Category: Trent Baalke

Worst-case scenario at pick 25: Reaching for Pat Freiermuth

The Jags have connections to Penn State’s Pat Freiermuth, but they can’t overdraft him to pass up first-round talent.

With the 2021 NFL Draft starting Thursday night, the Jacksonville Jaguars have a chance to change the fortunes of the franchise for the next decade or more. New general manager Trent Baalke has 10 total picks at his disposal and the first of those picks (No. 1) will be going towards Trevor Lawrence.

Even after taking the best quarterback prospect since Andrew Luck, the Jaguars have a further four selections in the top-65 picks. Meaning they should find multiple long-term starters in this year’s class.

Every year for some inexplicable reason players with no business going in the first round become premier draft selections like Damon Arnette to the Las Vegas Raiders. The Jags have been known to make similar mistakes, too, and it’s hurt them.

The last time the Jaguars were picking in the 20s of the NFL Draft they reached horrendously for Taven Bryan. To make a long story short, he no longer starts on the Jaguars’ defensive line and is yet to have his fifth-year option extended.

With Bryan’s selection still fresh in the minds of Jags fans, many probably are wondering if some players would represent a similar mistake if elected by the Jags with pick No. 25 in Thursday’s draft. Well, one name comes to mind.

Who would be the worst-case scenario for the Jaguars at 25th overall?

Penn State’s Pat Freiermuth.

Freiermuth has been rumored to the Jaguars for a long time now. His connection to the Jags was amplified when new coach Urban Meyer hired Penn State’s tight ends coach Tyler Bowen, who was Freiermuth’s position coach for his entire collegiate career.

At 6-foot-5, 250 pounds the former Nittany Lion has the coveted size for the position and has shown to be a legitimate red-zone threat throughout his time at Penn State. He is, by all standards, a very strong tight end prospect. So why is Freiermuth the worst-case scenario for the Jaguars to take him at 25? Well, the likelihood is that he could be on the board at 45. Potentially even later.

Rebuilding teams should never make the mistake of drafting need over value, and despite the multiple free-agent additions made this offseason, the Jags are still a team very much in the middle of a rebuild. With so many high-impact players likely still on the board through the team’s first five picks, Baalke’s top priority should be to add the best available prospects to a team that just went 1-15. So whilst adding a quality tight end is a point of emphasis for the team this weekend, it shouldn’t be anywhere close to the top of their priorities on Thursday.

It stands to reason that by the end of the weekend Freiermuth will still be a Jaguar, but missing out on premier talent to reach on a position that rarely produces in their first year would be a colossal mistake for the new regime in their first draft.

Best-case scenario for the Jaguars at pick 25: Alijah Vera-Tucker slides

The Jags like their starting offensive line, but Alijah Vera-Tucker would give them an option they would have to heavily consider at pick No. 25.

With the 2021 NFL Draft starting Thursday night, the Jacksonville Jaguars have a chance to change the fortunes of the franchise for the next decade or more. New general manager Trent Baalke has 10 total picks at his disposal and the first of those picks (No. 1) will be going towards Trevor Lawrence.

Even after taking the best quarterback prospect since Andrew Luck, the Jaguars have a further four selections in the top-65 picks. Meaning they should find multiple long-term starters in this year’s class.

Every year, the NFL Draft sees high-level prospects fall for no known reason. Last year, CeeDee Lamb almost fell out of the top-20. In 2019, highly touted cornerback prospect Greedy Williams nearly fell out of the top-50. So who could be the star prospect that falls to the Jaguars at 25? Although it might be underwhelming for the more casual fans, the answer is USC’s Alijah Vera-Tucker.

Vera-Tucker has played at a variety of different spots on the offensive line and has excelled in all of them, making him the most versatile lineman in the 2021 class. The redshirt-junior stands at 6-foot-4, 308 pounds, and despite below-average arm length, he was dominant at left tackle for the Trojans in 2020.

Vera-Tucker is thick-framed and has a tremendously solid base thanks to elite-level core strength. However, this is matched with his explosive athleticism which allows him to snap off the ball and provide a real anchor on the offensive front.

So, what is the likelihood of him being there at 25?

Slim at best. There are multiple teams picking in the teens who have gaping holes on the offensive line, and once the selections get into the 20s, teams with a need on the offensive line continue to present themselves. At pick No. 21, the Indianapolis Colts could look to address the retirement of Anthony Costanzo, whilst the New York Jets decided against adding to their woeful interior unit and pick two spots ahead of the Jags at pick No. 23.

How can Vera-Tucker end up a Jaguar later on tonight?

There will have to be a historic run on offensive players to start the 2021 NFL Draft. And by historic, that means offensive players being selected from the first pick to the seventh or eighth for the first time in the common draft era. That would push premier defensive talent toward the middle of round one and allow the second tier of offensive linemen (Vera-Tucker, Christian Darrisaw and Teven Jenkins) to trend toward the 20s.

A legitimate top-15 talent in this year’s class, Vera-Tucker could become a Day 1 starter at guard in Jacksonville. Whilst he might also project as a long-term replacement for left tackle Cam Robinson, who has signed his franchise tag and isn’t on the roster beyond 2021.

Jacksonville Jaguars 2021 NFL Draft Primer

In just over 24 hours, the Jags will be kicking off the draft with the top pick, which almost certainly will go towards Trevor Lawrence.

We are almost 24 hours away from the start of the 2021 NFL Draft, which means Jacksonville Jaguars fans can soon call Trevor Lawrence their quarterback. However, even aside from his selection, there is a lot to be excited about as the Jags have a buzz surrounding them with a lot of changes occurring to the organization.

As is the case with most teams, the draft is the way to build a team, and the Jags certainly seem to be aware of that. With new coach Urban Meyer wanting to win immediately, the Jags will need a great draft aside from acquiring Lawrence, which has built up a lot of anticipation within the fan base.

All that said, we grouped all the important information that we’ve posted concerning the draft and offseason below. From the date and time of the draft, to information on the front office and Lawrence, and more, here is everything you need to know heading into Thursday:

Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports

How to watch, stream, and listen to Day 1 of the 2021 NFL Draft

  • As always the draft will be streamed on ESPN, NFL Network, and ABC. For those who live in the Jacksonville area, it also can be heard on the radio via ESPN 690 AM. Here is all the info needed to watch, listen, and stream.
Feb 24, 2016; Indianapolis, IN, USA; San Francisco 49ers general manager Trent Baalke speaks to the media during the 2016 NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

Jacksonville Jaguars draft 2021 picks and trade value board

The Jaguars will enter the 2021 NFL Draft with 10 picks, tied for second-most in the NFL. They acquired extra picks by trading Yannick Ngakoue, Jalen Ramsey, and Ronnie Harrison. They also swapped picks with the Tennessee Titans when they traded Jacksonville linebacker, Kamalei Correa.

Round Pick Overall
1 1 1
1 (From L.A. Rams) 25 25
2 1 33
2 (From Vikings) 13 45
3 1 65
4 1 106
4 (from L.A. Rams) 25 130
5 1 145
5 (From Browns) 26 171
6 (From Titans) 21 249
  • Click here to find the trade value of each Jags pick in this week’s draft.
Dec 28, 2019; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Clemson Tigers quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) celebrates after a victory against the Ohio State Buckeyes in the 2019 Fiesta Bowl college football playoff semifinal game. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

Info on presumptive No. 1 pick Trevor Lawrence

The Jags have long been expected to take Trevor Lawrence first overall and will have the national spotlight on them as a result.

Here is all the important information we’ve posted on him leading into this point.

Dec 19, 2020; Charlotte, NC, USA; Clemson wide receiver Amari Rodgers (3) catches a pass for a 67-yard touchdown near Notre Dame safety Shaun Crawford (20) during the first quarter of the ACC Championship game at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ken Ruinard-USA TODAY Sports

Other prospects who the Jags could be interested in

The Jags’ selection of Lawrence will be the easy part because he’s the best player in the draft. However, they are going to need to knock the rest of the draft out of the park. Here are some posts we made to familiarize our readers with prospects they could be interested in after pick No. 1.

Former Ohio State coach Urban Meyer rewatches a play during the game at Michigan Stadium, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2019. Ohio State defeated Michigan, 56-27.

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The latest from the front office

Jags owner Shad Khan overhauled their front office with the firings of former general manager Dave Caldwell and coach Doug Marrone. The two were replaced by Trent Baalke and Urban Meyer, respectively, in January.

Here are some of their most important moments heading into the draft:

As expected, Jags have found ‘no negatives’ with Trevor Lawrence

The draft is almost a week away and the Jags appear to have done all their homework on Trevor Lawrence.

Thursday will mark a week away from the 2021 NFL Draft, which means the Jacksonville Jaguars are inching closer to the probable selection of Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence with the first overall pick. And after having months to do their research on him, Jags general manager Trent Baalke told the media that the front office has yet to find a single negative on Lawrence.

“Well, the easiest way to answer that is [there are] no negatives,” said Baalke when asked what the team has learned about the Clemson star over meetings. “[With] all the research we’ve done, you’re always looking for the stars to align when you’re looking at prospects, whether that be from a physical, mental, character aspect, whatever the case may be. With his situation, like many others in this draft, the stars all align and that’s what you’re looking for.”

The next step in their decision to take Lawrence will be to meet with owner Shad Khan in the coming days as he will have the final say. Although Baalke admitted that the Jags received calls about pick No. 1, it’s hard to imagine them coming off the selection as Khan started the offseason stressing the importance of a franchise quarterback.

“We’ve fielded a couple of calls, but I think we’re going to hold tight,” Baalke said. “Again, that decision is made organizationally and our ownership is definitely involved with that as well.”

Khan understands better than anyone that Lawrence can help make the team more marketable and help them on the field, too, so one would have to think the decision will be a no-brainer.

Urban Meyer discusses push Jags made to acquire Alex Smith

The former Washington quarterback was released after returning from his gruesome leg injury in 2020. He played under Urban Meyer at Utah.

The Jacksonville Jaguars have a bit of a loaded quarterback room at the moment. Gardner Minshew hasn’t been traded (yet) and remains on the roster along with C.J. Beathard, who the team signed in free agency from San Francisco. Further, Jacksonville is expected to add Trevor Lawrence in the draft with the first overall pick.

But with that being said, it seems the allure of bringing in a passer that Meyer has a lot of familiarity with continues to nag at the new Jags coach. Former Washington Football Team quarterback Alex Smith, who Meyer coached at Utah as the pair led the Utes to an undefeated season in 2004, is a free agent, and on a podcast appearance with Michael Irvin, Meyer said he considered bringing Smith in and that he may still do it.

“I wanted him here,” Meyer said. “You know, we talked to him about joining here. He’s had a tough injury. Of all the players I’ve ever coached, and I would tell people this when people didn’t know how tough he was, he’s one of the toughest cats I’ve ever been around.

“[…] We had conversations with him. There are some medical people in our organization that were very concerned. And remember, our GM [Trent Baalke] actually drafted Alex at San Francisco. So you have two people in Jacksonville that love Alex. It was that was deeper than a player, now. He’s like our family. Both of us feel so strongly about them. But that’s something that we’re just going to keep an eye on because I hope he comes back.”

The connections certainly are there for Smith. In addition to his experience with Meyer, Baalke was in his first season as a scout with San Francisco when the team drafted Smith first overall in 2005.

It seemed his career was at an end in 2018 when he suffered a horrific leg injury, but after a herculean rehabilitation effort, Smith returned to the field in 2020 for Washington. He’s 36-years-old and may be looking to call it a career, but if he has some gas left in the tank, moving to Florida and mentoring Lawrence could be an attractive offer.

Herbstreit believes Meyer’s high-profile status will ease pressure off Lawrence

The 2021 NFL Draft is two weeks away and the Jacksonville Jaguars will kick the annual event off by taking Trevor Lawrence – probably. When they turn the card in with his name on it, he’ll officially be the biggest star to be selected by the Jags, …

The 2021 NFL Draft is two weeks away and the Jacksonville Jaguars will kick the annual event off by taking Trevor Lawrence — probably. When they turn the card in with his name on it, he’ll officially be the biggest star to be selected by the Jags, which some feel will instantly put a lot of pressure on him.

However, ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit seems to disagree with those sentiments. While he does think there will be a little pressure on Lawrence to deliver for the fan base, he told the media that Urban Meyer will be the one feeling the most pressure in the Jags building for the simple fact that he’s a high-profile first-year coach.

“Well, I think he’s going into a unique situation with Urban Meyer coming in there in year one,” Herbstreit said. “And Urban went out and hired Brian Schottenheimer and Darrell Bevell, a couple guys that obviously have a ton of NFL experience. I think that helps him. Urban Meyer is going to create an energy – I think it’s your question to me. I think that falls more on Urban Meyer shoulders than just the quarterback, and I think Trevor comes in, and he ends up ultimately going there.

“Obviously anytime you’re the first pick overall you’re going to feel some of that weight too. But as far as that franchise needing to go in a different direction, I think the timing for him is good because you’ve got a high profile first year head coach that has many people every week dissecting his every move as much as the quarterback.”

Herbstreit certainly makes a good point, especially when considering how the fan base already views Meyer from his days of great success at Florida. That same logic could apply from those watching from a national perspective as many fans and analysts want to see if he’ll have issues like Nick Saban did in the league, or succeed like Jimmy Johnson.

Herbstreit added that the circumstances would be different if Doug Marrone was still the Jags coach. In that scenario, Herbstreit stated that things would more so fall on Lawrence’s shoulders due to Marrone already spending multiple years in the NFL as a head coach.

Many journalists feel that Meyer has an uphill battle to overcome with this Jags team despite the assets they have to aid them. However, one thing that could help Meyer tremendously is the Jags group of skill weapons. With notables like James Robinson, DJ Chark, and Laviska Shenault Jr. in place, onlookers can’t rule out Lawrence having success as a rookie.

Urban Meyer attends Ohio State’s pro day

The Jaguars coach had the chance to scout some of his former players as he and GM Trent Baalke were in Columbus for OSU’s pro day.

In a homecoming of sorts, Jacksonville Jaguars coach Urban Meyer returned to Ohio State, where he coached from 2012-18, for the team’s pro day on Tuesday. Though he hasn’t been seen at many pro days this offseason, given his ties to the Buckeyes program and the number of talented prospects on the team, it’s no surprise he made the sojourn up to Columbus along with Jags general manager Trent Baalke.

The most high-profile prospect at the pro day was quarterback Justin Fields, who many expect to be the third quarterback off the 2021 draft board. It could be that Meyer simply wanted to do his due diligence on the Buckeyes’ top prospect, but it’s highly unlikely the team drafts a quarterback other than Lawrence with the first overall pick.

12 draft eligible prospects from Ohio State who were coached by Urban Meyer

There are several other Ohio State prospects that Meyer could’ve been interested in scouting, as well. According to Eleven Warriors, a total of 15 prospects worked out for the Buckeyes, many of which were coached by Meyer in college (though he didn’t coach star transfers Fields and Trey Sermon).

OSU had several intriguing defensive prospects participate in Tuesday’s pro day, including linebackers Baron Browning and Pete Warner, along with nose tackle Tommy Togiai. Cornerback Shaun Wade, a Jacksonville native who played at Trinity Christian Academy, didn’t participate and delayed his workout until he fully recovers from turf toe.

Though Meyer already has a lot of familiarity with most of these players, he got an up-close look at how much they’ve developed since he left two years ago. And it seems like a safe bet that the Jaguars will draft at least one player from Ohio State in next month’s NFL draft.

Urban Meyer attends Ohio State’s pro day

The Jaguars coach had the chance to scout some of his former players as he and GM Trent Baalke were in Columbus for OSU’s pro day.

In a homecoming of sorts, Jacksonville Jaguars coach Urban Meyer returned to Ohio State, where he coached from 2012-18, for the team’s pro day on Tuesday. Though he hasn’t been seen at many pro days this offseason, given his ties to the Buckeyes program and the number of talented prospects on the team, it’s no surprise he made the sojourn up to Columbus along with Jags general manager Trent Baalke.

The most high-profile prospect at the pro day was quarterback Justin Fields, who many expect to be the third quarterback off the 2021 draft board. It could be that Meyer simply wanted to do his due diligence on the Buckeyes’ top prospect, but it’s highly unlikely the team drafts a quarterback other than Lawrence with the first overall pick.

12 draft eligible prospects from Ohio State who were coached by Urban Meyer

There are several other Ohio State prospects that Meyer could’ve been interested in scouting, as well. According to Eleven Warriors, a total of 15 prospects worked out for the Buckeyes, many of which were coached by Meyer in college (though he didn’t coach star transfers Fields and Trey Sermon).

OSU had several intriguing defensive prospects participate in Tuesday’s pro day, including linebackers Baron Browning and Pete Warner, along with nose tackle Tommy Togiai. Cornerback Shaun Wade, a Jacksonville native who played at Trinity Christian Academy, didn’t participate and delayed his workout until he fully recovers from turf toe.

Though Meyer already has a lot of familiarity with most of these players, he got an up-close look at how much they’ve developed since he left two years ago. And it seems like a safe bet that the Jaguars will draft at least one player from Ohio State in next month’s NFL draft.

Poll: Should the Jags take a chance on Aldon Smith?

The defensive end is expected to not be re-signed by the Cowboys, and he could provide key depth as an edge rusher in Jacksonville.

On Wednesday, ESPN reported that the Dallas Cowboys won’t be re-signing veteran defensive end Aldon Smith after his one-year deal expired. The 2020 season was Smith’s first on the field since 2015, as he had spent the previous four years suspended for several legal issues and violations of the NFL’s substance-abuse policy.

The 31-year-old was surprisingly productive this season for someone who had been away from the game for so long, as he finished with 47 tackles and five sacks while starting all 16 games.

Though Jacksonville addressed the defensive line with several signings, such as Jihad Ward and Roy Robertson-Harris, if they were to go after Smith, the move could bring a potential starting-caliber edge rusher to town, helping the depth behind the young edge rushing tandem of Josh Allen and K’Lavon Chaisson.

Smith has a prior relationship with Jaguars general manager Trent Baalke, who held the same role in San Francisco previously. He drafted Smith seventh overall in 2011, and the pair worked together until 2015 when Smith signed with the Oakland Raiders.

Of course, Smith has his baggage, as well. His first brush with NFL discipline came in 2013, when he was involved in a single-car accident that resulted in him being arrested for DUI and possession of marijuana. He voluntarily entered rehabilitation and missed five games that season.

Smith was arrested again in 2014 after officials at Los Angeles International Airport alleged he claimed he was carrying a bomb. Though those charges were eventually dropped, he was suspended for nine games that season.

After getting arrested for his third DUI and a hit-and-run in August 2015, he was released by the 49ers and was later suspended for one year after signing with Oakland.

He was denied reinstatement and ended up sitting out the entire 2016 and 2017 seasons. Following an alleged domestic violence incident in 2018, the Raiders released him.

He was finally reinstated last May, and things went smoothly during his one year in Dallas. Though it may attract some media attention, if Baalke (who dealt with some of Smith’s prior issues firsthand) and coach Urban Meyer felt good about bringing him to town, it would be another significant upgrade for the defensive line — though some may feel the Jags would be wise to avoid an addition like Smith due to his overall record.

What do you think? Should the Jags go after Smith? Let us know in the poll down below.

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Return to Jags feels like a homecoming for Carlos Hyde

The former Seattle running back had relationships with a number of people on staff, and he called signing with the Jags a “no-brainer.”

Running back Carlos Hyde, one of several free-agent additions for the Jacksonville Jaguars this offseason, played one season of his career with the team in 2018. But with the new regime, Jacksonville now feels more like home than ever.

Hyde has a prior relationship with several people within the Jags staff, but the most obvious connection is the head coach. Urban Meyer was Hyde’s college coach at Ohio State, where he guided him to a First Team All-Big Ten selection in 2013.

Hyde said that when his contract with Seattle expired, the move he needed to make was obvious.

“It was a no-brainer for me once I saw Coach [Urban] Meyer become the head coach here,” he said. “I had good years with Coach Meyer at Ohio State and honestly, I’ve been waiting for Coach Meyer to become a head coach in the NFL… I feel like eventually, he would have made his way to the NFL. I’m happy he decided to do that now, while I’m still playing. I’m excited that he’s here now.”

Meyer has no NFL coaching experience, even as an assistant coach. But Hyde said he’s not worried about Meyer’s ability to make the transition.

“Because one thing about Coach Meyer, it’s all about winning,” Hyde said. “So, he’s just going to figure it out, how to get the wins, how to consistently get wins, how to get a lot of wins, to build a winning program here, build the right culture, get the right guys in here… When he’s not around, you know you’ve got guys here in there that he can count on that are keeping the culture alive, keeping guys bought in into the program.”

Not only is Hyde extremely familiar with Meyer and his coaching style, but with the Jaguars in 2021, he will be able to maintain some systematic continuity. His offensive coordinator from last season with the Seahawks, Brian Schottenheimer, was hired to be the Jags’ passing game coordinator.

“…it’s a good thing for me, you know a familiar face,” Hyde said. “I’m sure the offense will be familiar, I’m sure [coach Schottenheimer will] [be] adding something familiar, what we did in Seattle. But you know, it’s good to see familiar faces. Schotty has been great, he’s definitely going to help me continue to be the player I am, come in and just handle my business.”

If that weren’t enough to convince Hyde to sign with the Jags, their new general manager, Trent Baalke, held the same role with the San Francisco 49ers for Hyde’s first three years with the team from 2014-16. He’s now back with the GM that drafted him in the second round back in 2014.

“Trent [and I] had a good relationship,” he said. “I haven’t seen him in a while. We always kept in contact through somebody, there was always a middleman telling me, ‘Trent said hello,’ and I’d tell the person back, ‘Well, you tell him—.’ It’s finally good to see him though, in-person and be back around him. I had a good time with Trent also when I was in San Fran.”

When asked which of those three connections was the main catalyst behind his decision to come to Jacksonville, Hyde didn’t hesitate to answer.

“It was Coach Meyer. Coach Meyer made it all happen,” he said. “Once I saw Coach Meyer become the head coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars, I already knew where I was going.”

The 30-year-old will hope familiarity leads to success as he joins last year’s starter James Robinson in a backfield that should be one of the league’s better units in 2021.