RE: NFL Draftcountdown Draft Review '08

Stigma — Mon, 12 May 2008 06:04:43 GMT

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NFL Draftcountdown Draft Review '08

The Linebacker — Sun, 11 May 2008 22:25:23 GMT

http://www.nfldraftcountdown.com/reviews/reviews/jacksonvillejaguars.html

May 7, 2008 Jacksonville Jaguars '08 Draft Review
Scott Wright President, NFL Draft Countdown

You have to give Jacksonville credit for identifying a need and doing what had to be done to address it. Granted there has been a bit of controversy surrounding their first pick and it still remains to be seen whether or not they made the right move(s) on Draft Day but you certainly can't accuse them of being passive or indecisive.

With Bobby McCray leaving as a free agent and Reggie Hayward struggling to regain his pre-injury form the Jaguars clearly had a need at defensive end. After Chris Long and Vernon Gholston went off the board early the Jags made a very bold move, trading their first rounder, two thirds and a fourth to move up 18 spots where they chose Florida's Derrick Harvey. Now some have said that Harvey was a reach at #8 overall and I happen to agree but that is based on our rankings, not those of actual NFL teams. The bottom line is that scouts and those in NFL circles were much higher on Harvey than most realized and he was going to be a Top 10 overall pick, the only question was who would take him. Had Jacksonville not taken him at #8 the Bengals might very well have grabbed him at #9 so it's not like they could have gotten him ten picks later. Make no mistake about it, Derrick Harvey was the consensus #3 defensive end on the board. Was this the right move for the Jaguars? They certainly paid a high price and they actually gave up more to acquire Harvey than the Minnesota Vikings did when they dealt for Jared Allen, who led the NFL in sacks last year, so when you look at it like that some questions will be raised. Personally, if I were Jacksonville I would have rather just traded that late first rounder to Miami for Jason Taylor and kept the two 3rd rounders and the 4th. Sure Taylor is older but the Jags are trying to make a run now and he would have given them a proven performer at the position and would have come much cheaper than Harvey. That's a moot point now though so the important thing is how Harvey will fit into the Jaguars plans in 2008 and beyond. Sure he may be a little inconsistent but Harvey is a better prospect than Jarvis Moss was a year ago and he has the talent and ability to not only be an impact pass rusher but an every-down defensive end at the next level. At the end of the day it's hard to fault Jacksonville for the move because they addressed a glaring weakness with a very good player but he is going to have to make a major and immediate contribution or they will continue to be second-guessed.

After using a Top 10 pick on Derrick Harvey it was a bit of a surprise to see them come back and select another defensive end in the second round but many had them targeting Auburn's Quentin Groves in round one so he was certainly a good value at #52 overall. On one hand you could say using their top two picks on the same position was overkill but upon closer examination it actually makes sense. While Derrick Harvey will provide an upgrade in the starting lineup Groves can take over Bobby McCray's old role, which will allow him to do what he does best and really accentuate his strengths. Most seemed to view Groves as a 3-4 outside linebacker but I felt like his best fit at the next level would be as a situational pass rusher in a 4-3 scheme and that is indeed where he will wind up. Sure the Jaguars had other needs they could've addressed but they had to make sure they upgraded that pass rush and the additions of Harvey and Groves all but ensures that mission was accomplished.

Due to the trade with Baltimore to move up for Harvey the Jags didn't select again until round five, where they had two choices. They used the first on USC linebacker Thomas Williams, who drew a lot of positive notice in personnel circles even though he didn't even start for the Trojans. It's hard to blame him though because Williams was stuck behind Keith Rivers, Rey Maualuga and Brian Cushing at Southern Cal and it is entirely possible that all three of those guys will eventually be first round picks. Williams may never be a starter in the NFL but he is very versatile and the definition of a team player, even moving to offense to play fullback at one point in 2006 when the Trojans were decimated by injuries. Look for Williams to provide depth but he does have some upside and could surprise if given the opportunity. With their next pick the Jaguars bolstered their depth at cornerback by selecting South Florida's Trae Williams. Even though he was overshadowed by Mike Jenkins in college Williams is a fine prospect and cover guy in his own right, although he doesn't have the ideal height and timed speed that you would prefer. At the moment Williams appears to be buried on the Jags depth chart but if Brian Williams were to move inside to safety he could get a chance to compete for the nickel or dime job.

With their final pick in round seven Jacksonville brought in another USC Trojan when they chose running back Chauncey Washington. A talented player whose college career was marred by academic troubles, Washington finally began to emerge as a senior and probably got himself drafted with a great workout at the Trojan's Pro Day when he ran a reported 4.3 forty at about 5-11 and 210 lbs. Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew are firmly entrenched in the top two spots on the depth chart but Washington has a good shot to win the #3 job and he could be groomed as the long-term backup once Taylor decides to hang them up. Washington was definitely a bit of a workout warrior and he doesn't play as fast as he times but in the seventh round he was a pretty good value and certainly worth taking a flyer on.

How this class is ultimately regarded will hinge on whether or not Derrick Harvey develops into an impact pass rusher. However, I think a hidden storyline is not who the Jaguars did select but rather a position they ignored: Defensive tackle. After trading away Marcus Stroud there isn't much to get excited about next to John Henderson so even though Jacksonville took drastic steps to upgrade the talent outside they are really resting a lot of their hopes on Rob Meier, a 30-year-old, 9-year veteran with just 34 career starts. Other than that I really don't have as much trouble with Jacksonville's effort as some do simply because I don't view Harvey as a major reach at #8 overall. If Jacksonville's pass rush improves they will come out smelling like roses but if Harvey struggles as a rookie people are going to wonder whether they would have been better off acquiring a guy like Jason Taylor.

GRADE: B-

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RE: NFL Draftcountdown Draft Review '08

NFL Draftcountdown Draft Review '08