(05-03-2021, 05:20 PM)Bullseye Wrote:

(05-03-2021, 04:34 PM)Upper Wrote: Considering the 5 picks after Tlaw were his teammate and then four people that Meyer openly recruited hard 4 years ago...my first assumption is that our board was heavily pared down compared to most teams. I think they probably did take what they think was BAP after that. I just don't think any of them actually were.

So it's inaccuracy by omission?

I'm not sure if I fault Meyer for putting an emphasis on guys he has first hand background information on.

---

(05-03-2021, 04:38 PM)The Real Marty Wrote: I think the critics' problem with the draft is that the Jaguars did not draft for need.  A lot of the criticism is based on not spending high picks on positions the critics think we needed.  A lot of the critics would have drafted the best offensive lineman available at pick 25, for example.  No matter what.  They would have put their perceived need to replace our offensive tackles above any other consideration.  I think that's one of the main reasons for the criticism.

I can understand the criticism based on need.  That's not what I'm asking about, though I wanted to explore his logic above.  As to the larger initial inquiry. I'm wondering about the lack of defense of the team's draft based upon BAP.

It seems nobody thinks the Jaguars drafted BAP, even though nobody has access to their board.

I think having background information is the most important thing. He has always had the opportunity to meet the guy and fully recruit and research everything about the players he brings in. Even with all that work, some guys still won't pan out like at Florida or Ohio St.

He even talked about the inability to do that with free agency, and how he thought the process is bad. He strikes me as the kind of guy who wants to look recruit in the guy eyes, shake his hand, and see if he think he will be warrior or just a guy.

Given the COVID restrictions on the draft analysis process and so many players with a variety or risks (opting out, injury, low ceiling, limited tape, limited competition, no real combine, etc.); he went with what he knows. Balke and he looked primarily at players he had the chance to look at closely and hands on as a college recruiter and went from there.

Questions will be:
1. Does UM's eye for talent and mentality work for the NFL like it did in college?
2. How does he and the staff put players in position to succeed? (Nearly every NFL player has a weakness or two. The productive ones on good teams are put in positions to allow their strengths shine through and not have their weaknesses exposed. I know we haven't seen this in Jax in a long while.)
3. How do they translate his experience with looking this closely at college players in 1-2 years for the classes he was not able to recruit?

---