2022 NFL Draft: Why the Jaguars Drafted Gregory Junior
For the first time in NFL history, Ouachita Baptist heard its name announced on the grandest offseason stage of them all at the NFL Draft.
What happened to spark history in the sixth round of the 2022 draft? For the Jacksonville Jaguars, who drafted Ouachita Baptist cornerback Gregory Junior at No. 197, it was what Junior did off the Ouachita Baptist field that sold them.
“The advantage with him was he was at the Senior Bowl, so we got a chance to see him there," general manager Trent Baalke said on Saturday after the Jaguars took the sleeper corner prospect with their second-to-last draft pick.
"We had several scouts go into the school, so he wasn’t somebody that was unknown or unheard of. The scouts did a good job of identifying him in the fall obviously, enough to get him a look at the Senior Bowl. We felt pretty good that we had a good amount of work done on him.”
At the Reese's Senior Bowl, the Jaguars were able to see Junior go against the best senior wide receivers in the country. Each day he practiced against a number of wideouts who could have arguably been the most talented opponent of Junior's career.
For the Jaguars, it was important to see Junior hold his own during those moments. To them, he did just that.
“It’s real important. It’s also important that they dominate their level of competition. When you turn on a small school guy that you feel can compete at this level, he jumps out at you and Greg did that," Baalke said.
"So we’re very confident he’s going to come in here and now compete obviously. It’s a much higher level, he’s going to have to adjust to it, but he showed at the Senior Bowl that he was capable of making those steps. We’ll bring him in and let him go to work.”
Junior, who was a First Team All-GAC selection last season, appeared in 43 games for Ouachita Baptist and started 33. In 43 games, Junior recorded 128 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, 17 pass deflections, and one interception, with seven pass breakups coming in 2021.
The Jaguars put an emphasis on experience at big schools on their draft at the start of the weekend, drafting prospects from Georgia, Utah, Kentucky, and Ole Miss. The Jaguars did take Chad Muma from Wyoming, but Wyoming has consistently put talent into the NFL. Ouachita Baptist could not say the same, but they now at last have a representative in Junior and the Jaguars.
“I think so for the university itself and for the young man, it’s a heck of an accomplishment to go to a small school. I went to a small school too up in Northern Minnesota, I didn’t get drafted," Baalke said.
"But I think for any of these guys it’s a dream come whether you play at Alabama or whether you play at from Ouachita Baptist. We’re excited to get him. He’s a young man that’s a high character guy. That’s one thing that we’re proud of with this draft class. I think when you get a chance to meet them all individually, you’ll see what we see. These are really good young men that are going to represent the community very well and we’re looking forward to having them as members of our team.”
