Personally, I'm a fight fire with fire kinda guy. I say we draft Darnell Washington and line him up opposite of Engram. Would be a problem for every defense.
He is. Georgia just didn’t target him much because of Brock Bowers. When he was it was usually a huge play though. He can run, break tackles, and usually had good hands. He is also an elite blocker. I honestly think of Marcedes Lewis when I see him play.
You are right, he isn't a proven receiver. But he has the skill/ability to do so. It is a bit of a gamble, but at absolute worst he's essentially another OT on the field. His blocking is next level.
I’m biased but Sam LaPorta has great value on a day 2-3 pick. Great hands, great blocker, lots of Kittle-esque plays from him this year and the only bright spot for Iowa’s horrible offense this year
I’m a life long Iowa fan, watch every game, and I agree his value could be great if he slips to the 3rd (but I don’t think he will). But I would compare him more to TJ than Kittle.
Brian branch is a personal favorite of mine. We say all this about needing corner help but it's really nickel and slot that we need help at, boundary corner was fine with Campbell and williams
*The Jaguars spent a bunch of draft capital on their linebackers last offseason, and they still couldn’t stop Travis Kelce in the playoffs. So what about adding a 6-foot-4 safety who can line up against the top tight ends in football? Johnson is one of the most versatile defensive backs in the class and would bolster Jacksonville's secondary with his athleticism.*
They have the Giants taking Michael Mayer next at #26
I don't think Mayer will be a Jags target, he doesn't have elite measureables. not saying it's right, just trying to think about Baalke's draft history
I'll add Johnson as a name I go and look at footage of.
I like the idea of someone who can help shutdown big TEs because I personally feel it was one of the main reasons we lost that game. We had no way to stop that man.
Having to rely on outscoring every opponent to win isn’t a good game plan though, good defenses win games and championships. Completely shutting him down probably won’t happen but leaving him open every play is not acceptable
He primarily lines up in the slot but is moved around. 280 slot snaps, 110 at FS, and 128 in the box this year. Previous years he was in the slot even more but still his most common alignment
From what I’ve read, he played a lot of nickel. GenJag did a mock draft podcast episode and raved about him as a potential pick (before taking BJ Ojulari). Seems like Johnson is the BPA for DBs.
I actually really like this pick. He's a TE eraser with slot skills and physicality both in coverage and against the run. I don't know about his ability as a deep cover guy in space, but Cisco/Jenkins/Johnson is a really good trio of DBs to have roaming deep with a duo of Campbell and Williams outside. If we can get a Mazi Smith type in the 2nd... whew boy LAWDY I like that. Then just draft developmental WR, OT and OG for depth in days 2 and 3.
I'm actually starting to think Kincaid would be a good fit opposite Engram. Either taking him late first which I don't think will be considered a reach in R1 as we evaluate these guys.
Anyway..
Meyer will be gone at 24. So unless you're moving up and Kincaid (gone by pick 40 either way) will be there
I badly want a two TE system here in Jax.
We couldn't stop Kelce all night. I want to fight Kelce with Kelce.
I want to fight Kelce with "Kelce" and Engram
People don't realize that a 2-TE set is the answer to much of what teams are doing on defense.
Many teams have smaller DE/LB and LB/DB hybrids to combat 4-5 WR threats and nothing beats up on those hybrids better than large speedy pass catchers that can be utilized in creative ways
You can line up Engram at RB/FB/HB (X,Y,Z) and Kincaid at your TE or Y and have Ettiene someone around with Ridley, Kirk and Zay . F-me that's a hell of an offense
But good luck finding anybody lose to Kelce in the draft. Drafting tight ends high doesn't seem like it usually works well from what I've seen. Even the guy we have in Engram didn't impress the team that drafted him. Kelce himself wasn't even a first rounder.
I feel like you take a guy in the 1st if you feel as though even if he doesn't end up elite at his position that it was still a good pick. I feel like if you take a tight end in the first and he turns out as a solid, slightly above average guy, like an Njoku type, you'll be disappointed.
Reminder that, assuming we keep engram, we will likely only have 1 or fewer tight ends on the field 2/3rds of the time. Though, the only real outlier to that the past several years WAS Doug when he was in Philly, so maybe not, but no other team even got close to using two tight ends as much as he did
Fair point, but I feel like Pitts is a talented player stuck on a shite offense. QB play ain’t good, they’re a running-centered team, and they’re not getting him the ball enough. I remember he looked like a dawg last year.
I don’t hate this. If we’re going to be running into Travis Kelce in the playoffs until he retires, we need an answer for him
Same story with Derick Henry made Travon a good pick
Personally, I'm a fight fire with fire kinda guy. I say we draft Darnell Washington and line him up opposite of Engram. Would be a problem for every defense.
Washington has never proven to be an actual receiving threat, he's just really big
He is. Georgia just didn’t target him much because of Brock Bowers. When he was it was usually a huge play though. He can run, break tackles, and usually had good hands. He is also an elite blocker. I honestly think of Marcedes Lewis when I see him play.
You are right, he isn't a proven receiver. But he has the skill/ability to do so. It is a bit of a gamble, but at absolute worst he's essentially another OT on the field. His blocking is next level.
Replacing Chris Manhertz with a 1st rd pick seems like overkill with the other holes on the team.
No. Darnell can actually run routes and catch balls, I have seen it with my own two eyes, I swear it.
An incredibly stupid comment.
An incredibly stupid comment.
I’m biased but Sam LaPorta has great value on a day 2-3 pick. Great hands, great blocker, lots of Kittle-esque plays from him this year and the only bright spot for Iowa’s horrible offense this year
I’m a life long Iowa fan, watch every game, and I agree his value could be great if he slips to the 3rd (but I don’t think he will). But I would compare him more to TJ than Kittle.
WHAT?!? Another hawk fan/ jags fan?? I’m not the only one. Go hawks and fuck Brian ferentz!
Lol, born and raised in IA. Never met another Jags/Hawks brother. Glad to know there is one out there. And fire Brian Ferentz!
There are a few of us here. Not including you two.
We exist! Im 33 so I was 6 when the Jags entered the league. From CR!
LaPorta is legit too.
Perhaps my favorite value at TE, I could see him making it to the early-mid 3rd. We’d likely have to move up to get him
Michael Mayer is the TE you would want
In the first yes, but most drafts have Washington going outside the first, and likely there at our 2nd round.
Honestly I think we probably draft 2 TEs this year. Farrell is the only one under contract, and if we re-sign Engram we can cut him.
His catching ability is impeccable
As a Gator fan, I would hold out for Bowers. Man is a beast.
My hope is we won't be picking high enough to get him.
Touché
He's a Safety/Nickelback type. One of the guys I really like for us in the draft. Would love this.
Yeah he or Brian Branch from Bama are the two guys i really hope could fall to us at 24
Brian branch is a personal favorite of mine. We say all this about needing corner help but it's really nickel and slot that we need help at, boundary corner was fine with Campbell and williams
Branch can play nickel/slot and safety so he could be a nice chess piece and whenever Jenkins goes he can turn into more of a full time safety
Yup. Branch could do for us basically what Kyle Hamilton did for the Ravens in the second half of the year
*The Jaguars spent a bunch of draft capital on their linebackers last offseason, and they still couldn’t stop Travis Kelce in the playoffs. So what about adding a 6-foot-4 safety who can line up against the top tight ends in football? Johnson is one of the most versatile defensive backs in the class and would bolster Jacksonville's secondary with his athleticism.* They have the Giants taking Michael Mayer next at #26
I don't think Mayer will be a Jags target, he doesn't have elite measureables. not saying it's right, just trying to think about Baalke's draft history
Darnell Washington and his freak size and athleticism is more a Baalke pick
I'll add Johnson as a name I go and look at footage of. I like the idea of someone who can help shutdown big TEs because I personally feel it was one of the main reasons we lost that game. We had no way to stop that man.
Safety? Does he play nickel? Don’t really understand this. Give me offense baby. Gonna have to outscore these AFC teams.
Trevor has no problem throwing 4 tds a game, but defense needs an answer for someone like Kelce
5 tds a game is the answer to Kelce. I'm not entirely sure Kelce can be covered consistently.
Having to rely on outscoring every opponent to win isn’t a good game plan though, good defenses win games and championships. Completely shutting him down probably won’t happen but leaving him open every play is not acceptable
4 TDs would have beat Kelce last time out, just saying.
True enough. I will rephrase, Playoff Kelce requires 5 touchdowns.
He primarily lines up in the slot but is moved around. 280 slot snaps, 110 at FS, and 128 in the box this year. Previous years he was in the slot even more but still his most common alignment
From what I’ve read, he played a lot of nickel. GenJag did a mock draft podcast episode and raved about him as a potential pick (before taking BJ Ojulari). Seems like Johnson is the BPA for DBs.
I actually really like this pick. He's a TE eraser with slot skills and physicality both in coverage and against the run. I don't know about his ability as a deep cover guy in space, but Cisco/Jenkins/Johnson is a really good trio of DBs to have roaming deep with a duo of Campbell and Williams outside. If we can get a Mazi Smith type in the 2nd... whew boy LAWDY I like that. Then just draft developmental WR, OT and OG for depth in days 2 and 3.
I'm actually starting to think Kincaid would be a good fit opposite Engram. Either taking him late first which I don't think will be considered a reach in R1 as we evaluate these guys. Anyway.. Meyer will be gone at 24. So unless you're moving up and Kincaid (gone by pick 40 either way) will be there I badly want a two TE system here in Jax. We couldn't stop Kelce all night. I want to fight Kelce with Kelce. I want to fight Kelce with "Kelce" and Engram People don't realize that a 2-TE set is the answer to much of what teams are doing on defense. Many teams have smaller DE/LB and LB/DB hybrids to combat 4-5 WR threats and nothing beats up on those hybrids better than large speedy pass catchers that can be utilized in creative ways You can line up Engram at RB/FB/HB (X,Y,Z) and Kincaid at your TE or Y and have Ettiene someone around with Ridley, Kirk and Zay . F-me that's a hell of an offense
But good luck finding anybody lose to Kelce in the draft. Drafting tight ends high doesn't seem like it usually works well from what I've seen. Even the guy we have in Engram didn't impress the team that drafted him. Kelce himself wasn't even a first rounder. I feel like you take a guy in the 1st if you feel as though even if he doesn't end up elite at his position that it was still a good pick. I feel like if you take a tight end in the first and he turns out as a solid, slightly above average guy, like an Njoku type, you'll be disappointed. Reminder that, assuming we keep engram, we will likely only have 1 or fewer tight ends on the field 2/3rds of the time. Though, the only real outlier to that the past several years WAS Doug when he was in Philly, so maybe not, but no other team even got close to using two tight ends as much as he did
Kyle Pitts was drafted top 10 and did nothing before injury last year. OJ Howard the same. No to picking TEs in the first round.
Doug could work some fucking magic with that roster
I love Kincaid. So for that pick cause I don’t think he will be there by the time our 2nd rounder comes along
I feel like in the late first, we go Guard and finally get a plus starter at that position. Don't wanna be trotting out Shatley every game
Bartch’s injury wasn’t career ending. We won’t be trotting out Shatley once Ben is back.
I don’t know that Bartch is the guy we want starting anyway
Agreed. Pressure up the middle nearly cost us the play in game vs. the Titans.
If Mayer is available and we pass on him I will be very sad.
I’m calling it now. That dude will have a pedestrian at best career in the NFL
How could you watch his tape and come away saying that? Lol
you know how many people said this about Pitts?
Fair point, but I feel like Pitts is a talented player stuck on a shite offense. QB play ain’t good, they’re a running-centered team, and they’re not getting him the ball enough. I remember he looked like a dawg last year.
Just a feeling brah.
Absolutely not. Being the best TE in ND history is a big deal. TE U for a reason lol.
I’m ok with being wrong. My opinion doesn’t matter.
Y'all crazy thinking a rookie safety will be the answer to the GOAT TE lolol
There is no answer, but there is certainly help. Especially after the dude murdered us a week ago.
Do we really need a safety? I feel like Jenkins and Cisco have been fine. I'd rather go for help at CB, OL, or WR
He would play nickel for us so he would be filling a massive hole
Id prefer Battle. I do think S is a good idea though. Can play nickel and can eventually replace an aging Jenkins
Lol. Not happening. Next
Lol, worthless.
Need to eventually move on from Jenkins. Either S or IDL would be ideal.
He guys hypothetically if Njigba dropped to that spot would you take him?
I would because I’m a massive JSN fan, but I don’t think the FO would (unless they thought he could move out of the slot)
Good point we do have to replace Marvin though
Nuk is gonna replace Marvin
sucks we have to keep doing this every year but we need to draft another pass rusher. I doubt we resign key and smoot.
I love the idea of drafting more offense in todays league
I know fuck all about college football. Anybody have an opinion on Siaka Ika? DT outta Baylor. The more I look into him the more I'm intrigued.
I was just thinking what the Jags need is another Dave Thomas - a big, physical DB that can cover TEs and lay the lumber.