The problem is that all of the guys you mentioned had the talent. Harvey wasn't the ninth pick of the draft for funsies--he was a difference maker at UF who was, iirc, not exactly the most dedicated player in the NFL. Soward was a speed demon who drank and smoked his career away. Gabbert was talked about as a potential first overall pick right up until a couple of days before the draft. Talent wasn't the issue with any of those guys. The biggest talent miss for the Jaguars in round one might be Renaldo Wynn, who was a capable end/tackle swing player throughout his time here, but never really a dominant player.

 

The bigger issue, imo, is that the Jaguars have drafted talented players in the first round who've shown up and given it far less than 100%. That's where the shortcoming in this team's drafting has been, not in reaching for sub-standard talent.

 

...ok, we might have reached for sub-standard talent a bit while Gene Smith was making the calls. I'm looking at you, Tyson Alualu.

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