Quote:Yeah.  Speed at LB is becoming "a thing" for a number of teams lately and I suspect the Jags are on board w/ the trend.  The question becomes how to use another guy ostensibly from the same mold as Telvin Smith.  I was presented this question when I brought up Eric Striker and it's a good one. 

 

If you are staying with the mildly modified 4-3 LB scheme the Jags's have been running he's a tough fit, but if you look at some of the nickel and dime packages around the league a speedy, lightweight LB could take the place of your SS or nickel back at times.  I guess it's a matter of how versatile the guy can be and how much he'll see the field vs. his draft position.  (obviously he'd back-up Telvin on the depth chart, but...)

If he's a potential ST ace and you can scheme him situationally with Telvin still out there, maybe he's worth a 4th or 5th. But my favorite board has Jones squarely in the 3rd round as of now.

 

What sayest thou on his fit and where to draft a guy like him, Deacon?

 

Get talent where you can. While I understand on some levels the whole "scheme fit" thing, are the coaching staffs really that inflexible and unimaginative to not be able to find a way to get talent on the field?! Look at Belichick, to me his greatest asset is his ability to adapt both himself and those around him. He fits his scheme to his players and his players to the scheme. When he had Bruschi and Vrabel at LB and WIlfork at NT, he ran a 3 man Front. Now? He runs a 4 man Front because he has a more pure Defensive End on his roster.

 

All that being said, Jones' collegiate production pushes him down a bit. I mean, even Telvin lasted until the Fifth and he had a good four years of production on his side. And why not see what a guy like that can do in the Secondary? Maybe develop a special "Tight End Killer" package where this guy comes in just to shadow the TE? Or maybe have him be a blitz specific OTTO? If the guy can play, find a damn way to get him on the field.

 

So sayeth the Deacon.

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