2012 Jacksonville Jaguars NFL Draft and Offseason Recap, Grades, and Analysis
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a team in transition, having hired a new head coach and getting a new owner, and basically just a new look overall. This team is due for some major changes in 2012, and I think they have a lot of work to do.
Blaine Gabbert was about as bad in his rookie season as any young quarterback that I have seen, but it’s hard to fault him too much since the Jaguars didn’t have hardly any talent around him whatsoever. After a Pro Bowl season, top target Marcedes Lewis disappeared after signing a huge contract in the offseason. Maurice Jones-Drew can only do so much for this team, and in 2011, it wasn’t nearly enough.
The Jaguars actually had a decent looking defense last year, even after firing head coach Jack Del Rio during the season and replacing him with Mel Tucker. Like I said before, this is a team in transition and hopefully this year’s incoming class of players can propel them out of the NFL’s cellar in 2012. Here are the players they added in the draft and undrafted free agency:
- Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State
- Andre Branch, DE, Clemson
- Bryan Anger, P, California
- Brandon Marshall, LB, Nevada
- Mike Harris, CB, Florida State
- Jeris Pendleton, DT, Ashland
UDFA
Ohio St. OL Michael Brewster; Bethune-Cookman LB Ryan Davis; Florida A&M WR Kevin Elliott; Texas Tech G D.J. Hall; Murray State DB Dontrell Johnson; South Carolina State LB Donovan Richard; Wagner LB Julian Stanford; North Dakota State TE Matt Veldman
Best UDFA Signing: Michael Brewster, C, Ohio State
Pre-season scouting report:
Pros:
4 year Starter
Team Captain
Very adapt at line calls
Has prospered with a new QB and multiple new lineman around him
Has played well against elite competition
Has range and is athletic
Cons:
Is tall for a Center and sometimes leads to poor technique
Can be fooled by stunt blitzes on occasion as shown in the MSU game
A lot of questions about his strength to handle Nose tackles
He looked soft in the middle at the combine, and less athletic
NFL mocks preseason Bio
Bar none, the best center prospect in the 2012 crop of players. Brewster is entering his fourth year as the starting center for the Buckeyes, and has been a rock for that offensive line. Former freshman All American and a technician on the offensive line. Enters his senior year after being considered a first round talent as a junior. Brewster will likely be the top ranked interior lineman heading into the 2012 draft barring injury, and there’s really not a whole lot you can say about him. He is solid as a rock, durable, reliable, smart, and he is a team leader. Add to that the requisite NFL size, and a degree from one of the most prestigious universities in the United States, and you have yourself a top of the line NFL prospect.
Summary:
Brewster was one of the better prospects heading into the season, but has had a poor season, and an even worse pre-draft process. He has gone from a late first round pick after the 2010 season to a fourth round pick now. He struggled mightily at the Senior bowl and scouts don’t think he can handle nose tackles in the N.F.L. He also was listed at 6’5 but measured in at 6’2 during the combine.
Offseason Moves (via WalterFootball.com)
Added
K Josh Scobee (franchise tag)
OT Guy Whimper (re-signed)
LB Russell Allen (re-signed)
S Dwight Lowery (re-signed)
DE Jeremy Mincey (re-signed)
DT C.J. Mosley (re-signed)
WR Laurent Robinson (Cowboys)
QB Chad Henne (Dolphins)
CB Aaron Ross (Giants)
SS Courtney Greene (re-signed)
CB William Middleton (re-signed)
WR Lee Evans (Ravens)
RB Jalen Parmele
QB Jordan Palmer
FB Naufahu Tahi
DT Odrick Ray
Lost
WR Kassim Osgood (cut)
DT Leger Douzable (Titans)
RB Deji Karim (waived)
CB Drew Coleman (cut)
WR Jarrett Dillard (cut)
QB Dan LeFevour (cut)
S Akwasi Owusu-Ansah
Biggest Addition: WR Laurent Robinson (Cowboys)
This is the biggest addition for the Jaguars because it has to be the biggest addition for the Jaguars. Robinson broke out last year filling in for Miles Austin in Dallas, and he’s shown flashes of that greatness throughout his career but he is a major health risk. If he is able to stay healthy, he could be providing the Jaguars and young QB Blaine Gabbert with a very nice target in the passing game. The key is going to be having guys help him get open. Maurice Jones-Drew will definitely help do that, but do the Jaguars have guys like Dez Bryant and Jason Witten that can really take attention off of Robinson? They certainly hope so with Lewis and now young Justin Blackmon in the fray. He has the ability to get open around the red zone, where he was a realy effective weapon last year. The Jaguars probably over-paid for Robinson but if he stays healthy, he can be a very valuable offensive weapon for this team.
Biggest Loss: Leger Douzable, DT (Titans)
There really were no other real losses for the Jaguars this offseason. Douzable is a solid rotaional defensive tackle, but other than losing him, as you can see up above the Jaguars didn’t lose anybody that they didn’t want to lose, so they did pretty good there.
Projected Depth Chart (offense)
QB: B.Gabbert, C.Henne, J.Palmer
RB: M.Jones-Drew, R.Jennings, M.Owens, J.Parmele
FB: G.Jones, N.Tahi
WR1: L.Robinson, L.Evans, C.Shorts
WR2: J.Blackmon (R), M.Thomas, B.Robiskie, C.West
TE: M.Lewis, Z.Miller, Z.Potter
LT: E.Monroe, D.Baldridge
LG: W.Rackley, M.Brewster (R)
C: B.Meester, J.Estes
RG: U.Nwaneri, J.Spitz
RT: E.Britton, G.Whimper
Projected Depth Chart (Defense)
DE1: J. Mincey, A.Kampman, A.Lane
DT: T.Alualu, C.Mosley, J.Pendleton (R)
DT: T.Knighton, D.Smith
DE2: A.Branch (R), G.Selvie, J.Chick
OLB: D.Smith, A.Russell
ILB: P.Posluszny, J.Schaffer
OLB: C.Session, B.Marshall (R)
CB: R.Mathis, A.Ross, A.Youboty
CB: D.Cox, W.Middleton, M.Harris (R)
FS: D.Lowery, C.Greene
SS: D.Landry, C.Prosinski
Special Teams
K: Josh Scobee
P: Bryan Anger (R)
Analysis continued on next page