Jaguars’ Derrick Harvey Looking To Bounce Back From Disappointing Rookie Year

Last year at this time, Jacksonville Jaguars’ fans were in a very similar situation as this year.

Believing that the team was possibly one player away from being a Super Bowl contender, the Jaguars traded up in the 2008 NFL draft to select Florida defensive end Derrick Harvey.

After being selected, Harvey wanted big money and proved so by lasting 33 days in a holdout that ended up hurting his entire season.

By the time Harvey finally signed with the team, the Jaguars had already practiced and prepared for the start of the season with other players including Paul Spicer, Reggie Hayward, and Quentin Groves.

Harvey eventually was able to find himself playing more and more minutes in football games, but never played at the high level the Jaguars had expected.

Ending the year on a high note by recording two sacks against the Baltimore Ravens, Harvey is looking to prove this season that he was worth the money.

With one full season behind him and no contract issues for distraction, Harvey could be on his way to a break out season in his second year. 

An absolute monster at the University of Florida, Harvey has plenty to prove and has the talent to do so at the next level.

Harvey will get help on the defensive line opposite of Hayward. With Groves backing them up, the job looks to be Harvey’s to lose.

The Jaguars’ young defense will need players like Harvey to step up at an early point in his career and lead the way in order for this team to shut down offenses. 

Thus far through training camp, it has been reported that the Jaguars defense is looking surprisingly strong and may be more of a force than teams may expect.

With one month left until the start of the regular season, the Jaguars still have plenty of work to get done and chemistry to build.  

Harvey is a small piece in a large puzzle that is coming into the season with drastically lowered expectations compared to a year ago. 

Jacksonville Jaguars: Five Young Players Needing to Step Up this Season

I know, the NFL is a team sport.  Meaning that in order to win, you need to play as a team. However, there are always guys that when they step up, they make the difference in; a game, a season, a chance at the playoffs.

The Jaguars come into this season with a team full of young, inexperienced talent that could make or break their season.

Although it is rather naive to believe that every single rookie or inexperienced player will step up, at least a few need to step up to a higher level in order for this team to succeed.

Instead of listing the obvious players that need to step up (Garrard, Jones-Drew, Holt), the following is a list of the young members of the team that need to have a solid year in order to give this team a chance to get into the playoffs.

5. Terrance Knighton—Knighton comes into his rookie year from Temple.  Obviously not a large school, the question is whether or not Knighton will be able to deal with the talented offensive lines in the NFL.  If Knighton can fill the void currently left alongside John Henderson, then this team’s defensive line should be able to compete on a weekly basis.

4. Rashad Jennings—Another rookie, but a very important one.  Drafted in the seventh round, nobody outside the Jaguars organization believes Jennings could be a big contributor this season.  Jennings’ size and ability make him a great compliment to Maurice Jones-Drew, and could mean a pretty solid running attack.

3. Derek Cox—What? Another rookie?  Well, lets face it, this team is full of young rookies that may see major playing time this season.  Cox, another small school player, is currently being highly regarded as a great steal in the third round.  If Cox can start opposite Rashean Mathis, and possibly move Brian Williams to strong safety, then we may see a much improved defensive backfield.

2. Mike Thomas—The fourth rookie in a row, but the most important of them all.  Thomas comes in looking to grab the third spot on the depth chart at wide receiver.  With rumors circulating that Troy Williamson may be cut, Thomas will be the favorite to step in and play slot receiver.  At 5′8″, Thomas looks to be a poor man’s version of Wes Welker or Steve Smith, and hopefully he can start to play like one of them.  The Jaguars have lacked a strong receiving corps in recent years, and although this one is very young, it may possess the most talent.

1. Mike Walker—Finally a player that has played at least one year in the NFL.  Walker is looking to start the year opposite Torry Holt in a very young group of wide receivers.  Walker showed, very briefly last year, that he does possess some great skill, but is yet to show he can remain healthy and consistent throughout a season.  Drafted in the third round out of UCF a few years ago, the team still rates him very highly and are hoping for a breakout year.

Although those are the top five young players needing to step up, that does not mean that there aren’t other ones who need to as well.  Some of the other young players on this squad that need to fill in big roles include; Derrick Harvey, Quentin Groves, Justin Durant, Eugene Monroe, and Sean Considine.

 

This article and many others written by David Nelson can be found at: www.NFLTouchdown.com

Jacksonville Jaguars: Top Offensive Line In The NFL?

We know the story about last season; A team with so much upside that completely fell apart and finished dead last in their division. 

Lucky for Jaguars fans, there is a new season upon us and we can forget that last year ever happened. 

With so many questions arising about whether or not the Jaguars have a team able to get to the playoffs, my question is, do the Jaguars have the best offensive line in the NFL?

After a quick laugh, I believe that it is fair to take an honest look at the offensive lineman on this team and ask ourselves whether or not there is a team out there with a better offensive line.

We learned last year that it doesn’t matter who you have. If injuries occur (especially more than one) to your offensive line, your team is going to be hurt. In the Jaguars’ case, it hurt incredibly bad.

I can go on and on about the reasons why just the injuries to the offensive line caused the horrible year, but like I said, there is a new season now and that’s what matters.

So lets say that the Jaguars gain back their three main starters they lost for at least a part or all of last season. Those three guys are Vince Manuwai, Maurice Williams, and Brad Meester. Gaining back all three of those players (and hopefully each can play at one hundred percent health) gives the Jaguars three very successful and talented offensive lineman. 

After the return of those three, that leaves us with Tony Pashos from last year’s squad.  Pashos is not the most consistent player, but he gets the job done.

The team released tackle, Khalif Barnes during the offseason who signed a one-year contract with the Oakland Raiders.

Barnes, who was dreadful last season, was quickly replaced by pro-bowler Tra Thomas. 

As a Philadelphia native, I can truly say that Tra Thomas is a beast at the tackle position.  Perhaps age may start taking a toll on Thomas, but nonetheless, he is still a very good starting tackle in the NFL.

So, that leaves us with the current starting five.  That would be Thomas, Manuwai, Meester, Williams, and Pashos. Although that is the current starting five, the true reason that I believe that this could possibly be the best offensive line in the NFL is because of Eugene Monroe. 

Monroe more than likely will find himself stepping in for Tony Pashos at some point in the season. There was no mistake that Monroe was selected in the top 10 in the NFL draft because this kid has so much talent and potential as a long term starter and pro bowler. 

Adding Monroe into this starting lineup leaves the Jaguars with a group where I see absolutely no holes, and a team that will allow Maurice Jones-Drew to run wild against opponents all year long.

Of course, the key to this team playing like they have the best offensive line is assuming that they can stay healthy. Maybe one injury can occur with the depth on this team, but after that, it is very difficult to play like one the best in the league. 

The Jaguars also possess back-ups Eben Britton and Jordan Black. Of course there are more back-ups on the offensive line, but these two definitely come in with the most talent. With any luck, both can sit on the bench and just come in when their name is called. 

Many may read this and laugh a little bit, but I see no reason this offensive line can’t be one of the league’s best. 

Looking back a couple of years ago, it was safe to say they did have a top offensive line. As far as I’m concerned, they only look better now then they did then.

Picking Apart the Jaguars’ Depth Chart

Every new season brings a new team to the football field on Sunday. 

The Jacksonville Jaguars come into the 2009 NFL season with a team that has one, plenty of question marks, and two, plenty of talent.

It isn’t until you look deep into the team and their depth chart that you get an idea of whether or not this team can truly contend with many other teams that have improved considerably during the offseason. It also allows us to see where the holes are.

Breaking down each position and the players listed under each position can help establish whether or not the depth is there, the play-makers are there, and simply whether or not this is truly a “rebuilding” year or a truly decent chance for the playoffs.

 

Quarterback

Starting at quarterback is the well known David Garrard. Coming into this offseason it definitely seemed as though Garrard had absolutely nothing to worry about in terms of holding on to his starting job. Once the draft started to roll around, many people began believing that perhaps Garrard’s time was going to be up soon and the Jaguars would draft Mark Sanchez if he were to still be available at their eighth overall pick. 

The Jaguars really showed no true interest in Sanchez, and the reality is that if he fell to the Jaguars, they would have traded back for extra picks anyways. 

Garrard is the leader of this offense, and he has the arm and character to lead this team back to the playoffs. Shedding over 20 pounds this offseason, Garrard truly wants to show that his age is not a factor and he is just as mobile as he was two years ago.

Garrard’s arm strength and accuracy are not questioned, and the fact of the matter is that Garrard was not given many play-makers last year. This is a team who dropped the most passes in the league last year. With no true back up giving any pressure to stealing his job, Garrard is safe as the starter of the Jaguars and gives this team a chance to win any given week as long as some other weapons show up as well.

Back-ups for the Jaguars include Cleo Lemon and Todd Bouman. Signed in the 2008 offseason, Lemon never really stepped up and showed the talent that the Jaguars believed he may have possessed. Although he doesn’t show starting qualities, he is their back-up behind Garrard currently. 

Recently the Jaguars signed Todd Bouman, who has spent time with the team in the past. Bouman will compete with Lemon for the second spot at quarterback.

Other QB’s (Possible Cuts/Practice Squad): Paul Smith

 

Running Back

Possibly one of the most dangerous players in the league, Maurice Jones-Drew leads a running back staff of very young players. 

Jones-Drew finally becomes the feature back on a team that released their best running back in the team’s short history in Fred Taylor. 

Jones-Drew is a very dangerous threat both running the ball and receiving. Yet to receive a very large workload, the concern is there that he could get burnt out during the season. 

After Maurice Jones-Drew, the Jaguars have a very young and inexperienced staff at running back. 

Although it is hard to tell right now who the true number two running back will be come of the start of the season, signs are pointing to second year runner Chauncey Washington. 

Washington, a seventh round pick in the 2008 NFL draft, showed signs of being a good player in the NFL last year. 

Another seventh round selection, but out of this year’s draft was Liberty running back Rashad Jennings. Jennings may be able to beat out Washington as Jones-Drew’s backup, but he still has a long way to go. Jennings, at 6’1″ and 231 pounds, has great size and speed to compliment Jones-Drew.

Veteran Alvin Pearman is also listed on the team’s roster and may see some action. Pearman has shown more chance to compete for kick returning duties than he has for carries at running back.

 

Full Back

Greg Jones gives this team a hard-nosed full back who has great rushing and receiving skills as well as blocking skills. Jones is entering his sixth season as a Jaguar and may be in for his most productive.

Jones will see a nice increase in both his rushing and receiving plays. 

Behind Jones is Montell Owens. Owens is more of a special team player, but does possess great skill to back up Jones. 

The Jaguars re-signed Owens during the offseason and expect him to contribute at a very high level this year. 

It is safe to say that the Jaguars are in good shape at the fullback position.

Other FB’s (Possible Cuts/Practice Squad): Brock Bolen

 

Wide Receiver

Possibly the weakest position for the Jaguars in year’s past, the Jaguars have a nice number one option in veteran Torry Holt. Holt, 32, brings great experience and talent to this team. Although it may possibly be his last year as a number one receiver, Holt will help this team bounce back from a very poor receiving performance last season.

After Holt is third year receiver Mike Walker. Walker has exceptional talent and great size for a receiver. Walker’s problem so far in the NFL has been his health.  If healthy, Walker can turn into a very dangerous weapon that, teamed up with Holt, could wear down defensive backfields.

Dennis Northcutt was the best receiver on the Jaguars at the end of last season. Northcutt should not be used as an every down receiver,  but is very dangerous in the slot. Northcutt adds some nice depth, but should not be over-used.

Behind Holt, Walker, and Northcutt are rookies Mike Thomas, Jarrett Dillard, and Tiquan Underwood.

All three are blessed with great talent, and each should be some time to prove whether or not they are worthy of being on the field. Hopefully one, or possibly two, can step up and become immediate weapons for the Jaguars. Out of the three of them, I would say that Jarrett Dillard has the best chance of stepping in right away. However, I wouldn’t be surprised to see either of the other two show they can as well.

Lastly, there is Troy Williamson. Williamson will be used for depth and may be able to come in and grab a couple touchdowns throughout the season. 

Other WR’s (Possible Cuts/Practice Squad): Nate Hughes, Jason English, Todd Peterson, D’Juan Woods.

 

Tight End

Still awaiting on a possible star, the Jaguars believe that Marcedes Lewis still has plenty to showcase in the NFL.

A first round pick, Lewis is yet to truly turn into a complete tight end and enters his fourth year as the main tight end receiving threat. 

Behind Lewis is Greg Estandia, Charles Davis, and rookie Zach Miller. Joe Zelenka is also listed as a tight end, but is used mostly for long-snapping duties. 

With Miller being a converted quarterback to tight end, the Jaguars should not expect much if any contribution from him. 

Estandia and Davis offer some decent depth. Davis is known for his blocking, and is not much of a pass catcher. Estandia has a very tall frame that allows to him to go up and get some balls that are difficult for defenders to contend. 

Tight end is not a real strength for the Jaguars, but could be in much worse position.  If Lewis can avoid dropping the ball as much as he has in the past, he could become a top tight end. 

Other TE’s (Possible Cuts/Practice Squad): Tyler Lorenzen

 

Offensive Tackle

The most attacked position this offseason by Jacksonville, the Jaguars are looking very good in terms of depth at tackle. 

After releasing struggling tackle Khalif Barnes, the Jaguars picked up veteran Tra Thomas from Philadelphia. Thomas adds a great deal of experience and could still be a huge factor in the running and passing game. 

The Jaguars then went into the draft and selected one of the best tackles coming out in Eugene Monroe. They then went and drafted Eben Britton in the second round. 

The Jaguars also have returning starter Tony Pashos. Pashos is a good starter, but is not as consistent as the Jaguars may like and could be replaced at some point in the season by Monroe. 

Returning this year also is Jordan Black. Black came from Houston after being released, and saw some time last year when the offensive line was completely mauled by injuries. Black, when healthy, is a good player and adds very nice depth.

With Thomas and Pashos starting, and Monroe, Black, and Britton as back-ups, the Jaguars have great depth and talent at the offensive tackle position.

 

Offensive Guard

Another position that was hurt horribly by injuries last year, the Jaguars are hoping to have their two starters back and with complete health.

Both Maurice Williams and Vince Manuwai are two solid guards when healthy.  Williams, 30, and Manuwai, 28, have plenty of years left in them and need to avoid injuries. 

Backing them up is third year player Uche Nwaneri. Nwaneri saw plenty of time last year trying to help out the void that Williams and Mauwai left needed for filling. Nwaneri showed that he still needs time to develop, but is a good player and can help out if needed.

Other OG’s (Possible Cuts/Practice Squad): Cameron Stephenson

 

Center

Brad Meester is a very good center, but does have injury issues. The Jaguars are counting on Meester to stay healthy as they re-signed him during the offseason and are hoping he can maintain playing at a high level.

Meester, 32, does supply the Jaguars with a great center and leader. 

Backing up Meester is Drew Miller.  Miller is a decent player that still has a lot of developing to do in order to become a starter.

Without Meester in their lineup, the Jaguars will hurt at center until someone proves that they can step in.

Other C’s (Possible Cuts/Practice Squad): Cecil Newton

 

Defensive End

Hoping that the the draft choices pan out from last year, the Jaguars have some very young players at end. 

Derrick Harvey and Quentin Groves, the first and second round choices from the 2008 NFL draft, need to step up big time in order to give this defense the boost it will need. 

Harvey showed some signed at the end of the year last year that he was worthy of a first round pick, but never showed that he was worthy of being selected in the top ten. 

Groves played a little better than Harvey, and gives this team a great pass rusher who can hopefully can his game to a new level this year.

Veteran Reggie Hayward will most likely start alongside Derrick Harvey and, if healthy, can help get to the quarterback. Hayward has shown in previous years that he is a great player. With age catching up to him, it will be a matter of time before he loses out to Groves or Bruce.

Mkristo Bruce is a relatively unknown player on the squad, but has great speed and instincts that could help out the defensive line. He didn’t get to see too much time last year, but with Spicer now gone, Bruce has a chance to step in and compete for playing time.

Some more depth is provided by Jeremy Mincey and James Wyche. Both Mincey and Wyche are decent defensive ends who can help out if needed. 

Other DE’s (Possible Cuts/Practice Squad): Jeremy Navarre, Julius Williams.

 

Defensive Tackle

Led by big John Henderson, the Jaguars have one of the biggest and best defensive tackles in the NFL. 

Henderson has been a beast ever since entering the league, and when teamed up with former teammate Marcus Stroud, showed that it was awfully tough for opponents to pound up the middle with the running game.

Joining Henderson in the middle is Rob Meier.  Meier was moved into the starting lineup last year after Stroud was traded to Buffalo. Meier showed that he just wasn’t quite the player that Stroud was. 

The Jaguars rush defense finished 13th best in the league last year, but without Stroud, it was hard for the Jaguars to get to the quarterback and create sack opportunities.

The Jaguars drafted defensive tackle Terrance Knighton from Temple, and are hoping he can develop into a great player. He may be able to provide some depth this year, but more than likely will not be able to help out as much as the team may need.

Derek Landri saw some time last year and gives this team a nice back-up.  Landri believes that he could become an every-down player, but still has work to do to get there.

Other DT’s (Possible Cuts/Practice Squad): Atiyyah Ellison, Nader Abdallah, George Hypolite, Jonathan Lewis.

 

Linebacker

Releasing their most well-known linebacker, Mike Peterson, the Jaguars move on with a very young squad of talented linebackers.

Daryl Smith will take over at middle linebacker, and should do just as good if not better or a job than Peterson did. Smith is a very fine outside linebacker, but saw some time at interior linebacker and did a good job as well.

Outside linebackers Justin Durant and Clint Ingram have plenty of challenges coming their way. Durant is looking to turn into a great player this year, and will see his first full year of starting if he stays healthy.

Ingram is the question mark out of the three. He is inconsistent in his play, and will be moved out of the starting spot if he cannot compete week in and week out. 

Backing up the starting three is Tim Shaw, Thomas Williams, and Brian Iwuh. 

Both Williams and Shaw joined the team last year.  Williams still has plenty of developing to do, and is more of a special teams player.  Iwuh is the best back up out of the three and will see the most time.

Shaw intrigues me as he has amazing speed for a linebacker, but is doesn’t have all the tools a starting linebacker needs.

Other LB’s (Possible Cuts/Practice Squad): Lamar Myles, Russell Allen, Johnny Williams.

 

Cornerback

Led by star cornerback Rashean Mathis, the Jaguars are in need of help in their defensive backfield.

Mathis is a great cornerback, and does give this team a star at the position. 

Brian Williams in an inconsistent cornerback who gets moved from cornerback to strong safety.

Behind Mathis and Williams is Scott Starks, Brian Witherspoon, William James, and rookie Derek Cox.

Starks does a good job for depth, but is not a great cornerback and does get beat quite a bit by receivers. Witherspoon is one of the fastest guys I have ever seen, but still needs to translate that to the game of football. James was added last year for depth and struggled throughout the season, I was surprised the Jaguars held on to him. Cox may be able to step up and help this team out, but he is a rookie and probably won’t see the field too much in his first season. 

The Jaguars defense ranked 24th in passing yards and are in a division with two good quarterbacks and one absolutely amazing one. The Jaguars need to improved their defensive backfield if they want any chance of being able to stay in games.

Other CB’s (Possible Cuts/Practice Squad): Weldon Brown, Mesphin Forrester, Pete Ittersagen

 

Safety

With Reggie Nelson at free safety, the Jaguars look to be alright if he can play to his potential. 

Nelson went into last season looking to turn into one of the league’s best, but unfortunately he backtracked and now looks to rebound.

At strong safety the Jaguars currently look to have Sean Considine starting. An offseason signing from the Eagles, Considine brings a decent skill set to a team in need of a lot of help.

I don’t see Considine holding onto the job the entire season, but the question is who is left to replace him?

The Jaguars currently have rookies Kevin Patterson, and Michael Desormeaux on their roster but it is unclear if they will be the back-ups to the starters. 

Williams James and Brian Williams did see time at safety last season and could factor in again this year if we do not see the Jaguars sign anybody else. 

There are plenty of question marks in the Jaguars’ defensive backfield, and they need to be addressed before the start of the season. Quarterbacks such as Peyton Manning and Tom Brady have completely destroyed this team’s backfield’s before, and unless they want to go through that again, there is a need for improvement at cornerback and safety this year.

 

Kicker

Kicker Josh Scobee is a good kicker in the NFL and has shown that although he will not hit every field goal, he is a reliable kicker.

 

Punter

After getting injured last year, Adam Podlesh returns to the Jaguars but the question is whether or not he will be the starter. 

Steve Weatherford came in and did a much better job the rest of the season compared to what Podlesh was able to do and may have won the job. 

 

With just a few months left before the start of the pre-season, the Jaguars may have a couple more moves to make. As we get closer, we will see if there will be any big changes in terms of the depth chart.

 

 

Jacksonville Jaguars: Meeting the Unknown Rookie, Derek Cox

In the third round of the 2009 NFL draft, the Jacksonville Jaguars used their first, and at the time, only pick in the round on Temple’s defensive tackle Terrance Knighton.

Surprising all Jaguars’ fans, the Jaguars wasted no time and traded for the very next selection in the draft.

Trading their 2010 second round pick and one of this year’s seventh round picks to the Patriots, they received the ninth overall selection in the third round, or the 73rd overall selection in the draft.

Jaguars fans believed that perhaps the team had a relatively big name player in mind, like Alabama running back Glen Coffee or North Carolina wide receiver Brandon Tate. There must have been a big name guy that the Jaguars could not let slip any further.

When the pick selection was called, a name came out that nobody was familiar with. That name was Derek Cox, a cornerback out of William and Mary.

Even Mel Kiper Jr. wasn’t sure what to say about Cox, a guy whose life is devoted to finding out the next big player in the NFL.

Cox, a 6’1″, 180 pound cornerback, is a small-school prospect who seemed to have heavily impressed the Jaguars’ scouts. 

With plenty on his plate, I believe this would be a great time to get inside of Cox’s head and see how he feels about his upcoming career in the NFL.

 

Interview

Question 1: Derek, first off, congratulations on being selected in the NFL draft.  How shocked were you to hear your name in the third round, especially right after the Jaguars gave up a second round pick in next years draft?

Question 2: It’s obvious that the Jaguars see something in you that either other scouts didn’t notice or perhaps didn’t even get to see themselves. What is it that you believe the Jaguars saw in you that made them select you over bigger name cornerbacks that have played against harder competition?

Question 3: The Jacksonville Jaguars are one of many teams that need help right away in their secondary. Do you believe that you will be able to come in right away and help them? 

Question 4: There has only been one Williams and Mary player selected higher than you in the draft, a well known safety named Darren Sharper (selected in the second round in 1997). Do you see any similarities in your skills compared to his? Sharper went on to become a very good safety in this league, do you believe that you can become a very good cornerback?

Question 5: There is no doubt that you did a wonderful job in college; however, what do you believe that you need to do/improve in order to get ready to play against wide receivers such as Andre Johnson, Reggie Wayne, and Larry Fitzgerald?

Question 6: Are you excited to play in Jacksonville? Is this a team that you can see yourself playing for your whole career?

Question 7: You have a great quarterback, a great running back, and many other very good players on this Jaguars team. Where do you think this team needs improvement in order to reach the playoffs and possibly Super Bowl?

Question 8: You returned a lot of kicks in college, and did a very successful job.  It is obvious that the Jaguars did not select you and give up a future second round pick for a kick returner. However, do you believe that you would be able to handle both kick returning duties and playing cornerback at a high level in the NFL?

Question 9: According to the Richmond Times-Dispatch, you were able to get ready for your pro day at William and Mary by working out at Elkin Sports Performance. It was at this pro day that the Jaguars’ scouts noticed you. What was it about the facilities that were able to get you ready for the NFL?

Question 10: Derek, it’s obvious you have the skill set for the NFL. What cornerback, past or present, would you compare your skill set to?

 

Thank you very much for your time Derek, and I wish you nothing but great success at the next level. I hope that you can show all the people that do not agree with the Jaguars choice to select you they are wrong. Good luck in the NFL, I look forward to interviewing you again.

Jacksonville Jaguars: Offseason, Part Two

Finally, the draft has come and gone, and we now get a look at the team heading into next season.

Apart from the necessary cuts that will be made to get down to the correct roster size, it’s fair to say that we have a very good idea of what the Jaguars roster will look like come September.

Since part one of this article series, the Jaguars have added two veteran players, and conducted the 2009 NFL draft.

The additions of left tackle Tra Thomas and wide receiver Torry Holt supply this team with two very well known veterans with plenty left in their tank.

Thomas, a former Eagle, is possibly one of the best tackles in Eagles’ history, and adds significant depth and experience at the tackle position.

Holt, a former Ram, is one of the best wide receivers to have played in the last decade.  Holt has plenty to bring to this team, as a huge reason for his disappointing season last year was due to the Rams’ quarterback issues.

Both Holt and Thomas are almost at the end of their football careers, but definitely have at least one or two more seasons to make very credible impacts.

After the addition of these two studs, the Jaguars went into the draft with one position in mind: offensive tackle.

Grabbing two very solid tackles in the first two rounds, Eugene Monroe and Eben Britton, the Jaguars may have solidified their tackle positions for the next five to ten years. 

In the first round, Eugene Monroe was not much of a surprise.  Even with Michael Crabtree on the board, Monroe was possibly the best pure tackle in the draft, and after last year’s season was ruined by injuries to the offensive line, it made sense to draft Monroe.

Britton is a guy whom I believe that the Jaguars saw going in the late first round, and to see him in round two made it an easy decision.  Britton has some issues compared to Monroe, but he has the athletic ability and mindset to become a starter in this league.

The third round may have been the most confusing round in the Jaguars draft.  After drafting defensive tackle Terrance Knighton with their third round pick, the Jaguars traded for the very next pick by giving the Patriots their 2010 second round pick.

With the next pick in the third round, the Jaguars selected cornerback Derek Cox out of William and Mary. 

Cox was a relatively unheard of player whom Mel Kiper Jr. said was a complete reach by the Jaguars in the third round. 

Later reports indicted that other teams did have an interest in Cox, and it is obvious that the Jaguars did not want to take the chance that he may not be available in the fourth round. 

These are two relatively unknown players out of small schools in the third round, but they may end up being huge contributors to the Jaguars.  Knighton was the last big defensive tackle on the board, and he brings great depth to the position

Cox adds depth to a defensive backfield in need of help.  Running a 4.39 40-yard dash, Cox has the speed. It is now just a matter of whether or not he can compete in the NFL.

The Jaguars went through three rounds, selected four players, and none of them were wide receivers.  Possibly the most pressing need entering the draft, it was only a matter of time before Jacksonville grabbed a wide out.

In the fourth round, the Jaguars selected wide receiver Mike Thomas out of Arizona. This guy may be undersized at 5’8″, but he is a poor man’s version of Steve Smith.

Thomas finished his career as the Pac-10’s all-time receptions leader, and is not coming into the NFL without plenty of action in college.

The Jaguars decided to attack the wide receiver position in the next round, and selected Rice’s Jarrett Dillard in the fifth round. 

Dillard is another very accomplished receiver whom the Jaguars seemed to like.  Both Dillard and Thomas add two great young receivers that will see time on a receiving corps looking for weapons.

A couple of weeks ago, this team’s wide receiving corps was looking very weak, and after the addition of Torry Holt, Mike Thomas, and Jarrett Dillard, this team has a group that can go out and become the weapons that Garrard needs.

In the sixth round, the Jaguars selected QB/TE Zach Miller out of Nebraska-Omaha.  Miller played quarterback in college, but at 6’4″ and 240 pounds, Miller will be used as a tight end in the NFL.

Miller is a developmental player, but could end up being a great pick in the sixth round as he is gifted with tremendous athletic ability.

The final round brought two draft selections. The Jaguars first selected Liberty running back Rashad Jennings. Jennings may be a steal in the seventh round. He has great speed, and adds a great back to the position.  Jennings may be able to beat out Chauncey Washington as the second back to Maurice Jones-Drew.

The last pick of the draft for the Jaguars was another wide receiver, Tiquan Underwood out of Rutgers.

Underwood is a very fast player, and, if he makes the team, then he has the potential to become a special player. 

The Jaguars had a great 2009 NFL draft.  I believe that the only negative that anybody has to say about the team is their third round selections; however, many will be surprised by these two small school players.

Don’t be surprised if both Cox and Knighton have an immediate impact in 2009-2010.

The Jaguars have done a wonderful job this offseason. They have restored vigor to a dead team.

Jimmy Smith: Famous Ex-Jaguar Arrested

Another Jacksonville Jaguar has been arrested due to drug possession.  This time it is an ex-jaguar and the best wide receiver in the franchise’s history.

Jimmy Smith was arrested on Wednesday afternoon after being pulled over in Jacksonville, Florida.

Officers found both crack cocaine and marijuana in the ex-NFL star’s car.  Smith was also driving with a suspended license. 

This should not come as too much of a shocker, as Smith has been in trouble with cocaine in his past. 

In 2001, Smith was found to have had cocaine in his system after being arrested for drunken driving. 

Another class-act Jacksonville Jaguar, Smith joins countless other Jaguars who have been caught with drugs in the past.

This is another reason why one of the Jaguars’ main goals this year is to be a good team on and off the field.

Coach Jack Del Rio mentioned many times at the team’s logo and uniform unveiling yesterday that he wants a team that consists of “good human beings.” 

With Smith being a face of the franchise, the negativity of this story only links more negativity to the organization.

With plenty of talented prospects in this year’s draft class, don’t be surprised if the Jaguars pass on some of the more talented players just because of off-the-field issues.

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