Luke Farrell Comes Full Circle, Becoming the Newest Tight End For Urban Meyer and the Jaguars
Luke Farrell knew this was a possibility. From the moment Urban Meyer was hired as head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars, the thought was in the back of Farrell’s mind; he could be reunited with his former coach and the man who gave him an opportunity at the college level. He was and now Meyer has given Farrell at chance at the NFL level as well, after the Jacksonville Jaguars selected Farrell with the 145th pick in the fifth round.
“Since he got the job, I knew [Coach Urban Meyer] was really familiar with me and obviously, we go way back,” Farrell told local Jacksonville media after being drafted, of the possibility.
“But definitely after meeting with Coach [Tyler] Bowen and just the good feeling I had from that and follow-ups, just all of that gave me a good indication that it could very well be a possibility.”
Farrell spent his freshman season playing under Meyer, but it was the recruiting process that really connected the two from the same hometown.
“I got that phone call in my high school coach’s office from him,” recalled Farrell. “And he even said, ‘Do you realize who you’re talking to right now?’ because I was just kind of shocked a little bit. You know, growing up in Ohio, obviously it’s a dream of so many kids growing up. So yeah, he was just like, ‘Do you realize who you’re talking to?’ and it kind of broke the ice from there. But I mean, that was a great experience all the way through my recruiting process, having that hometown connection was big.”
The hometown connection linked the coach and player but it’s the Urban connection itself that Farrell believes will help him not only integrate himself with the Jaguars locker room, but help the club make the change in culture that the new coach expects.
“Culture is a big part of what he does and it’s a big part of what I believe in as well. So, I mean, I’m really familiar with how he goes about his business and I’m really excited to be engulfed in that again and just bring along guys with me.”
Farrell wasn’t drafted just for the locker room though. He’s here to be on the field. He knows what it takes to run an Urban Meyer program in that aspect as well.
“Obviously, I’m a little more familiar with it coming in, which is always nice. But yeah, I’m really excited for what that can become with the kind of weapons that we have on this offense now… I’m sure it will be a little different at first, [having] played opposite [Trevor Lawrence] over the last couple years [in playoff games], but he’s an incredible talent and such a valuable piece to have on this team. So, I mean, I’m going to be doing whatever I can for him, from day one, make sure he’s protected, he’s got what he needs and everything.
Head Coach Urban Meyer admitted to local media on Saturday that Farrell “won’t be the pass catching tight end.”
Unsurprising, considering in Farrell’s four year career, he had 34 receptions for 380 yards and four touchdowns. But at 6-6, 258, his frame is ideal as a blocking tight end. Farrell knows that’s his role, and he’s comfortable with that.
“I definitely think I’m one of the best, if not the best, block tight ends coming out of this class. But I think one of my biggest strengths is my versatility and my toughness. I think whatever they’re going to ask me to do, I can do at a high level—and we were asked to do a lot as tight ends at Ohio State and I know I can continue to do that.”
Farrell revealed he hasn’t yet spoken with Meyer or tight end coach Tyler Bowen about the specifics of what his role will be with the Jaguars but feels comfortable with Meyer putting him in the right position.
“Coach Meyer knows what I’m capable of and what my game is. And I know that whatever they ask me to do, I’m going to do it to the best of my ability.”
As far as his actual production with the Buckeyes, Jaguars’ General Manager Trent Baalke believes there’s more to be reached for Farrell.
“I think if you talk to Ohio State staff, they’ll tell you [he was] underutilized. If you look at their tight end core as a whole last year, they have a young man that’s on that team right now that’s going to be one of the top tight ends in the country. His production, when you look at the stats, isn’t great. I think they would say that that’s one thing they’re going to be working on too.
“We had a lot of collaboration obviously with Ohio State and their staff and how he was used, and you went to his pro day and you saw things in him on pro day that made you believe there’s some upside as a receiver and he’s not limited to just being a blocking tight end.”
Joked Farrell, “It was kind of a running joke in the tight end room. We were always vouching for ourselves and prying for more opportunities, whatever opportunities you can give us. But I mean, I knew that I had a lot of value in what my job was and that we had a lot of weapons on that offense.”
Putting value and pride in his job has brought Luke Farrell back here, with Urban Meyer—and now the Jacksonville Jaguars—the coach once again giving him the opportunity of a lifetime to become one of the best at what he does.
Said Farrell, “[it’s] just amazing and I couldn’t be happier.”
