When you take those measurables and some of the things on the tape... Yep, he's a young guy that has to learn, just like all rookies, but we're excited about his growth. He's been good in terms of putting the extra time in. He's done a good job of being in the right spot on the field," Nielsen said.

Cole has a long way to go before he can contribute, but the Jaguars should be thrilled about his potential, especially when you consider that their pass rush could use a boost. Maybe Myles can provide it.

OL Cooper Hodges is turning heads in Jaguars OTAs

Cooper Hodges was working his way up the depth chart last year when a patella injury ended his rookie season before it even started. After months of recovery, Hodges, along with his Tugboat Tumble, is back in the fold and ready to pick up where he left off last year.

In his own words, Hodges couldn't wait to return to the football field, as this was the longest he had been away since he was five or six. But even though he missed the 2023 season, he was busy rehabbing after undergoing knee surgery. He says that being back makes it all worth it.

"I was going to try to come back and ended up needing surgery," Hodges told the media during OTAs. "The whole first part, you're thinking all right, am I not going to have surgery? Am I ready to do this? You get to know your body, that kind of thing. But that mental part of getting past that and preparing yourself to play again, it's a tough battle. But at the end of the day, it's worth it being out here again."

Barring injuries to the starters, Hodges won't get much playing time in 2024 but that won't stop him from improving as much as he can. Getting back on the field was a first huge step.