The Jacksonville Jaguars are coming off one of their most successful seasons in a while, finishing 13-4 and winning the AFC South title. Now, they'll need to defend their division championship, something that won't be easy when you take into account that the Houston Texans and the Indianapolis Colts got better in the offseason.
The good news is that the Jags also made several moves to address the larger scale roster in the NFL Draft. Of course, it could also help if a handful of unsung players take the next step. In fact, a couple of them will have a chance to build their stock at the team's Organized Team Activities.
Wyatt Milum and Danny Striggow could make noise at Jaguars OTAs
John Shipley of Sports Illustrated held a mailbag ahead of Organized Team Activities and said that he expects Danny Striggow and Wyatt Milum, among other players, to rise, pointing out that both of them are poised to have bigger roles next season.
"Danny Striggow, Ventrell Miller, Bhayshlu Tuten, and Wyatt Milum," Shipley wrote. "I think all four of these players are set to be more important this year than last season. Miller should start, Tuten's role should expand significantly, Striggow is my lead favorite to be DE3, and Wyatt Milum has starter potential at guard."
All things considered, it's not particularly shocking to see Ventrell Miller and Bhayshul Tuten be mentioned. After all, they're expected to replace Devin Lloyd and Travis Etienne, respectively. Moreover, Coen has heaped massive praise on both of them.
Coen said that the coaching staff hasn't fully taken advantage of Tuten's skill set. On the other hand, he showed confidence in Miller when he stated that the fourth-year linebacker should feel good about the team not bringing in anyone else to compete for the starting job next to Foyesade Oluokun.
Either way, it stands out to see Shipley mention Striggow and Milum as risers ahead of the offseason. Not because they're not good players, but rather because they're somewhat flying under the radar ahead of Organized Team Activities.
Why Danny Striggow and Wyatt Milum could turn heads at Jaguars OTAs
Danny Striggow made the 53-man roster as an undrafted free agent last year. He didn't get much playing time early on but seemingly passed Emmanuel Ogbah and Dawuane Smoot on the depth chart to finish the season. With both of them gone, the Minnesota Golden Gopher is poised to make a leap in his sophomore campaign. Having said that, Striggow will once again have to earn a role.
The Jaguars drafted Wesley Williams and Zach Durfee in Rounds 4 and 7 in April. Striggow will need to fend off both of them. The good news is that he might have a leg up by virtue of having more experience than his rookie counterparts.
On the other hand, Wyatt Milum is virtually an unproven commodity after missing time with a knee injury in his rookie season. Then again, he also made a strong impression in training camp and was seemingly trending toward earning a featured role before he got hurt in the preseason.
The former West Virginia Mountaineer will have a chance to pick up and compete with rookie guard Emmanuel Pregnon for the top backup job on the interior offensive line or even a starting role at one of the guard spots.
The botton line is that Danny Striggow and Wyatt Milum and a pair of sleepers who'll get a prime opportunity to boost their respective stock when the Jaguars hold Organized Team Activities in late May.
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