Early To The Party
By: TJ Hartnett
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The MLB season just passed the quarter mark this week and believe it or not the name at the top of the NL East standings is the Atlanta Braves.
Not the Mets, not the Phillies and most surprisingly not the Nationals. It’s the Braves who have been the standard bearers for the division ever since leapfrogging New York at the end of April. It’s an exciting time for Braves Country and one that seems legitimate, despite it also being ahead of schedule.
They weren’t supposed to be this good. If you need further proof of that look no further than the Vegas odds of Atlanta winning the World Series at the start of the 2018 season: 300 to 1.
That was tied with the Phillies and Oakland and just ahead of Pittsburgh, who held a fire sale in the offseason. 2018 was going to be another rebuilding year, as players like Ozzie Albies and Ronald Acuna, Jr. developed at the plate and the likes of Sean Newcomb developed on the mound, while Mike Foltynewicz got another year in the rotation under his belt.
Now we’re ¼ of the way through the season and the Braves look like real threats. If you need further proof of that look no further than the current Vegas odds of Atlanta winning the World Series: 30 to 1. That’s quite an unexpected leap.
The reason for that leap? Ozzie Albies, for one. Turns out he didn’t need more time to develop, he needed a platform to become an All-Star. The 21-year-old can’t stop blasting out extra base hits. His power, like the NL-leading 13 home runs, has been unmatched so far this year. He’s truly been a breakout star for Atlanta.
Acuna hasn’t been quite as consistent as Albies, but he too showed up to play. He’s launched (and I do mean launched) four homeruns in his first 21 games on the big-league roster, as well as stolen a few bases to boot. For a player with that kind of production to still be considered “finding his footing,”, that’s something to be excited about.
It also doesn’t hurt that Freddie Freeman and Nick Markakis look to be having career years up to this point. Freeman is leading the league in OBP and Markakis is pacing MLB in hits as of Saturday.
Ender Inciarte has also recovered from a relatively slow start and is amassing more stolen bases than anyone else. That’s a lot of different league leaders in one lineup.
On the other side of the ball is Sean Newcomb, who like Albies seems to have taken the next two steps instead of one this year. Following six innings of one run ball on Saturday against Miami Newk is 5-1 with an ERA of 2.39, best in the rotation.
Folty is having plenty of success as well, with an ERA of 2.87. Even the oft-derided Julio Teheran hasn’t allowed a run in his last 13 innings pitched and he sits pretty with a 4-1 record and a 3.49 ERA.
It feels like we’re all waiting for the other shoe to drop, but it might not. The talent is there and it seems like the team is gelling well. If they can continue to produce at this level, they truly will be there at the end of the season.
There are improvements that can be made. Sure, the bullpen could use some fortifying and someone needs to step up at the hot corner but overall this team is the real deal. They were always going to get to this point. They just showed up a little early.
Spring Terror
By: Jason Bishop
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The Glynn Academy Red Terrors are looking forward to another successful season in 2018.
Since Rocky Hidalgo was named the Terrors head man, Glynn Academy has won at least a share of the Region Title three straight years. In the previous four years with Hidalgo at the helm GA has finished in the Elite Eight twice, made a Final Four appearance and played for a state title.
The Red Terrors will enter the 2018 season in somewhat unfamiliar territory, Glynn will enter the season without having a clear-cut starter at QB.
GA just wrapped up Spring practice, finishing with the annual Spring game.
With so much young talent Hidalgo elected to play an intrasquad Spring game instead of scrimmaging another team. This allowed Coach Hidalgo to get as many of his players on the field at the same time to analyze what he has on the roster.
The QB competition certainly heated up in the Spring game. Senior Sam Wagner had taken most of the snaps in the Spring with the first team offense. However, Wagner did not play QB in the Spring game.
Instead, Hidalgo went with two younger QB’s both competing with Wagner for the starting job.
Sophomore TJ Lewis may have taken the lead in the competition with a pretty good performance in the Spring Game.
Lewis threw for 2 TDs and rushed for 1. The touchdown passes were long passes and put right on the money, one down the sideline and the other right over the middle. Lewis also scampered two yards for his rushing TD.
The final score was Red Team 4 TD’s and White Team 1 in the varsity segments of the game.
The Red Terrors will have Nolan Grant, Quantavious Bostic, and Caden Hutchinson taking the lion’s share of carries at RB.
One thing Rocky Hidalgo is very good at is getting his defensive unit to buy in to his system. Year in and year out Glynn has been a top 10 defense in the state and this year should figure no different.
A name for Red Terror fans to remember is Marlon Taylor. Taylor is a senior DT with great size and speed and already has offers from Cincinnati and Tulane, just to name a couple. He will be a nightmare for opposing QB’s and a bad match up for Offensive Coordinators.
There is still a long way to go before the season starts as the Terrors still have to go through Summer practice and then get ready come August to kick off.
One thing is for sure though, Rocky Hidalgo has built a perennial state power on Mansfield Street and the rest of the state has taken notice.
Readying The Ship
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
When you sit down with Brunswick High head football Coach Sean Pender the first question on your mind is how you replace 31 seniors from a 7-3 football team that shared a region championship from last season.
Pender is very optimistic about the 2018 Pirates as they conclude spring drills.
While youth and inexperience may be a factor going into the 2018 season, work ethic will not. “Our kids come out to practice and compete hard and listen, and this has been a fun group to teach since our winter program started in January” says Pender.
One position group that has a lot of experience returning in 2018 is the offensive line. The offensive line has four experienced players returning led by who Pender calls the best offensive lineman he has ever coached in Warren McClendon.
At 6’5 and 300 lbs, McClendon is a four-star recruit by all the recruiting services. He can play anywhere in the country that he chooses after the 2018 season is complete.
McClendon will play left tackle. AJ Kirkland will move over to center and has the versatility to play guard as well. Brett Hall returns at guard after bulking up to 250 pounds with the off-season strength and conditioning program. Xavier Ramsey will contend for All Region honors at the other tackle position, and Caleb Cook may win the other guard position. Pender thinks his run game will be solid in 2018 with this group leading the way.
Pender who coaches his QB’s really hard thinks he has some quality at the position in KJ Lee and Anthony Mountain.
Lee played some as a freshman in 2017 and has a quick release. He has a solid grasp on the offense according to his head coach. Mountain, a transfer, played the backup role in 2017 at Glynn Academy. He is learning the offense and a new set of fundamentals as he goes from a run-oriented attack to a spread offense. Both will get some serious looks at QB. Watch this battle as it develops over the summer.
Jaylen Trimmings will be the workhorse at RB and has worked really hard in the offseason for the role. The Pirates will be young and talented at WR. Marlon Carmena, Jailyn Jones, Xavier Bean, Amarion Whitfield, Syveion Ellis, Tyrease Jones, Michael McGee, and Mitchell Richburg will get reps at receiver as this offense gets the ball in a lot of hands. Pender is really high on Che Foy who will see double duty at slot and RB in 2018.
Richburg and Mountain will handle the punting duties and Avery Yoak will be the FG kicker in 2018.
On defense the Pirates lost 13 of 15 players who saw varsity action in 2017.
Justin Akra will be the leader in the defensive line. Pender thinks Akra will have a big season in 2018.
Stacy Young is back at OLB/S and is a major college prospect who Pender calls the leader of the defense. Devin Lafayette, Freddy Towns, and Demetrius Hardee will make the Pirate secondary a solid group in the fall.
Keith Garrett, Xavier Stevens, Jaylen Carter, and George Humphries will provide depth on the defensive line.
The Pirates lost a ton at LB due to graduation, but some talent is ready to step in make a name for themselves. AJ Wilson, Octavis Butler, and Ryne Buckley will have to grow up fast and contribute right away.
Offensively, Pender wants to run his base offense and expects his run game to be solid and is looking for consistency in the passing game.
Defensively the head coach says he wants to see his young kids flying to the point of attack in a bad mood and playing fast and physical.
LeBron Gone?
By: Kenneth Harrison Jr.
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
I’m not going to lie to you, the NBA has been difficult to watch for the last few years. It started in 2010 when LeBron James took his talents to South Beach to form a super team. It almost becomes a forgone conclusion of who the best team is before the season begins.
Kevin Durant followed the same plan and joined Golden State in 2016. As you may remember, the Warriors were 73-9 the season before Durant joined. Golden State is clearly the best team in the NBA and I cannot imagine anyone beating them.
We do have some interesting developments in the Eastern Conference this season though. Since the 2010 season, LeBron has terrorized the East and played in 7 consecutive NBA Finals. He has always had a great supporting cast around him after his first stint in Cleveland.
We finally saw that change last summer when Kyrie Erving requested a trade, which was extremely unexpected. Once he went to Boston, it felt like the balance of power shifted in the East. It’s scary to think that two of their best players, Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward are not playing the rest of the season due to injuries.
The Cavs struggled through the season with a 50-32 record and they were the 4th seed in the East. They looked very inconsistent all year, so I did not expect much from them in the playoffs. They swept the No. 1 seed Toronto Raptors in the second round so it appeared as if they were peaking at the right time.
In Game 1 in Boston the Celtics dominated from the opening tip, winning 108-83. Celtics forward Marcus Morris started his first game this post season and he had to guard James. Morris surprisingly outplayed LeBron and held him relatively in check.
Morris scored 21 points and added 10 rebounds while forcing James into a playoff-high 7 turnovers and a playoff-low 15 points.
“I have zero level of concern at this stage,” said James, who was 5 for 16 from the floor and missed all five 3-point attempts.
“I’ve been down before in the postseason, but for me there’s never any level of concern — no matter how bad I played tonight, with seven turnovers, how inefficient I was shooting the ball,” he said. “We have another opportunity to be better as a ball club coming in Tuesday night, and we’ll see what happens.”
King James is right to stay calm after the blowout loss in Game 1. Realistically I can’t foresee things getting much better for the Cavs. I know they will play better at home but the Celtics overall are a better team even though they are going up against the best player in the game.
Jaylen Brown scored 23 points and Al Horford had 20 for Boston. The leading scorer for Cleveland was Kevin Love with 17 points and he was only the second player on the team with double figures.
It’s ironic to think that LeBron’s first term in Cleveland ended with a playoff loss to the Celtics. When it happens again this year he will leave for a second time.
New Lead Hawk
By: TJ Hartnett
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
A 24-48 season will have consequences. Some positive, like a decent shot at the number one draft pick. Many negatives too, like parting ways with coaches and grouchy fans and the fact that you’ve only won 24 games, which is very bad.
The Atlanta Hawks just suffered through such a season and head coach Mike Budenholzer departed on April 25th (though admittedly, he seemed ready to go anyway. Though a 55 win season likely would have incentivized him to stay).
It was the first season since the 2006-07 campaign, in which the Hawks failed to make the playoffs and afterwards the Hawks have begun the process of rebuilding. So, the question became who would lead Atlanta through the lean times ahead?
Now there is an answer to that question and the answer is Lloyd Pierce.
Atlanta locked up the 76ers assistant coach to a three-year deal on Friday. He’ll be tasked with leading the team’s young contingent through the ups and downs of an NBA season.
It should be a good fit, as prior to his work in Philly Pierce worked in player development for the Cavaliers and Grizzlies.
Core players for the Hawks Dennis Schroder and Taurean Waller-Prince are only 24 years old and there should be a several good young players joining them after the draft. The Hawks will select 4 of the first 33 players.
The Hawks have a plan to get young and unpolished, so a coach with a background of molding players was going to be important and Atlanta believes they have found that with Pierce.
Pierce’s first job in the NBA was that gig in Cleveland, where a young man named LeBron James enjoyed working with him so much that that he continued to work with him (and brought Dwyane Wade along with him) during the NBA lockout in 2011.
He moved from Cleveland to a short stint with the Golden State Warriors, (stunted by that same lockout) where then Director of Player Personnel for Golden State (and current Hawks GM) Travis Schlenk got a look at him for the first time.
The Hawks will be bad next year. They have broken their team down and are completely rebuilding. Schlenk will need to trust Pierce’s wisdom and guidance because the record will be ugly. However, he’ll be aiming to get results in other areas.
The players will need to trust Pierce as they navigate what will be a tough season for them. If they can batten down the hatches and try to work on becoming complete players instead of getting caught up in wins, losses and stats, they’ll have a chance to evolve into a decent unit. Again, it won’t be right away.
That will also be important for the Hawks faithful to realize. They should already be prepped for a down year but take this hiring as a good step.
Don’t take this hiring as a sign that the Hawks are going to surprise the league because their coach works well with young talent.
Pierce’s expertise is in developing talent, not flipping switches from “rookie” to “all-star.” Patience will be key.
That being said, this is an exciting hire – not really because of what will come of it in the first year, but instead of what might come of it in the third.
Small Titans Draft
By: Kenneth Harrison Jr.
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The Tennessee Titans made their first playoff appearance since 2008 last season. They had a 9-7 record and finished second in the AFC South behind Jacksonville. They also won in the first round of the playoffs against Kansas City.
The biggest team weakness was on the defensive side of the ball. They ranked 13th in total defense, which is not bad but they ranked 25th in pass defense. They tried to address some of those needs in the draft.
Draft picks: Alabama LB Rashaan Evans (No. 22), Boston College EDGE Harold Landry (No. 41), Arizona S Dane Cruikshank (No. 152), Washington State QB Luke Falk (No. 199)
The Titans did not have a lot of draft picks but they addressed needs with the first two picks. This was the smallest draft class in Titans history so that was an understatement.
Avery Williamson departed in free agency (Jets). Evans is an attacker that played in a complex pro style scheme at Alabama so he should contribute immediately.
Evans made the All-SEC team in 2017 and he won two national championships. He had 13 tackles for loss and 6 sacks last year. A lot will be asked of him in Mike Vrabel and defensive coordinator Dean Pees’s system.
In the second round, Tennessee traded up to get late first-round projected edge rusher Harold Landry. He will have this year to develop because Brian Orakpo and Derrick Morgan are both in the final years of their contracts.
2016 second-rounder Kevin Dodd has not developed because he fits a classic 4-3, not a flexible 3-4, like Tennessee ran under Dick LeBeau and will run in a slightly different way under first-time head coach Mike Vrabel.
Landry’s best season was his junior year in 2016. He had 50 total tackles, 22 tackles for loss, 16.5 sacks and an interception. He was drastically less productive as a senior with only 8.5 TFL’s and 5 sacks.
Landry has some good measurable, standing 6’2 and 252 pounds. He ran a 4.64 40 yard-dash and he benched 24 reps at the combine.
Dane Cruikshank was picked in the fifth round. He primarily played cornerback in college but will probably play safety in the NFL.
“Whatever they need me to play, I’m willing to play,” Cruikshank said. “I feel like I can do it all, so I don’t think I’ll have trouble playing free safety or strong safety. I can tackle, I can play in the box, I can roll to the post, so it doesn’t matter to me.”
As a senior in 2017 he recorded 75 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, three interceptions, five pass breakups and a forced fumble in 13 games. Two of those picks were against Josh Rosen and Sam Darnold, two of the four quarterbacks drafted in the top 10 in the first round.
The final pick was a head scratcher, Washington State QB Luke Falk. Tennessee is set at the position with Marcus Mariota as the franchise quarterback. I thought they should have tried to add a weapon on offense instead of drafting a back up QB.
Grade: B-
Smart Extension?
By: JJ Lanier
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Before I get too deep into this, just let me say that I like Kirby Smart. As someone who thought Georgia could have gotten a better coach after they fired Mark Richt two years ago, Smart has proven me wrong, so far.
The job that he and his coaching staff did past season was one of the better coaching jobs in college football. His recruiting, which I had no expectations about, have been even more impressive.
That said, the timing and amount of Smart’s recent extension- which runs through 2024 at roughly $7 million annually- is a bit of a head scratcher to me.
I get this is the way things are generally done within college football now, overpaying to lock up the young coach, but it still seems a bit rushed.
Georgia feels like that kid we all new in high school; the one that was never allowed to go out and have a good time, so after a semester at college he comes home with blue hair, pierced nipples, and his tattoo artist girlfriend, Viper, whose free spirited ways really understands him at his core.
Basically, UGA’s fan base and administration have been yearning for national relevance for so long that when they finally achieved it their Facebook relationship status with Smart just went from “it’s complicated” to “married” after roughly the second date.
Again, I’m not saying Smart isn’t the right guy for UGA, but why that amount, now?
To me, if you’re giving a coach that type of extension, it’s for one of two reasons: He or she is entertaining offers from other schools. You are approaching the end of a contract and that coach has shown, either over a sustained period of time or with a championship, they are worth the money.
I can’t imagine there was serious consideration that Smart was looking for greener pastures, especially at this time of year. He’s a Georgia guy through and through and for as much as like to give UGA fans a hard time, there aren’t many coaching jobs better than the one in Athens.
As for the second reason, yes Smart led last year’s team to arguably the most exciting season Georgia has had in recent memory, but how many times have you seen a new head coach inject some much needed life into a program early on, only to fall back to the pack a couple years later. (I feel like this is a good time to mention how similar Smart and Richt’s first two seasons in Athens were, including it being their first head coaching job.)
As an outsider looking in, it just feels like a bit of a risk to do this now, as opposed to after this upcoming season. You’d not only have another year to evaluate Smart, but you can see how he handles being the coach of a team that has the bullseye on their back.
Plus, unless I’m wrong and Smart was actually looking elsewhere, you could probably afford to wait another year without fear of losing him.
But look, it’s not my money and as long as the administration, alumni, and fans feel good about it, God bless them and I hope it works out. I certainly don’t ever resent a coach or player for getting paid.
I will say this, if Kirby Smart ever wavered on what the expectations in Athens have been, it’s crystal clear now; you pay a coach $7 million a year to win National Championships, not just conference titles.
Knighted For Next Level
By: Alex Mathis
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
It seems like it was yesterday when Jaylin Simpson received his first division 1 offer from Ohio State.
The smile he displayed that day was visible when he committed to Gus Malzahn (Auburn) earlier this month.
Simpson visited Auburn for the first time last month. He knew then that Auburn would be his next home after he leaves Frederica Academy. After visiting with the coaches and taking the tour on the first visit, he knew he wanted to get his mother on campus to check everything out before making a decision. That visit was a slam dunk for Simpson’s mother.
We all have seen a lot of the commitment videos from kids over the last month. I have always wondered what the reactions were when recruits tell the coaches at these colleges that they are committing to their school.
I actually got to be present for this one. Simpson actually walked right into Gus Malzahn’s office, hugged him and said, “Coach I am a Tiger. I am committed.” Coach Malzahn’s face lit up and he and his wife yelled with excitement. It was a pretty cool moment to be a part of.
At Auburn, he will look to play either safety or corner. The Auburn staff loves the versatility that Jaylin brings to the table. Simpson has played multiple positions while at Frederica. He has played quarterback, wideout, safety, corner, and has been the Knights punt returner. This versatility makes him very appealing to the Tigers.
What made Simpson choose Auburn? Jaylin has told several people that he loves the relationship that he has formed with the coaches. Kevin Steele (Defensive Coordinator), Kodi Burns (Wide Receiver Coach), and Marcus Woodson (Defensive Back Coach) all have done a great job building relationships with him. He knew that these coaches he could trust.
Simpson has already turned into a recruiter for the Tigers. If you check his twitter you will see that he is going after some of the top targets in the 2019 class.
He has the type of personality that others want to be around, so him helping out the Auburn coaching staff should be helpful.
So, are schools backing off since Jaylin’s commitment? Absolutely not. There have been several schools who have picked up the communication with Jaylin Simpson since last week.
Simpson has said that he is 1000% committed but things might get interesting as this year goes.
Right now, Simpson’s main focus is finishing off this semester strong and getting back on the field with the rest of the Frederica Knights. Brandon Derrick’s Knights will look to win it all this year after suffering a heart breaking lost in the semifinals against Valwood.
Simpson is the first of Frederica’s talented 2019 class to commit to a school. Coach Derrick hopes that a good bit of his players will sign athletic scholarships next year.
Jashawn Sheffield has several power 5 offers. He has no timetable for a decision.
Harry Veal is starting to get a lot of buzz. The talented linebacker will be highly recruited in the near future. Veal scored a 29 on the ACT and several Ivy League schools have noticed.
Patrick Brunson will also have the opportunity to play at the next level. Before missing last season, Brunson received interest from several division 1 schools.
Shifty back, Isaiah Jackson, has shown on several division 2 boards. His vision and quickness will land him a spot on someone’s college roster.
Talented offensive lineman, Michael Tindle will also have a chance to suit up on Saturdays if he chooses. Tindle is one of the best offensive lineman to suit up for the Knights.
Next year has the potential to be a very fun and productive year for the Knights.
Matty Ice Cool Dollars
By: TJ Hartnett
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Recently I wrote an article about the Falcons draft, suggesting that with their first-round pick of talented wide receiver Calvin Ridley, the rich got richer.
The rich being the offense in this scenario. Flash forward a few days and for one key member of that offense, it became literally true as Matt Ryan inked a five-year contract extension with Atlanta that includes a whopping $100 million guaranteed.
I’ll save you the research and tell you that this is the richest NFL contract in history and that Ryan will be the first quarterback to earn $30 million annually.
Matty Ice won’t be complaining, but neither should anyone else. Ten years into his career, Ryan has shown that he is the right guy to lead this Falcons team and the best chance they have of securing a Super Bowl win anytime soon.
Is he worth all that money?
Yes, it’s a lot of money and there are always going to be some concerns with a contract as huge as this one but here the benefits outweigh the literal costs.
There is, of course, some concern that devoting so much money to one player will handicap a team’s ability to spend on other areas of need in the future.
Let’s dig at that a little. Cap space is a much more complicated situation that simply looking at what the players on your team are being paid in any given year.
Teams move money around all the time, paying big bucks up front or deferring payments until later and cuts are being made constantly. Plus, that cap never remains the same – it rises. One big contract for a player like Ryan is not going to debilitate the Falcons’ spending ability. The process is too fluid to allow for that.
Besides, paying Ryan his market value is better than any alternative. Picture the Falcons resetting at QB with a draft pick; while maintaining the talented receiving core that they already have in place.
How many wins have they sacrificed because they didn’t want to pay up for established QB?
Building off of that, how would the Falcons even begin pitching an extension to the likes of Julio Jones if he’s faced with catching passes from an unproven rookie instead of recent MVP Matt Ryan? How much more difficult would it be to sign free agents?
Let’s also not overlook what Ryan has done for this franchise. He was drafted 10 years ago when the Falcons needed a PR win after Michael Vick’s legal woes.
In fact, you might argue that drafting this admittedly talented but pretty bland character out of Boston College was little more than just that; a PR move. But he took the reins of a team in turmoil and led the charge into relevancy.
The Falcons made the playoffs with him as a rookie QB and while they didn’t make the postseason the following year, Ryan led them to a 9-7 record which was the first time in franchise history that the Falcons posted back-to-back winning seasons. Then he led them to three more.
Think about that. Consider how important this guy has been to a Falcons team that in 43 years had never strung together two winning seasons before Matt Ryan showed up and put up five in a row.
The Falcons are as legit a team as there is in the NFL and it is thanks in large part to the league’s new $30 million man.
We’re ten years into the Matt Ryan era in Atlanta, with at least six more on the horizon. Is he worth the money?
Without a doubt.
Making The Grade
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The AFC South Champions are now a Super Bowl contender. Let’s take a look at the Jags 2018 Draft.
Round 1: Taven Bryan, DT, Florida: With Calvin Ridley going to the Falcons, which nobody saw, the Jaguars selected Bryan out of Florida.
Bryan has Pro Bowl talent, but is raw. He will come in and get some reps in 2018 and will be a future starter at the position.
Try this on for size, Calais Campbell, Yannick Ngakoue, Dante Fowler, Malik Jackson, Marcell Dareus, Abry Jones, Dawaune Smoot, Eli Ankou, and now Taven Bryan opposing teams better get a back-up QB some reps during Jags week. This is a sick unit. The best defensive line position group in all of football. Grade: A as the rich get richer.
Round 2: DJ Chark, WR, LSU: Chark is a burner and will be a vertical threat in this offense.
With the addition of Chark the Jags have two receivers with 4.3 speed. Chark could win a starting job, he is that talented. LSU did not have a QB who could get him the ball consistently.
Chark joins Marquise Lee, Donte Moncrief, Keelan Cole, and Dede Westbrook in a solid receiving unit, even after losing the Allen’s to free agency. Grade: B+. Can Bortles get him the ball?
Round 3: Ronnie Harrison, S, Alabama: I think Harrison is the steal of the Jags draft. He will come in and contribute in 2018 and will be a full time starter in 2019.
He can play either safety spot. I love this pick. He joins a deep unit that includes Tashaun Gipson, Barry Church, and Cody Davis. Harrison will be a Pro Bowl safety one day. Grade A+. Great pick in the third round.
Round 4: Will Richardson, T, NC State: with this selection A. J. Cann is officially put on notice. Pick up your play or Richardson will take your spot at right guard.
If Richardson can come in and compete the OL unit becomes one of the better ones in the NFL. Grade: B+. You can never have enough offensive lineman. Two words here: Leonard Fournette.
Round 6: Tanner Lee, QB, Nebraska: I’m not sure about this pick, but Missouri QB Drew Lock would look great in a Jag uniform in 2019 if QB play struggles. Grade: C. Lee could push Cody Kessler, but who knows.
Round 7: The Jaguars selected outside linebacker Leon Jacobs out of Wisconsin and punter Logan Cooke out of Mississippi State. Jacobs will come in and push Blair Brown and will provide some depth. I like the pick. Grade: B.
Logan Cooke averaged 41.7 yards per kick at Mississippi State. Jags cut Brian Nortman so we will see if Cooke is the answer. Grade B. Anytime you use a draft pick on a kicker they better deliver.
Below are the Jaguars undrafted free agent signings:
Tony Adams, OL, NC State
Dee Delany, DB, Miami (FL)
Tre Herndon, DB, Vanderbilt
Michael Hughes, DT, UNLV
Reggie Hunter, LB, North Carolina
Darius Jackson, LB, Jacksonville State
Lyndon Johnson, DE, Cincinnati
Allen Lazard, WR, Iowa State
KC McDermott, OL, Miami (FL)
Quenton Meeks, CB, Stanford
Dorren Miller, WR, Carson-Newman
Andrew Motuapuaka, LB, Virginia Tech
C.J. Reavis, S, Marshall
Malik Zaire, QB, Florida
Two from this list have a great shot of playing next year. Lazard should crack the Jags receiving rotation as he has a big frame and could be a great red zone target.
Quenton Meeks will provide depth at corner for the best corner combo in the NFL.
Both Lazard and Meeks were listed in NFL Network Draft Analyst Mike Mayock’s Top 100 so getting these two UDFA’s is a real bargain.
Overall Grade: B+. This was a solid draft for Jacksonville. This team is ready to go to the Super Bowl.
