Coming into the 2020 NFL Draft, most projected the Jacksonville Jaguars to take a receiver early and they did just that. In the second-round, they pulled the trigger on the versatile Laviska Shenault Jr. from Colorado in efforts to find an No. 2 on the outside to pair with D.J. Chark Jr.
Upon selecting him, it was clear the Jags really liked the pick as the front office and coaching staff raved about the multitude of positions he played (receiver, slot, wildcat quarterback, running back) while at Colorado. While injuries came up as a concern amongst the media, the Jags’ staff also emphasized how solid he was prior to 2019 as they basically felt he would’ve been selected higher in 2018.
Of course, as a second-round selection it appears the Jags are going to put a lot on his plate as a rookie, especially when considering his versatility. As a result, NFL.com’s Cynthia Frelund ranked him eighth in terms of production in her rookie receiver projections for 2020.
Per PFF, Shenault’s Colorado receiving snaps last season broke down as follows: He aligned wide on 107 snaps, was in the slot on 75 snaps and in the backfield on 27 snaps. Since 2018, Shenault had the most yards after the catch among Pac-12 receivers (1,060), per PFF. Injuries add context to his 2019 season for sure, but the takeaway is that he’s versatile and physical with a lot of upside. Shenault projects as WR No. 59 due to questions about the Jags’ offense overall and whether or not he’s fully healthy.
With the offseason preventing teams from having organized team activities and minicamp, Shenault will be behind come training camp so it’s a possibility that Chris Conley and Chark will get a lot of snaps on the outside. Additionally, Shenault’s route-running will need to be polished, which often times takes repetition for a young player. Still, Shenault’s versatility could help him get on the field in other ways while the team eases him into playing on the outside.
As for the rest of the receivers that made the list, CeeDee Lamb, Henry Ruggs III, Michael Pittman Jr., Justin Jefferson, and Jerry Jeudy came in at the top-5 spots, respectively. Denzel Mims, Brandon Aiyuk, Shenault, Tee Higgins, and Jalen Reagor filled the next respective spots.