NFL
Winners and Losers
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
I sat in the confines of my own home and watched every first-round selection of the NFL draft. Let’s take a look at my winners and losers in the first round:
Winner: Jacksonville Jaguars: It turned into a Clemson love affair for the Jaguars.
Trevor Lawrence was selected number 1 overall, which has been known for months, but the Jags get a generational talent at QB who will be the face of the franchise for 12-15 years.
Lawrence’s number will probably get retired in Jacksonville when his career is done.
The selection of Travis Etienne at pick 25 was great in my opinion as the Jags got the most productive RB in the history of the ACC. A threat to take it to the house on every play and can catch the football out of the backfield. A true three down back.
Urban Meyer went offense for a team that needed everything. Now the Jags can address the pass rush with the first pick in the second round. Grade: A+
Loser: Houston Texans: The Texans have no first or second round picks in 2021 because of the Laremy Tunsil trade of couple of years ago. Too many negative waves surround this franchise. Grade: F
Winner: Chicago Bears: The Bears got their QB in Justin Fields by trading up to pick 11 with the Giants, and taking the second best rated QB in the draft.
The Bears with a solid QB are a Super Bowl contender with their defense. The question about Fields is how quickly can the Bears get him ready to play?
I’m predicting he is ready to go on day 1 in Chicago. What a steal by the Chicago Bears to get Justin Fields and finally fix their QB issues once and for all. Grade: A+
Loser: Cincinnati Bengals: Joe Burrow gets carted off the field last year with a blown ACL, but yet the Bengals pass on the best offensive lineman in the draft?
Ja’Marr Chase should be an elite receiver who was a 2020 opt out at LSU, but not getting protection help for your franchise QB makes the Bengals look once again like their nickname the Bungles. Grade: C
Winner: Detroit Lions: My Lions got the best offensive lineman in this draft in Penei Sewell OT from Oregon. You have to be a Lions fan to understand how great this pick is.
This shows a commitment by the new regime to change the culture of this franchise. Lions’ fans are ecstatic with this pick. Championship teams are built from the inside out. Grade A+
Loser: New Orleans: The Saints went defense, which was a shock after the retirement of Drew Brees.
I thought the Saints might trade up to get into the QB sweepstakes unless they are about to make a deal for Aaron Rogers.
They draft Payton Turner a DE from Houston, who may have been a reach at pick 28. You draft a defensive player from a conference that plays the worst team defense in college football the AAC? Head scratcher there Saints. Grade: C-
Beat trade of the night went to the Chicago Bears trading up to get Fields. Kudos to the Eagles for trading up and grabbing Devonta Smith to help that porous WR room.
Most surprising pick went to San Francisco in taking Trey Lance. I love the pick, but thought they would play it safe with Mac Jones.
Mac Jones landed right in the Patriots lap and New England’s QB issues are instantly solved.
Biggest Draft Winner of the Night: The Atlanta Falcons with their selection of TE Kyle Pitts of Florida at pick 4.
I think Pitts was the best overall player in this draft and history will prove this to be true. He is a matchup nightmare for anyone the Falcons face. Grade: A+++++++++
Boom Or Bust
By: Robert Craft
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
In some ways the NFL Draft is the ultimate crapshoot, and oftentimes some teams simply need good luck more than anything else.
That was the case with the Seahawks landing Russell Wilson in the third round along with a bunch of other teams finding diamonds in the rough late rounds.
Only 50% of second round picks actually pan out, and the odds are obviously worse for later round picks.
With that in mind, my personal belief is teams should target boom-bust picks in the late rounds. The odds are against a so-called safe pick panning out, so teams should go for the player with one or two NFL traits who could turn out to be a massive steal.
Here is my list of boom or bust players that may get drafted in the 2021 NFL Draft.
1.Zach Wilson, QB, BYU: Wilson will blow you away with the kinds of throws you’d expect from an All-Pro NFL quarterback (good tape brings Aaron Rodgers to mind) but there are a few outliers that trouble me.
Wilson’s pocket presence is a concern, because he tends to bail. He needs to better identify pre-snap pressure.
With a lack of competition this season Wilsons completion percentage jumped 11 points. Finally, he is being drafted by the Jets. Wilson does not have the body type, accuracy, and support cast. He has BUST written all over him.
- Marvin Wilson, DL, Florida State: Wilson played with quickness and explosiveness in 2019, but in 2020 he added weight and played slow and uninterested.
Wilson went from a late first, early second round pick to a day three flyer. I say the buyer beware of a BUST.
- Tyson Campbell, CB, Georgia:On the field, Campbell looks like an NFL boundary corner. At 6’1” 193 pounds and runs a 4.45 40, he has all the traits NFL teams drool over. However, with these traits, Campbell should have more in-game ball production.
He had 10 pass breakups and just one interception in college. The former five star is susceptible to losing contested 50-50 balls (watch the Florida/Georgia tape).
NFL quarterbacks will test him and I believe a challenging and rocky career will BUST.
- Monty Rice, LB, Georgia: Rice isn’t going to blow teams away with his speed or quickness, but he is a smart and savvy linebacker that just makes plays.
As a classic middle linebacker with a nonstop motor, he is fundamentally sound and more importantly, Rice’s instincts and leadership skills will be welcomed in any locker room.
As a late second day or early third day draftee, Rice will excel on defense and special teams. Rice looks like the type to deliver the BOOM.
- Aaron Robinson, CB, UCF: Robinson is a quick footed, urgent athlete with excellent turn and run skills to stay in phase versus speedy receivers.
He has solid ball production with 20 passes defended in the last two seasons. One scout stated, “scrappy run defender and a dog in coverage.” After weighing some good with some bad, I see Robinson as a BOOM.
- Gregory Rousseau, DE, Miami:Rousseau put up video game numbers with 19.5 tackles for loss, 15.5 sacks, and two forced fumbles in 13 games.
Rousseau is the opposite of Jayson Oweh of Penn State, he is very productive where Oweh is very active.
At 6’5” 260 pounds, he seems pro ready but his limited experience makes him an unignorable risk. I’m still calling BOOM.
- Richard LeCounte, S, Georgia:I know Bulldog fans are thinking I picked on their team, but LeCounte was the player I just kept watching.
I know he doesn’t have NFL size or speed, but he is a solid football player who was ultra productive at Georgia.
He had 61 tackles, 3 passes defended and 2 forced fumbles, while providing a strict no fly zone on deep passes. I think LaCounte is a disruptive force that will make an impact an NFL roster. Bulldog fans should look out for this BOOM
Throughout NFL history there have been HOF-ers drafted in the mid to late rounds of the draft, and this year may produce one or more of those.
Great players are often backups for a few seasons before earning a starting role and excelling. When all is said and done, the truth is definitive: The NFL is a big crapshoot!
AFC South Draft Preview
By: Kenneth Harrison
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The 2021 NFL Draft is later this week. Let’s take a look around the AFC South to see who will be drafted in the first round.
Jacksonville: The Jaguars (1-15) earned the top pick but they also have the 25th pick.
With a record that bad they clearly need help at several positions. Legendary college coach Urban Meyer came out of retirement and was hired as head coach.
We know Clemson Quarterback Trevor Lawrence is going to be the first pick in the draft. He has all of the measurables, standing 6’6 and 220 pounds. He has high football IQ and a strong arm. He has basically every accolade you can get as a college player except for the Heisman Trophy.
He’s a national champion and led his team to the College Football Playoff in the three seasons he played. The last quarterback prospect I can think of that was clearly the top prospect like this was Andrew Luck. I expect him to be very successful in the NFL.
With the 25th pick. I think a difference maker at wide receiver is what they will get to pair with Lawrence.
Purdue receiver Rondale Moore fits that mold. Purdue only played four games last season and Moore played three of them.
He had 35 catches and 270 yards.
His best statistical season was as a freshman in 2018. He had 114 catches, 1,258 yards and 12 TD’s.
He ran a 4.33 40 at his pro day so he’s very fast.
Florida receiver Kadarius Toney is also another possible selection. In 11 games he had 70 receptions, 984 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Indianapolis: The Colts (11-5) are a very solid team. Philip Rivers played his only season in Indy last year and led the team to the playoffs before he retired.
Now they have Carson Wentz as the signal caller. The Colts have the 21st pick so they can go in several directions depending on the players still available.
Ole Miss wide receiver Elijah Moore would be a good pick. In 8 games last season he had 86 receptions, 1,193 yards and 8 touchdowns. He ran a 4.34 40-yard dash at his pro day. He reminds me of Tyreek Hill and Indy could use a playmaker at wide receiver.
Miami edge rusher Jaelan Phillips might be another possibility. He’s 6’5, 266 pounds so he has ideal size for the position. In 2020 he had 45 total tackles and 8 sacks.
Tennessee: The Titans (11-5) won the division last season. They advanced to the AFC Championship game in 2019. I think this team is a serious championship contender.
Oklahoma State tackle Teven Jenkins would be a good pick to strengthen the offensive line. We know Tennessee loves to run the ball with Derrick Henry, so this makes sense. He was First Team All-Big 12 in 2020.
At 6’6 and 320 pounds he looks the part. He’s very physical and aggressive.
Virginia Tech corner back Caleb Farley might also be a possibility. He opted out of the 2020 season because of COVID-19 concerns. He recently had back surgery, which is something to consider. In 2019 he had 20 tackles, 12 pass deflections and 4 interceptions.
The Houston Texans (4-12) do not have a first-round pick. I’m looking forward to the draft to see how teams will address their needs.
Possible Flight Paths For Atlanta Falcons
By: Jeff Doke
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
As we approach the NFL Draft, the vast majority of the attention in Southeast Georgia has been lavished on the Jaguars and their first overall pick, soon to be converted into a golden-haired quarterback of the future.
The selection of Trevor Lawrence is the worst kept secret of this year’s draft, and a polar opposite from what will be happening with the Atlanta Falcons and their fourth overall pick.
Speculation as to what Blank, Fontenot, and Smith will do with their primo real estate in the draft order has been rampant of late, and the rumor mill is having a blast with it.
In a highly unscientific poll I conducted (read as “my fraternity brothers I asked at a wedding reception this past weekend”), most Falcons fans want the team to keep the pick as is. What to do with said pick seems to be less of a unanimous voice.
At first glance, the Falcons don’t have quite as many holes as you would expect from a 4-12 team with a new General Manager and Head Coach, but the holes (and threadbare spots that are about to become holes) are in some pretty important spots.
This draft is shaping up to be a potential record breaking one for quarterbacks, and the speculation that the Falcons will pick Matt Ryan’s replacement with their first pick seems to be a fairly safe bet.
Obviously, Trevor Lawrence will be the first off the board at number one, and all signs from the Turnpike point to the Jets pulling the trigger on Zach Wilson at number two. What happens with the 49ers at number three could prove pivotal.
The two big names mentioned at three since the Niners traded into the spot are Alabama QB Mac Jones and Georgia native Justin Fields.
If Kyle Shanahan & company go with Jones, Justin Fields to the Falcons seems like a perfect fit.
Matt Ryan’s time under center is drawing to a close, and let’s be honest; his pending salary cap hit is the only reason why he’s still in Flowery Branch.
Justin Fields has drawn more than one comparison to a pre-Ron Mexico era Michael Vick.
The fact that he would be coming to his home state would make more than a few fans happy and put more than a few butts in seats at Mercedes Benz…oh, who are we kidding? After COVID, there’s going to be no problem getting butts in seats again, but Fields will more than likely keep most (if not all) of those butts happy.
If Fields winds up going to San Francisco, Atlanta could take the Bama signal caller, but don’t be surprised if the Falcons pass on Jones and take North Dakota State product Trey Lance.
He’s been mentioned at #4 most of the offseason, and has only slid down some prognosticators’ boards fairly recently.
It also won’t be a shock if Atlanta forgoes the QB need entirely and jumps on Florida’s Kyle Pitts.
Although he’s primarily been used as a TE, his college career shows he could easily line up as a WR, and would ease the injury & age concerns swirling around Julio Jones.
Then of course there’s the speculation that the Falcons could trade out of the spot entirely. Supposedly New England has eyes on Pitts as well, hoping to turn him into Gronk v2.0.
If the trade happens, the Falcons reportedly don’t want to drop too far in the first.
Regardless of who they trade with, look for Atlanta to go for one of the two Alabama receivers projected to be first rounders (Jaylen Waddle and Heisman winner Devonta Smith) to pair with Calvin Ridley.
If an early second round pick is in the mix, watch for them to look for a replacement for pending free agent departure Todd Gurley.
Top running backs in this year’s skimpy crop are UNC’s Javonte Williams and (surprise, surprise) Alabama’s Najee Harris.
Long story short, I’d look for the Dirty Birds to harken back to the glory days with an electric, mobile, scrambling young gunslinger, or expect them to start looking like Tuscaloosa East.
The Golden Boy
By: Robert Craft
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Trevor Lawrence has been on the NFL radar since he was in High School at Cartersville, GA.
It is a foregone conclusion that he’ll be joining one of the league’s most faceless teams. Lawrence enters the NFL as the surest thing since the last sure thing, former Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck.
Add Lawrence with three-time national champion head coach Urban Meyer, and suddenly the Jacksonville Jaguars have a chance to turn things around in a span of a few months.
The Jaguars have long been one of the first names to be mentioned when it comes to relocations. According to Jacksonville Business Journal, the Jaguars attendance was way down before the pandemic. Despite a passionate city around them, owner Shad Khan has looked into the ideas about playing overseas.
Now, the talk of Lawrence changes everything as Khan appears ready to invest in Jacksonville.
The city and Khan have recently reached an agreement to update parking. Jacksonville historically is not a professional sports town, but this vote has it trending in the right direction.
The best comparison for the Jaguars is the 1998 Colts, who drafted Peyton Manning first overall. Just like the 98 Colts, the Jaguars need a face of the franchise. They need an identity.
Khan has long championed a Lot J deal as a catalyst to the development of Downtown Jacksonville.
Khan hopes the stadium and surrounding area will become the centerpiece of a revitalized downtown, bringing hotels, restaurants, office space and housing with it.
Lawrence is coming to Jacksonville at what is the tail end of a year long quarantine that has altered business plans of every retailer in the world.
Lawrence has a unique opportunity that could make him and the City of Jacksonville the best ‘buy low’ proposition in sports history.
With most stadiums empty or mostly empty last season due to the COVID Pandemic, the Jaguars actually finished second in the league in attendance despite having the 1-15 record.
When the Jaguars hired Meyer and had the top selection in the upcoming draft (Trevor Lawrence), they raised season ticket prices by 7.2%. The team just announced that the 2021 season will involve a normal stadium experience as the Jaguars will host a full crowd.
Also, the Jaguars currently do not have an agreement with the league to play a home game in London, as they have from 2013-2019.
The team said demand for 2021 season tickets is “at an extreme high.”
Shad Khan purchased the team in 2011 for 770 million dollars. Forbes value the Jaguars at 2.45 billion dollars with a 14% increase in value since January 2021. That increase is not due to fans in the seats, it is due to the team drafting Lawrence.
Add all this up and there is a subsequent event setting up in Jacksonville. One that can change the fortunes of the Jaguars and City of Jacksonville.
Few players in NFL history have this much pressure riding on them. The marriage between Lawrence and the Jaguars begins with big expectations, and that’s what Jacksonville needs for the next decade and beyond.
Mock Draft
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Everyone who loves the NFL can come up with their own mock draft.
Draft junkies, like Mel Kiper Jr., have made a nice career out of player projections and mock drafts.
I’m delivering my first annual Kipp Branch official mock draft.
I use the word official because I’m just dumb enough to put this in writing so I can be graded against it. Here goes the KB Top Ten NFL Mock Draft with trades factored in:
First Round
Pick 1: The Jacksonville Jaguars select the best QB prospect in the history of QB prospects Trevor Lawrence from Clemson.
Lawrence will be handed the keys to the city of Jacksonville and the surrounding community will suffer from a lack of local barbers because every young man within 150 miles of Jacksonville will refuse to get their hair cut ever again. Long hair will the cool fad in North Florida and South Georgia.
Lawrence will lead this franchise to a Super Bowl by 2025.
Pick 2: The NY Jets select Zach Wilson QB from BYU.
This pick is set in stone after Sam Donald was traded to the Carolina Panthers.
I feel sorry for Wilson because he is about to get thrown to the wolves. The Jets are struggling and the New York sports media eats young QB’s alive.
Good luck Zach you need all the help you can get.
Pick 3: The San Francisco 49ers select, and yes, I’m calling it, Mac Jones from Alabama.
Jones reminds me a lot of Joe Montana coming out of college and San Fran is the perfect landing spot for Jones.
This will go down as a great pick 5-10 years from now.
Pick 4: The Atlanta Falcons want to draft Kyle Pitts from Florida, but they don’t want to draft him this high so they trade with the Denver Broncos and move back to pick 9.
The Broncos select Justin Fields QB from Ohio State.
The Drew Lock experiment is over in Denver. Fields takes over in Denver on day 1.
Pick 5: Remember the Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase combination at LSU in 2019.
Well, this duo is about to be reunited in Cincy. Bengals take the best WR in the draft with Chase.
Pick 6: The Miami Dolphins select Devonta Smith WR from Alabama.
The Heisman winner gives Miami a playmaker that they need. The Dolphins are all in on Tua so you better get him some weapons.
Pick 7: My Detroit Lions need everything and I mean everything.
Is Jared Goff the answer at QB? Hell no he is not, but there are bigger needs.
The WR position has been gutted; wait, the phone rings and it is Jerry Jones of the Cowboys who offers the Lions some draft capital to move back to pick 10.
The Lions accept and the Cowboys select CB Patrick Surtain II from Alabama to address that horrendous secondary.
Pick 8: The Carolina Panthers select Penei Sewell, the best OL in the draft. Perfect fit for Sewell with Carolina trading for Sam Darnold. A protect our investment pick.
Pick 9: After trading down with the Broncos the Atlanta Falcons get the guy they wanted all along and that is Kyle Pitts TE from Florida.
Pitts will be a monster matchup problem for opposing teams. Great pick by Atlanta.
Pick 10: My Detroit Lions after trading down with Dallas take WR Jaylen Waddle from Alabama to replace often injured Kenny Golliday, who left via free agency.
Bonus Pick-Pick 11: The Chicago Bears trade with the NY. Giants and land in at #11 and select Trey Lance QB of North Dakota State.
Lance develops into a superstar to go along with that defense and the Bears become a beast in the NFC over the next decade.
There you have it folks. Zero chance at being correct, but it is fun to speculate.
Top Tight Ends
By: Robert Craft
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
There is debate at quarterback, running back, wide receiver and every defensive position on which NFL Draft prospect would be the top player at the position, but there is no question at tight end.
Florida’s Kyle Pitts is a special talent and will be an immediate weapon for the team that drafts him in the top 10.
After Pitts, there are three to four prospects who should be drafted on Day 2 followed by a handful of tight ends who will be targets in the mid to late rounds.
1.Kyle Pitts, Florida, 6-6, 246: On my draft board, Pitts is the second-best player in the 2021 NFL Draft and the rarest prospect after Trevor Lawrence.
Some scouts think Pitts could move to wide receiver and be a Calvin Johnson style player.
Pitts was dominant in 2020, showing superb speed, hands, leaping ability, route running, and dynamic mismatch potential for the NFL.
Every opponent was incapable of covering Pitts, including future first and second rounders in the Alabama and Georgia secondary. Some scouts say Pitts is the best receiving weapon in the draft and is a more dynamic mismatch than Chase, Smith and Waddle.
- Pat Freiermuth, Penn State, 6-5, 256: Freiermuth was solid in 2020 before going down with a season ending injury that required surgery.
Medicals will be extremely important for Freiermuth. As a receiver, Freiermuth has the potential to be a contributor to a team’s passing attack, but lacks separating speed and elite athleticism.
Freiermuth’s most distinctive positive trait is his physicality as a runner and blocker. NFL coaching will help him get a better technique and a more aggressive demeanor. Late round 2 – early round 3
- Brevin Jordan, Miami, 6-3, 244: Jordan is a smooth route runner with the quickness to separate.
He glides through the secondary and is able to use his athleticism with speed to get open.
Along with good route running, Jordan has very reliable hands that give him the ability to control the ball with his hands.
As a blocker, Jordan shows the willingness to block but he lacks size to take on NFL defensive ends and linebackers. Early round 3
- Hunter Long, Boston College, 6-5, 253: Long has good size and does an excellent job of winning contested catches.
He uses his build to shield off defenders with skilled body control and awareness to put himself in between the ball and coverage.
Long is a solid blocker but the skill set is not there for him to develop into an effective NFL blocker. He has the potential, but he needs to get stronger to pack more punch and sustain his blocks after point if contact. Late round 3 – early round 4.
- Tommy Tremble, Notre Dame, 6-4, 252: Tremble displays the competitiveness to be a bulldozer as a run blocker and ties up defenders in pass protection.
Although his production was lacking at Notre Dame, his tape is enough to get scouts excited.
Tremble was an underutilized receiver in college and therefore unrefined in route running.
He flashed the athleticism and body control to work pass underneath defenders and make himself a large target. He is projected to be a better pro than college player as he continues to develop. Round 4-5.
- Tre’ McKitty, Georgia, 6-5, 245:McKitty only made six receptions during the 2020 season with the Bulldogs. He had better receiving production in 2018 and 2019 when playing for Florida State.
McKitty is a good athlete with a nice burst of speed out of his breaks to create space from defenders early on and challenge defenses vertically.
Scouts are concerned with his blocking and non-existent production in 2020.
Other players to look out for: Quintin Morris, Bowling Green; Nick Eubanks Michigan; Kenny Yeboah, Ole Miss; Pro Wells, TCU; Tony Poljan, Virginia.
There is a clear delineation between the haves and the have nots at tight end in the NFL nowadays and this year’s draft is the same. There is Kyle Pitts and everyone else
Loading The Gun
By: Jeff Doke
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The 2021 NFL free agency free-for-all began on March 17, and it’s still up in the air whether or not the Jacksonville jaguars found a pot of gold.
The Jags started the league year with over $80 million in salary cap space, and found a couple of gems right off the bat.
The most noteworthy acquisition so far is, arguably, former Seattle Seahawks CB Shaquill Griffin. The four-year veteran out of UCF had a solid 2020 campaign, posting 63 tackles, 12 coverage breakups, and three interceptions over 12 games.
His deal with Jacksonville is a 3-year, $44.5 million contract with $29 million guaranteed. It is expected that he will move immediately into a starting role opposite 2020 first-round pick C.J. Henderson.
This, combined with the re-signing of Sidney Jones, most likely means that last year’s injury-riddled season will be D.J. Harris’ last in teal & black.
Another defensive position getting some much-needed attention is Safety.
Former Charger Rayshawn Jenkins signed a 4-year, $35 million deal with $16 million guaranteed.
Another Safety, Auburn alum Rudy Ford, arrives from Philly, joining the team with a 2-year, $4.2 million contract. These two alone should provide some consistency for a wildly inconsistent defensive backfield.
Via trade, first year Head Coach Urban Meyer gets some help in the middle in the form of former Saints DT Malcom Brown.
A salary cap casualty for New Orleans, Brown joins DT Roy Robertson-Harris (CHI) and DE Jihad Ward (BAL) as the first pieces of a reworked defensive line that can easily improve on last years’ 30th ranked effort against the run.
Additionally, DT Tyson Alualu, the No. 10 overall selection by the Jaguars in 2010, returns after four years in Pittsburgh.
On the offensive side of the ball, the Jags signed two receivers off the Detroit Lions; ten-year veteran Marvin Jones Jr, and return specialist Jamal Agnew.
Jones should be a reliable target for assumed first overall pick Trevor Lawrence, and will help draw some double coverage away from DJ Chark.
Agnew is another player who will bring some consistency to their position (the Jaguars had six different kick returners last season), but whether or not his breakaway speed will be enough to earn him a WR3 slot on the offense over fellow free-agent acquisition Phillip Dorsett will be one of the more interesting stories to follow in training camp.
Regardless, the addition of this trio will help ease the sting of the pending shakeup in the Duval receivers corps.
While Keelan Cole has already signed with the Jets, the free-agent fates of former Bulldog Chris Conley and former Sooner Dede Westbrook have yet to be determined.
Another player re-joining the Jaguars is RB Carlos Hyde. Hyde played under former HC Doug Marrone in the massively under-performing 2018 season before being traded to the Browns. Hyde played college ball at Ohio State under Urban Meyer, so his familiarity with the system should make him a solid change-of-pace for second year back James Robinson.
At the Tight End position, the Jaguars have added former Panther Chris Manhertz, and have re-signed James O’Shaughnessy.
The team declined the option on former Bengal Tyler Eifert, and his status remains uncertain.
This position could be considered one of the few disappointments of the free-agent period so far, with the top two available TEs (Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith) both signing with the New England Patriots.
While these moves addressed some glaring needs on both sides of the ball, the Offensive Line still needs to be addressed, as does the elephant in the QB room – Gardner Minshew II.
With the departure of journeyman Mike Glennon to the Giants, the question remains who will be the backup to Trevor Lawrence when the draft makes his arrival in Duval official.
While Coach Meyer has said this week that they have no plans to trade Minshew “for now,” the lack of another veteran signal caller could be a final area to be addressed.
Alex Smith continues to be a name mentioned to fill that role, but if the Joe Flacco to San Francisco rumors prove false, Jacksonville could also be a good fit for the 2013 Super Bowl MVP.
Running Wild
By: Robert Craft
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
As your teams prepare for the 2021 NFL Draft, I will take a look at the top running backs in this year’s draft class.
This year’s running back class isn’t as top heavy as last year’s, which had seven running backs drafted in the top 70 picks.
I think there will be three or four running backs drafted in the top 60, followed by a handful of backs who will be targeted in the top 200 picks.
Which backs will have a chance to make an immediate impact?
1.Travis Etienne, Clemson, 5’10, 200lbs: Etienne ran really well in 2020, showing a dynamic burst, improved strength and the ability to pick up yards after contact. He is also a dangerous receiving weapon out of the backfield.
Etienne could be a three down starter and inject speed and explosiveness into a team’s ground game. On top of being very fast, Etienne demonstrates very good running fundamentals; like the patience to let the hole develop, the vision to see lanes and the posture to run behind his pads.
Etienne is not the biggest back, but he runs hard and will be the first running back selected.
- Najee Harris, Alabama, 6’2, 230lbs: Harris has the quick, graceful feet of a much smaller back to elude pursuit, showing improved decision making and on field maturity as a senior in Tuscaloosa.
There is no doubt Harris has the ability and skill to be an impactful NFL three down running back.
Aside from his size and speed, Harris is a natural runner with good instincts. He shows excellent vision, patience and anticipation to follow his line before busting downhill.
Harris is not a proven threat in the pros yet, but his reliable skills set as a rusher, receiver and blocker makes him the second back off the board.
- Javonte Williams, North Carolina, 5’10, 220lbs: Williams was a load for the Tar Heels in 2020, showing both power and quickness as a runner. He may have three down starting potential for the NFL. Some NFL experts think Williams could end up being the first running back drafted in April.
Williams is a physical bell cow back who can be the engine of a tough rushing attack. He is a downhill runner who can impose his will through sheer strength.
Williams’ strong build, knee bend and ability to run behind his pads let him break a lot of tackles and pick up yards after contact. However, Williams will need some work as a blocker and identifying blitzing defenders.
- Kenny Gainwell, Memphis, 5’11, 191lbs: Gainwell decided to sit out in 2020 due to losing four family members to COVID-19.
Gainwell is a fast and explosive back, as well as a threat to rip off chunk plays on any touch. He also is a superb receiver out of the backfield with 51 receptions for 610 yards and three touchdowns in 2019.
Gainwell lacks ideal size and power, which leads to durability and usage concerns.
He is a versatile rushing and receiving threat with instinctive playmaking ability, projecting as a scheme-specific offensive weapon.
- Kylin Hill, Mississippi State, 5’11, 215lbs: Hill was phenomenal in the 2020 season opener, showing serious receiving ability to help lead a crucial upset over LSU. On top of making some huge catches, Hill did well as a pocket protector.
Hill was suspended over a locker room incident, and decided to sit out the rest of the season. He has a good skill set and could become a starter in the NFL.
NFL teams have said that Hill jumped out to them and became impossible to ignore.
Future Faces
By: Jeff Doke
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The NFL Draft always has one guarantee; hope.
It’s the one time of the year where every fanbase can at least start the day with hope for the future and speculation runs rampant.
This year is no different…well, at least after the first pick, that is.
Trevor Lawrence headed to the Jaguars with the first overall pick is as close to a lock as you’re going to get.
Granted there is a small but noisy contingent of JagNation that is trying to sway public opinion towards picking Heisman Trophy winner DeVonta Smith instead of T-Law 2.0, and an even smaller contingent trying to convince Shad Khan to go for Gator QB Kyle Trask in a Tebow-esque reach with the first pick. We have names for those people, and they are “misguided” and “delirious,” respectively.
No, Trevor Lawrence is coming to Duval, you can bank on that one.
Whether he starts immediately or not will be largely determined by whether or not the Jaguars use a slice of their $85mil+ of cap space to bring in a journeyman quarterback to ease the transition (Alex Smith seems to be the speculation du jour).
After the first pick, however, this year’s draft could turn into a lesson in controlled chaos.
First round trades have been on the decline over the last few years, but I think (hope?) that this year will be different.
The crop of quarterbacks alone looks to rival that of the fabled 1983 draft, and there are more than a handful of franchises with question marks behind center. With most mock drafts having the first four picks selecting QBs, if two more signal callers get the first-round nod, that would tie the record for most quarterbacks in the first round.
That outcome might not be outside of the realm of possibility. I think it’s safe to say that the top four in some order will read Trevor Lawrence, Zack Wilson, Justin Fields, and Trey Lance (at least that’s the way I see them going), but there are several more that are worthy of first round consideration if the franchise fit is right.
Mac Jones, Alabama – Mac had a solid post-Tua career in Tuscaloosa. Draft prognosticators have him as a pretty solid first round candidate, more than likely headed to San Francisco or New Orleans.
Kellen Mond, Texas A&M – I’ll be honest, I always felt nervous when the Dawgs had to go up against him. There were times he looked like a Patrick Mahomes clone, and he had developed into a solid pocket passer with a refined touch pass already.
I don’t see why he couldn’t go late first round, especially last. I haven’t seen any speculation to back this up, but imagine him getting a year or two learning under Tom Brady. Scary. And speaking of scary…
Feleipe Franks, Arkansas – He’s a 6’ 6”, 234lb monster of a player with an attitude to match. If not for his consistency concerns, he’d be a first rounder easily. Regardless, there is a lot of potential there, and it wouldn’t be outside the realm of possibility that a GM somewhere develops a serious man crush and takes a big reach on the big slinger (lookin’ at you, Denver…)
Jamie Newman, Wake Forest – I don’t care what CKS says, I will never consider Newman a Dawg, and I will never forgive him for leaving UGA in a pickle at the last minute in 2020.
That being said, he’s a solid, albeit rusty, pro-style passer that could be seen as a safe option for a team that gets nervous after a run on quarterbacks in the draft.
Kyle Trask – Just kidding. He’s got “third round” written all over him. But hey, stranger things have happened, and he’s been mentioned as an Indianapolis target. In short, who knows?
Will 2021 be a first-round record-setter? I think that will be largely determined by who blinks in the Deshaun/Texans standoff, whether someone tries to milk one more season out of FitzMagic, and if Drew Brees finally makes his retirement official.
We’ll find out soon enough.
