Looking Back on the Jaguars’ Past Drafts: 2017 Class Entering a Pivotal Fourth Season
With the 2020 NFL Draft looming ahead in the coming months, and with Dave Caldwell returning as the Jacksonville Jaguars' general manager, it is worth looking back at past Jaguars' draft classes to determine the team's recent track record in April.
Caldwell has been general manager since 2013 but it was from 2013-2016 when Caldwell was truly dictating the team's draft process. Former executive vice president of football operations Tom Coughlin entered the picture in 2017 and had a large say in the team's draft-day decisions.
Of course, context is needed for each draft class. Sometimes picks simply don't work out, whether it is because of injuries, circumstance, or anything else.
2017 was Coughlin's first draft during his tenure as a front office member from 2017-2019, and the first year during Caldwell's tenure that he was not the sole decision-maker in the Jaguars' front office.
Jacksonville was fresh off a 3-13 season in 2016, giving them the fourth overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. The 2016 season was marred by inconsistencies on defense and perhaps the worst starting quarterback play in the NFL that season. This led to many to project the Jaguars to select a quarterback, specifically Deshaun Watson, but there were other clear needs at offensive line, tight end, and running back.
Ultimately, Coughlin and the Jaguars' made a controversial decision with the fourth pick that has had a domino effect on the team's trajectory since. Now, the team's entire 2017 class is entering contract years, making 2020 a pivotal year for the group.
How has the Jaguars' 2017 class shaken out thus far? We reviewed each pick to examine.
RB Leonard Fournette (Round 1, 4th overall):
Seasons with Jacksonville: Three and counting.
Stats with Jaguars: 666 carries for 2,631 yards (4.0 yards per carry) and 17 touchdowns. 134 catches for 1,009 yards (7.5 yards per catch) and two touchdowns.
Summary: Leonard Fournette has had quite the roller coaster of a career through three seasons. As a rookie in 2017, Fournette spearheaded the Jaguars' offense in terms of setting the tone and serving as the primary solution to red-zone questions, scoring 10 total touchdowns (nine rushing) on his way to a season in which he rushed for 1,040 yards on 268 carries (3.9 yards per carry). Fournette added on four more touchdowns in three playoff games as the Jaguars finished with a 10-6 record and advanced to the AFC Championship.
Fournette's second year, however, was marred by injuries and a suspension following a fight vs. Shaq Lawson during the Jaguars' loss to the Buffalo Bills. He played only eight games and carried the ball 133 times for only 439 yards (3.3 yards per carry) and five touchdowns. Fournette was ineffective on the field as the Jaguars' offense fell apart on the way to a 5-11 season.
In 2019, Fournette bounced back in a big way, though still not having the elite season one would hope the fourth overall pick would have. He set career highs in rushing yards (1,152), yards per carry (4.3), first downs rushed for (55), receiving yards (522), receptions (76), and regular season games played (15). He scored only three touchdowns, but he was one of the few bright spots for a 6-10 Jaguars team that struggled week in and week out. Fournette hasn't lived up to the expectations of where he was selected, and taking him over Watson has clearly been a mistake, but 2019 was at least a step in the right direction.
LT Cam Robinson (Round 2, 34th overall):
Seasons with Jacksonville: Three and counting.
Stats with Jaguars: 32 starts at left tackle.
Summary: Starting at left tackle right off the bat as a rookie, Cam Robinson has been a mixed bag at times for the Jaguars, though the 24-year old tackle still has time to establish himself as a long-term answer along the offensive line. Robinson started 18 games (playoffs included) as a rookie and his toughness and physicality automatically helped the Jaguars' offensive line transform into a more formidable unit.
His second season was unfortunately cut short by a season-ending ACL injury vs. the New England Patriots in Week 3, sidelining him for the duration of his sophomore season.
Robinson entered his third season still recovering from his ACL injury, but he returned to the Jaguars' lineup in Week 3 and started every game at left tackle from that point on. His pass-protection technique and consistency still suffered through the same issues he had as a rookie, though this could potentially be attributed to the fact that he was recovering from a significant injury. Overall, Robinson has established himself as a game-changing run blocker, but his inconsistencies as a pass blocker and penalty issues have made it a question of whether he can be the long-term left tackle. He is still young and could improve after he has another year of recovery under his belt, however.
DL Dawuane Smoot (Round 3, 68th overall):
Seasons with Jacksonville: Three and counting.
Stats with Jaguars: 41 tackles, six sacks, nine tackles for loss, one fumble recovery.
Summary: Originally drafted to provide depth behind Calais Campbell at the big end position in Jacksonville's 4-3 defense, Dawuane Smoot had a quiet first two years in the league as he tried to develop as an edge presence. Through two seasons, Smoot recorded zero sacks, three tackles for loss, and was only active for eight games in 2018, often finding himself as a healthy scratch on Sundays.
Smoot flipped the switch in 2019, however, giving the Jaguars optimism for his development heading into a contract year. He became one of the team's top rotational defensive linemen, recording six sacks as an interior pass-rusher in nickel sets. He put on enough size to fill in at defensive tackle in a pinch on pass-rushing downs, and his ability to get after the quarterback was much improved as a result of better block shedding technique and strength.
WR Dede Westbrook (Round 4, 110th overall):
Seasons with Jacksonville: Three and counting.
Stats with Jaguars: 159 catches for 1,716 yards and nine touchdowns.
Summary: Playing in only seven games as a rookie, Dede Westbrook flashed a lot of potential early on, catching 27 passes for 339 yards and one touchdown. His ability to create with the ball in his hands as well as an obvious toughness that was a bit surprising considering his smaller size.
Westbrook's sophomore season was by far his most productive, catching 66 passes for 717 yards and five touchdowns, leafing the Jaguars in most receiving categories despite an otherwise putrid passing offense.
His third season was a bit of a disappointment after a lot of preseason hype about his potential usage in new offensive coordinator John DeFilippo's offense. DeFilippo never seemed to carve out a role for the shifty slot receiver, leading to him catching 66 passes for 660 yards (a career-low 10 yards per catch) and three touchdowns, trailing DJ Chark and Chris Conley in most statistics.
LB Blair Brown (Round 5, 148th overall):
Seasons with Jacksonville: Two.
Stats with Jaguars: 17 tackles, 0.5. sacks, one fumble recovery.
Summary: Blair Brown was drafted out of Ohio University to serve as athletic linebacker depth behind starting Will linebacker Telvin Smith, and he performed mostly as a special teams player in his two seasons in Jacksonville.
Brown started two games in place of an Smith in 2017, but went on to play only five defensive snaps in 2018 before being released in May 2019. Brown had a lot of hype entering the 2018 season due to some encouraging rookie flashes, but he didn't stick.
CB Jalen Myrick (Round 7, 222nd overall):
Seasons with Jacksonville: One.
Stats with Jaguars: One blocked extra point.
Summary: Jalen Myrick was a pure speedster out of college, with the Jaguars betting on his physical tools with the late round pick. He appeared in five games but played only 22 defensive snaps before being cut before the 2018 season began.
Myrick bounced around the league some with stops with the Minnesota Vikings and Atlanta Falcons before ultimately being drafted by the D.C. Defenders of the XFL for the 2020 season.
FB Marquez Williams (Round 7, 240th overall):
Seasons with Jacksonville: Zero.
Stats with Jaguars: None.
Summary: The Jaguars went all in on having a fullback in their offense for the 2017-2018 seasons, but Marquez Williams never played a down for the Jaguars in the regular season. He was placed on injured reserve on Sept. 1, 2017, and then was cut roughly a month later.
He spent the rest of 2017 with the Cleveland Browns, but they waived him in Aug. 2018. Now, Williams plays for the Houston Roughnecks of the XFL.
Overall
2020 will be a huge season for the 2017 draft class as all of Fournette, Robinson, Westbrook, and Smoot will be playing for the prospects of a new contract from the Jaguars. As of now, it isn't a lock for any of the four, who are the only members of the 2017 class who are still on the team, to return after 2020.
Fournette has been a semi-productive running back but not to the extent of one ideally drafted with such a high pick. Robinson has his flashes at left tackle and dominates as a run blocker, but injuries and inconsistency have made him a tough evaluation. Smoot had a slow start to his career but was one of the team's most improved players in 2019, carving out an important pass-rushing role for the Jaguars' up-and-down defense.
Westbrook had the best trajectory of any of these players after 2018, but his 2019 season has made it a question of what his ultimate ceiling can be in the Jaguars' offense. As a whole, these are four solid players, though none have been the game-changers the Jaguars were likely hoping they'd become.
This was an average draft class that will forever be remembered for how the Jaguars used their first pick, whether that is fair or not. No matter how well the class plays in 2020, it will still be looked upon somewhat negatively as Watson continues to be a star for the Houston Texans.
