As we’ve previously mentioned, the Jacksonville Jaguars needed a ton of help at the cornerback position as the depth chart looked shaky behind Tre Herndon. The team decided to partially fix that issue right out of the gate by taking C.J. Henderson Day 1 of the 2020 NFL Draft, who was the second-best prospect at the position in the eyes of most.
Saturday, they decided to double-up at the position, snagging Michigan State’s Josiah Scott with selection No. 137.
Round 4, No. 137 overall: @Jaguars select @MSU_Football CB Josiah Scott.https://t.co/mat5elYadO#NFLDraft
— NFL Draft (@NFLDraft) April 25, 2020
When looking at his projections, this is right about where Scott was expected to go. At 5-foot-9, 185-pounds, he proved to be a sticky cover corner in the Big 10 after spending three years with the Spartans. During his 2019 campaign, he was able to lead the way for Michigan State’s secondary, totaling 36 tackles, three picks, and six pass breakups.
Prior to that, Scott showcased his resilience in 2018 after battling a knee injury which caused him to miss the first eight games of the season. However, once he returned to the lineup his presence was felt as he was named the RedBox Bowl’s defensive MVP, registering three tackles, and four pass breakups.
With him offering limited size, it appears the Jags could be eying him as a nickel cornerback. While D.J. Hayden has held down the spot and has flourished there, he is on the last year of his deal. If Scott can stick to the roster in 2020, it’s possible he could be groomed to succeed Hayden in 2021 while also contributing on special teams as a rookie.