(01-23-2023, 10:51 AM)Caldrac Wrote: With the season for us officially over and the draft positioning pretty much locked in. I am just looking to see how everybody's team needs and big three prospects at each position vary from poster to poster. I also tried to narrow it down to realistic options expected to be on the board.
Interior Offensive Lineman:
O'Cyrus Torrence - Florida
Andrew Vorhees - USC
Steve Avila - TCU
Tight End:
Michael Mayer - Notre Dame
Darnell Washington - Georgia
Sam LaPorta - Iowa
Interior Defensive Lineman:
Gervin Dexter - Florida
Cory Durden - NC State
Zacch Pickens - South Carolina
Edge Rusher:
Zach Harrison - Ohio St.
Karl Brooks - Bowling Green
Isaiah McGuire - Missouri
Nickel Cornerback:
Garrett Williams - Syracuse
Riley Moss - Iowa
Kei'Trel Clark - Louisville
I don't know that I will list Tight End as a major need at this point, but it IS important for a few reasons:
- It becomes a major need if the Jaguars allow Engram to get away. Considering his importance to Trevor Lawrence's development, allowing him to get away despite his repeated statements indicating how much he enjoyed playing here and how much he wants to stay, I'm not sure how the off season could be viewed as anything but a failure if he is not re-signed.
- It's also important because the team needs quality depth at the position. Actually I don't think that statements does the importance of this position any justice. Aside there is no quality depth behind Engram if should Engram get hurt, adding a quality TE would help diversify this offense in terms of personnel groupings and give us potentially more match up advantages. With two TEs, we would have a run dominant personnel grouping, with two guys who had size and speed advantages over most LBs trying to cover them, or advantages over any DBs employed to cover them.
- My top TEs:
- Michael Mayer
- Dalton Kincaid-Hearing he runs in the 4.4 range. If true, that would maximize the matcvhup issues the 2 TE package would create
- LaPorta, Iowa
- Darnell Washington
Edge Rusher-Considering we didn't have a particularly strong pass rush when completely healthy, we are bound to lose some contributors like like Smoot and RRH, it's a major need. The way I see it, one of the biggest differences between us and the rest of the contenders in the AFC is we seemed to be the one team in the playoffs without a dominant pass rusher or rotation of at least good pass rushers. Still formulating my thoughts on this position. I think Isaiah Foskey has a nice burst, but I'm fearful all he has is that outside rush, and I don't know if he has the frameand power to develop more physical ounter moves. I think the guy from Texas Tech won't be available when we pick at 24. I like what I have seen of Zach Harrison. My next guy to study is Iowa's Lukas Van Ness.
Secondary-Minimally, we need to upgrade two spots-Griffin and Tre Herndon. Griffin's level of play in no way justified his salary, and Herndon can be upgraded. I have zero confidence in Herndon's ability to cover anyone effectively as a nickel. He lacks the size and speed to be effective in any coverage and was exploited too often.
Interior O Line: I wasn't too comfortable with LG at all last year, starting in trainig camp and continuing throughout the year. Too often we had failures in short yardage not solely attributable to Etienne not being a particularly strong inside runner. Too often we were beaten at the LOS. At times, Scherff was brilliant. Other times, whether due to his injuries or whatever, he was beaten in pass protection. See the first KC game where we had no answer for Chris Jones. I would like to add at least one G as an upgrade
Tackle-Much like the TE analysis, this becomes higher on the priority list depending on whether we can re-sign Jawaan Taylor. I qould like two starting calber LTs and two starting caliber RTs. That might seem a bit excessive, but this team's success lies with Trevor Lawrence. We got lucky because we almost had that situation when we Jawaan Taylor went down with a mild hamstring injury, and we lost Cam Robinson on the very next play. If Taylor's hamstring injury was more serious, it's possible we miss the playoffs. If we have a slew of injuries at the position, we have to be able to survive that stretch. Based on his limited time at LT, Walker Little has looked good enough at LT for most Jaguars fans to feel comfortable with him at LT-if not outright preferring him to Cam Robinson there.
Wide Receiver At first glance, it doesn't seem like such a need given Kirk and Jones are returning, and Calvin Ridley is lkely to join the team after being reinstated this tear, But as the wild card game illustrated, we may need more speed outside. If speed is the primary trait we are looking to add, Zay Flowers and Jalin Hyatt are two guys to consider, Hyatt is more straight linish while Flowers is the better route runner. There are other guys we can find in the 2nd round or below, including AT Perry, Dontayvion Wicks. They have speed, and, if we want to replicate Marvin Jones' physical style, WIcks and Perry can do that, too.
Worst to 1st. Curse Reversed!
