Jaguars select K Cam Little with 212th pick: Instant reaction & analysis

The kicker position was low-key an issue for the Jacksonville Jaguars, but they're taking the steps to fix it by selecting Arkansas' Cam Little with the 212th overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Little was the third kicker drafted in 2024, and there seems to be a run at the position in the seventh round. Will Reichard and Joshua Karty heard their name called befor Little. Maybe the Jaguars didn't think they were going to be able to sign Little as an undrafted free agent, so they err on the side of caution and used a draft pick on him.

Before the draft, the Jags had two kickers under contract. Riley Patterson and Joey Slye, who signed a free agent in March. Little will need to compete with both for the kicker job. Then again, the Jags could move on from either Patterson or Slye if they need to give their roster spot to someone else.

Little didn't miss a single extra point attempt in Arkansas, and went 53-of-64 in field goals. On a related note, Little is the youngest kicker ever drafted in the NFL at 20 years old.

What should the Jaguars expect from Cam Little in 2024?

The Jaguars have had a revolving door at kicker the past three years. Last year, they signed Brandon McManus to bring stability but he wasn't able to. He got off to a strong start to the 2023 season but struggled in the season half.

Early in the offseason, the Jags brought back Riley Patterson, their kicker in 2022. However, they moved on from him because he lacks the strength for kickoffs and long field goals. Cam Little don't have such issues. He had a 64 percent completion rate in attempts of 50+ yards during his three-year stint at Arkansas.

While Patterson is a familar face, the Jaguars wouldn't have traded him and brought back McManus to replace him if they were fully confident in him. On the other hand, Sly isn't particularly accurate. That should make Little the early favorite to win the kicker job.

What grade do the Jaguars get for drafting Cam Little?

The Jaguars have made several attempts to solifidy the kicker positoins but they've come up short. If they didn't think Cam Little has a shot to be the long-term answer, they wouldn't have used a draft pick on him.

Grade: A

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