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The Jacksonville Jaguars entered the 2021 NFL draft with the first pick in hand, and when they came on the clock, it was less of a selection as it was an anointing. The obvious pick was Trevor Lawrence, and the Jags had been locked in on him as the pick for months.
With a number of picks available to them and lots of players sliding on draft day, they were in a great position to add a lot of premium talent throughout the draft. However, the rest of their draft class left some analysts and fans with a bit of a sour taste. Among their nine selections, the one that should be of most interest is Tyson Campbell.
A cornerback from Georgia with outstanding coverage skills, Campbell was taken with the 33rd overall pick in the draft. That’s no small investment for the team to make – with the first pick in the second round, a team with such a poor record would be hoping to snag a starter. However, by selecting Campbell, he’s put in direct competition with Shaquil Griffin, whose contract is prohibitive to being benched, and CJ Henderson, a former Gator who was drafted ninth overall in 2020.
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Henderson was understandably an exciting prospect heading into the 2020 NFL draft. He was fluid and quick, with his route recognition, hands, and top-tier instincts making him a ball-hawking corner with projectable skills. However, his aversion to tackling and inconsistent performance in 2021 taken into view, the Urban Meyer camp could have less patience with Henderson than a previous coaching staff would have demonstrated with the former Gator.
Campbell brings a different skill set to the table. He’s a physical corner who has no inhibitions when tackling and has the physical skills in man coverage, but poor judgment and timing hold him back from turning that into real production.
Something the duo have in common: functional athleticism. Their traits aren’t just good in testing; they also translate well to the field of play. Meyer alluded to that fact, saying that “the thing Tyson Campbell gives us is flexibility, ” and adding that “they’re hard to find, the guys that can go inside and outside.”
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All of this taken into mind, ESPN staff writer Michael DiRocco seemed to think the rookie Campbell could unseat the incumbent Henderson for the outside corner job. “Campbell and Henderson will have to compete and the loser likely moves inside as the nickel back,” he wrote.
Another possibility is that the Jaguars could possibly move Henderson fully into the defensive backfield as a free safety. He’s plenty athletic for the position and it would allow him to make better use of his ball skills than a move to the nickel. Frankly, Campbell could just as easily move to strong safety. He has experience at the position, and his physicality in run defense would be a real asset there while papering over his shortcomings in coverage technique.
Here’s the bottom line – Henderson was unshakable at Florida, but he’s in a much bigger pond now. He’s not likely going to be tossed off the Jags’ roster anytime soon, but his starting job as the outside corner is far from a given.
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