The Jacksonville Jaguars’ 2019 season hasn’t gone as planned, but one thing fans can’t complain about is the contributions the team’s rookie class has made. Of course, first-round pick Josh Allen is having a solid season and is in the conversation for Defensive Rookie of the Year, while Gardner Minshew II had an impressive run, too.
Another player from the class who has contributed extensively is rookie right tackle Jawaan Taylor, who has started in all of the Jags’ regular season game. And while he has had a problem with penalties, offensive coordinator John DeFilippo likes some of the things he’s seen in the rookie and believes strongly in his future.
“I’m proud of Jawaan [Taylor], I really am,” DeFillipo said this week. “He’s drawn some tough assignments this year now. We’ve played some darn good fronts, and obviously I’d love to see him – he needs to cut down on the penalties, and I think he would tell you that. I’ve heard Coach Marrone speak of that. There’s two things I’d like Jawaan to work on, it’s just his consistency. Where his hands are at times, his punch, where he strikes a defender at the point of attack. And then obviously finishing people, and I think when we do that it’ll naturally cut down on those penalties.”
Taylor currently leads the league in penalties with 13, but that’s not exactly surprising for a rookie who has faced the elite athletes he has like J.J. Watt, Cam Jordan and and Von Miller to name a few.
The Jags are likely heading towards an offseason full of staff changes, however, Taylor is young enough for the next regime (if there is one) to view as a part of the team’s young nucleus. Having a solid game against the Chargers would be a great place to start cleaning up his technique and having success being that Los Angeles has two of the league’s more respectable pass rushers in Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram.