Howards very raw as a receiver but is already pretty class at blocking.


Those expecting him to be a good receiver and put up big stats in year 1 will be sorely mistaken. Has great potential but ain't a finished product by any means.

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At this point, this team can't pass up on a prospect that has "game-changing" capability, regardless if they play offense or defense.

 

Positional value aside, Howard has that ability. Why Alabama didn't utilize him more as a receiver is the question. But he looked great at the Senior Bowl and even better at the combine.

 

He's a 6'6 250 lb TE who ran as fast as Fournette, and has receiver-like ability.

 

I did a thread before talking about "fit" and how the Jaguars best asset on offense are its three WRs but seemingly our focus is on running the football. I talked about how the best way to get those three WRs on the field while still running the football is by having a TE/HBack who can do it all.

 

Howard is that.

 

And for the weird uses that Bama had for him, they did use him in that role, often running some wheel route and using his athleticism to gain big chunks of yardage.

 

When you factor that into Tom and Dave being HEAVY needs drafters, I think OJ makes sense.

So if Allen or Thomas are sitting there at 4, you're willing to pass on them for a TE?

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But your basing this on filling a need at TE right now. The draft is for the future. Campbell is an old veteran and you can't really rely on Yannick and Fowler.


Adding Thomas or Allen gives you more depth at getting to the QB which is always needed in the NFL. Which scenario do you like more:


1. Thomas/Allen

2. Njoku/Engram


or


1. Howard

2. Charles Harris or someone

In that scenario I'd go with the first one but in the second round there will be plenty of guys available that would away me.

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Coughlin when asked if winning will be a focus: "What the hell else is there? This is nice and dandy, but winning is what all this is about."

OJ Howard is in the same boat as guys like Derek Barnett, McCaffrey, Cook, Lamp, Trubisky, Peppers and Ramczyk ... that is, he's suddenly in the conversation IF we trade down. ...or up from round two.

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'02

So if Allen or Thomas are sitting there at 4, you're willing to pass on them for a TE?

 

I love Allen, but I'm not privy to his medical charts. If the shoulder does have issues, and the team decides its enough of an issue, I'd understand them passing on it.

 

Thomas I like more as a 3T than a DE, but I do like his potential.

 

OJ has tantalizing talent. But like I said, a guy that talented, why wasn't he used more at Alabama as a receiver? We're talking about one of the best programs in college with NFL level coaches. That doesn't just happen for no reason.

 

But as I said, Tom and DC are HEAVY needs drafters. Ignoring positional value...there is not a single position in our team right now (especially with the FA signings) that is as big a need as TE.

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Hell, if we're going to reach this hard for someone at #4, then reach for Lamp.

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'02

Don't need to draft tightends. They can be found in basketball, then developed.

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there is not a single position in our team right now (especially with the FA signings) that is as big a need as TE.

 

 

LG is a far greater need than TE for this team.


 

Rotational DLs for Campbell, Malik Jackson and Abry Jones are also a huge need that you could easily argue is just as big of a need. We really need somebody behind all three. Solomon Thomas would be a great guy to rotate with Campbell. Jonathan Allen would be an ideal guy to rotate with Malik Jackson. ...and Caleb Brantley out of Florida as the 2nd round pick would be awesome in a rotation with Abry Jones ...but not over Dion Dawkins as a 2nd round pick because LG is by far this team's single greatest need with the only possible exception being QB ...but that's a more murky situation.

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'02

I tend to think that as the draft gets closer, Howard will be considered a lock for the top 10 and won't be considered absurd that he goes in the top 5.

 

In terms of height, weight and athleticism. He is an elite prospect.

I still see him around #12-#15 personally.  I'd take Allen if he's still on the board instead of Howard, but as I said earlier, I could get behind it. 

 

I'd like to think we'll have better value on the board at #4 and take a TE in round 4 or 5. 

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LG is a far greater need than TE for this team.


 

Rotational DLs for Campbell, Malik Jackson and Abry Jones are also a huge need that you could easily argue is just as big of a need. We really need somebody behind all three. Solomon Thomas would be a great guy to rotate with Campbell. Jonathan Allen would be an ideal guy to rotate with Malik Jackson. ...and Caleb Brantley out of Florida as the 2nd round pick would be awesome in a rotation with Abry Jones ...but not over Dion Dawkins as a 2nd round pick because LG is by far this team's single greatest need with the only possible exception being QB ...but that's a more murky situation.

 

I did mention this on the other thread, but not in this one. 

 

There's just not a LG worth taking that high. Whereas Howard can at least be justified.

 

Like I said...game-changers.

 

Allen can be that. Thomas can be that. Howard can be that.

 

Lamp? No.

 

By the way, Prisco just mocked us trading down with the Browns for Howard.

 

First McShay, then Prisco.

 

This Howard train is about to take off folks.

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Simply put...


<p style="margin-left:40px;"> 

<p style="margin-left:40px;">Lamp > Howard


 

If you can't justify Lamp, then you sure can't justify Howard.

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'02

Simply put...


<p style="margin-left:40px;"> 

<p style="margin-left:40px;">Lamp > Howard


 

If you can't justify Lamp, then you sure can't justify Howard.

Howard can score Touchdowns.

 

Touchdowns > pancakes...

 

unless you mean breakfast.

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I'd love to finally have a prominent TE on the team.  But he'd have to be a hall of fame once in a decade type of player to warrant taking a TE as a top 5 pick.  He could be a bust even if he's a good tight end.  I know it's more than production, but TEs just don't make a big enough impact on the team in general.   
 
Top 10 receiving TEs for 2016:     
 
RK  PLAYER                  TEAM    REC TAR YDS      AVG    TD  LONG    20+ YDS/G   FUM YAC 1DN

12  Travis Kelce, TE        KC      85  117 1,125   13.2    4   80      14  70.3    0   655 55

16  Greg Olsen, TE          CAR     80  127 1,073   13.4    3   78      14  67.1    0   367 54

33  Jimmy Graham, TE        SEA     65  95  923     14.2    6   42      10  57.7    2   337 45

43  Kyle Rudolph, TE        MIN     83  132 840     10.1    7   44      11  52.5    0   318 50

46  Zach Ertz, TE           PHI     78  106 816     10.5    4   30      9   58.3    0   205 42

49  Delanie Walker, TE      TEN     65  102 800     12.3    7   47      13  53.3    1   270 35

55  Dennis Pitta, TE        BAL     86  119 729      8.5    2   30      4   45.6    1   264 37

57  Eric Ebron, TE          DET     61  86  711     11.7    1   61      9   54.7    0   243 37

58  Martellus Bennett, TE   NE      55  73  701     12.7    7   58      10  43.8    0   406 31

59  Jordan Reed, TE         WSH     66  87  686     10.4    6   33      9   57.2    1   247 4

 
Even if he got Kelce numbers, it's still probably a questionable pick considering where the top 10 have actually been drafted:
 
Kelce (3rd round), Olson (1st round #31), Graham (3rd round), Rudolf (2nd round), Ertz (2nd round), Walker (6th round), Pitta (4th round), Ebron (round 1 #10), Bennet (2nd round), Reed (3rd round).

 
It's not very efficient drafting even if he's a good TE.  He could even be the top TE a particular year and it's still a bit questionable.   
 
 

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<div>I'd love to finally have a prominent TE on the team.  But he'd have to be a hall of fame once in a decade type of player to warrant taking a TE as a top 5 pick.  He could be a bust even if he's a good tight end.  I know it's more than production, but TEs just don't make a big enough impact on the team in general.   
 
Top 10 receiving TEs for 2016:     
 
RK  PLAYER                  TEAM    REC TAR YDS      AVG    TD  LONG    20+ YDS/G   FUM YAC 1DN

12  Travis Kelce, TE        KC      85  117 1,125   13.2    4   80      14  70.3    0   655 55

16  Greg Olsen, TE          CAR     80  127 1,073   13.4    3   78      14  67.1    0   367 54

33  Jimmy Graham, TE        SEA     65  95  923     14.2    6   42      10  57.7    2   337 45

43  Kyle Rudolph, TE        MIN     83  132 840     10.1    7   44      11  52.5    0   318 50

46  Zach Ertz, TE           PHI     78  106 816     10.5    4   30      9   58.3    0   205 42

49  Delanie Walker, TE      TEN     65  102 800     12.3    7   47      13  53.3    1   270 35

55  Dennis Pitta, TE        BAL     86  119 729      8.5    2   30      4   45.6    1   264 37

57  Eric Ebron, TE          DET     61  86  711     11.7    1   61      9   54.7    0   243 37

58  Martellus Bennett, TE   NE      55  73  701     12.7    7   58      10  43.8    0   406 31

59  Jordan Reed, TE         WSH     66  87  686     10.4    6   33      9   57.2    1   247 4

 
Even if he got Kelce numbers, it's still probably a questionable pick considering where the top 10 have actually been drafted:
 
Kelce (3rd round), Olson (1st round #31), Graham (3rd round), Rudolf (2nd round), Ertz (2nd round), Walker (6th round), Pitta (4th round), Ebron (round 1 #10), Bennet (2nd round), Reed (3rd round).

 
It's not very efficient drafting even if he's a good TE.  He could even be the top TE a particular year and it's still a bit questionable.   
 

</div>

 

If you're taking a TE top 10 (especially top 5), he needs to be a generational talent. We're talking Gronk or Graham-Saints.

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Absolutely not. We don't utilize the TE position enough to validate taking a TE at #4. This would make me furious. It would be like flushing the pick down the toilet.

Olsen didnt use the TE position, we havent even seen Hacketts fully installed offense here. And obviously if they were taking a tight end at 4, they would be planning to use him heavily.

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This thinking with drafting a TE at #4 is how the Jags ended up with Anger. 

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If Thomas, Allen and Garrett are all picked ahead of us, then I am all in on OJ Howard. I believe he will be an all-pro. He has all the tools in a durable package. Extremely athletic,quick release off the line, adept at finding the soft spot in zone defenses, quality blocker. He was used mostly as a blocker in Alabama's offense. But on the receiving end, he is a mismatch nightmare being too fast for most linebackers and big and tough against safetys.

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This thinking with drafting a TE at #4 is how the Jags ended up with Anger. 

That's not even remotely close to being the same.

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I said like two months ago don't be surprised when Howard was going ahead of at least one if not both of Fournette/Cook soon, then said during the combine soon has arrived. Here it is.

 

If Thomas if off the board Howard makes more sense than anyone else. 

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Howard can score Touchdowns.


Touchdowns > pancakes...


unless you mean breakfast.

Lamp can score TDs too

<a class="bbc_url" href='https://youtu.be/4Ao0NpDO5_8'>https://youtu.be/4Ao0NpDO5_8</a>

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