5 Observations on Baalke's and Pederson's Pre-Draft Jaguars Press Conference
Jacksonville Jaguars general manager Trent Baalke and head coach Doug Pederson were all smiles at TIAA Bank Field on Friday.
Six days before the Jaguars are set to spend the No. 1 overall pick -- the first of 12 picks they hold during the 2022 NFL Draft -- Pederson and Baalke sat shoulder-by-shoulder as they waxed poetic about the upcoming draft class, the Jaguars' options at No. 1 and beyond and just how important next week is.
"He tells me that every day, ‘Don’t overthink it,'" Baalke said with a smile in reference to Pederson.
"I think at some point you just have to get away from the board and I think we’re at that point right now. We’re at a good period and a good place I should say with it. We had our final meetings with the coaching staff. I wouldn’t say final meetings, but the offensive and the defensive staff has met with the personnel staff the last two days. [I] feel good about where we’re at, probably get away from it for the weekend and come back to it on Monday and see if someone moved any cards around.”
With the Jaguars seemingly just days away from making the final touches to their preparation, what did we learn on Friday and what could it all ultimately mean?
Baalke nudges toward Walker, even if slightly
I am still going to mock Aidan Hutchinson to the Jaguars at No. 1 overall for a number of reasons, primarily being the fact that Hutchinson is more or less a safe bet to be an instant impact player. But it would be a lie to say that Baalke didn't at least seem to tip his hand toward Walker on Friday with a few different answers.
The first quote: “Again, we worry about our board and how we have players valued. I really don’t pay much attention to what other people are thinking or saying because you don’t know. You don’t know what’s fact. You don’t know what’s fiction at this point. This is a unique period where I think there’s a lot of guys that are valued very similar ..."
This sure sounds like a general manager who isn't too keen on drafting by the way of public perception. With most media analysts having Hutchinson as the safe pick over Walker, it stands to reason that Baalke could receive blowback if he takes Walker. But in the event he does take Walker, then he has already let us know the Jaguars' front office doesn't put much stock into the noise.
The second quote: "I think when you look at both those players, they’re both productive in their own way. [They’re] used differently, totally different schemes, used differently within those schemes. Again, you’re looking at them, you’re looking at how they made their plays, how they were used, and then you have a vision for how you can use them. All of that plays a part, but traits are important, production is important. You weigh it all.”
This is Baalke more or less explaining why he doesn't see Walker's production as an issue. The reason Walker is seen as a raw prospect is that he has such limited production and true pass-rushing reps, but Baalke here makes the clear distinction that he sees Walker as a productive player and that his role in Georgia's defense impacted his bottom line. Since the entire argument against Walker has to do with his production, Baalke makes it clear here that he doesn't see his production as a negative.
The third quote: Aidan [Hutchinson]’s a good football player. There’s other good football players in this draft. Who’s going to be the best player when it’s all said and done. Heck, if we knew that we’d go to Vegas and lay the money down. That’s how I’ve always looked at this. You do the work, that’s all you can do. Do the work, watch the film, study the guy, study the character of the guy, try to make the best fit for your organization and that’s what we’re doing.”
In this case, Baalke is saying he sees Aidan Hutchinson as a good player but not the only player in the class who can provide a big impact. This was a chance for Baalke to take a lobbed softball and hit it out of the park with praise for Hutchinson, but instead he made it clear that it isn't necessarily Hutchinson or bust on the Jaguars' board.
This all doesn't mean the Jaguars are leaning toward Walker or will pick him on Thursday, but it was a series of public endorsements for the talented SEC defensive lineman, along with some less enthusiastic endorsements for Hutchinson.
"It can also be a broad question because we’ve talked to a lot of players and we’ve talked to a lot of players in the last three or four weeks and they’re all good fits," Pederson said. "He [DE Aidan Hutchinson] is a person that would fit culturally, good person and a great leader. All of that stuff really fits the makeup and chemistry that we’re looking for.”
Jaguars are on point at running back and wide receiver
The Jaguars' brass was asked about a host of positions on Friday. Two key positions the Jaguars are deemed to be likely to invest in are running back and wide receiver, and the Jaguars seemed to have their evaluation of each class down pat. And in the Jaguars' overall thoughts on the classes, we can get an idea of just what the Jaguars are potentially prioritizing.
For instance, here is what Doug Pederson had to say about the wide receiver position:
"It’s a good group, maybe not as deep as it’s been I think in years past. The top of the list is pretty good. There are some guys that have obviously been nicked up coming out of the college season and what not. Again, it just goes back to us evaluating them as a player, their talent, and not so much how can they fit us, but where are they from a talent standpoint. Once you get down the road a little bit, there’s a little bit of a drop off, but there’s still guys that can come in and compete and compete for roster spots, play special teams. You look at that value as well from a coaching perspective and how much special teams have they played during college. That’s kind of been with the receiver group, we look at it the same kind of every year and there are some guys there that can make a difference.”
So Pederson sees a top-heavy group with some of the best players injured. He doesn't see much depth, but does think there are guys you can find who can make a difference on special teams and further down the depth chart. This doesn't sound like a coach who thinks the receiver position is a strong position in this year's class.
Then there was this on the running back class from Baalke:
“At the running back position, I don’t think at the top end there’s that one guy or two guys that are first round type considerations. I think both those backs, talking about the Michigan State [RB Kenneth Walker III], Iowa State [RB Breece Hall], both those guys are good football players. There’s some quality depth in the middle of the draft we feel. I don’t know if it’s necessarily a deep draft at the running back position, but I do think there’s going to be some quality backs that come out of especially the middle rounds of this draft.”
That sounds like a general manager who thinks that rounds three, four, and five are likely to have some strong options. We have said for some time that the sweet spot for the Jaguars to take a running back is likely in the fifth round, and nothing Baalke said on Friday makes us move off that.
Jaguars offer no confirmation on Ethan Waugh, but the complimentary mood is noteworthy
After a report from ESPN's Nick Wagoner on Thursday indicated the Jaguars have offered long-time San Francisco 49ers' personnel man Ethan Waugh the team's assistant general manager role, Baalke did his part to put out the Waugh smoke on Friday. This doesn't mean Waugh or another executive won't be hired, but Baalke made it clear the move isn't either official or forthcoming. With that in mind, Baalke did sound quite complimentary when it came to Waugh.
"I saw that report. Obviously, I know Ethan well, worked with Ethan for years in San Francisco and have a lot of respect for him, but that’s news to me," Baalke said. "He’s certainly a guy that again I have great respect for. We are going to add to the personnel department after the draft, but our focus right now is on the draft and not on what we’re going to do after the draft.”
As Baalke said, any additions to the front office will be made after the draft, and the Jaguars' primary focus is on next week. But it would be odd for Baalke to go out of his way to pay compliments to Waugh as opposed to outright shooting down the story entirely if it was indeed not true.
The No. 33 pick will be in high demand. The No. 1 pick will not be
Those who are hoping the Jaguars are going to be able to deal the No. 1 overall pick likely won'y be very happy with Friday's press conference. In the same week that the general managers of the Detroit Lions (No. 2 overall) and Houston Texans (No. 3 overall) have said they are getting little to zero interest about their picks, Baalke made it clear the Jaguars aren't getting much interest for No. 1.
"We’ve let people know for over a month ago I think we’ve talked about that, and we let people know we were open to discussions. You always are, you never say never," Baalke said. "Maybe last year when you’re sitting there with the first pick and the quarterback’s there that you’re going to take, that’s not negotiable. Most of the time, that is negotiable so we’re willing to listen. To answer your question, no, nobody has called directly.”
So, with six days to go, nobody has called about No. 1. And with so few options at quarterback and close grades at offensive tackle and pass-rusher, it appears the chances of the Jaguars trading the No. 1 pick are slim to none, with none having the lead.
But what about pick No. 33? While the Jaguars could do what they did last year and stay at No. 33 to kick off Day 2 (selecting Tyson Campbell last season), the Jaguars could hold the cards to a potentially appealing assett with the No. 33 pick.
"We’ve had some really good discussions on that second pick. That second pick usually carries a lot of value because you sit there and 31 other teams have all day or the rest of the evening or all day the next day to think about that pick, who they may want," Baalke said. :Generally, that’s a good pick for trade purposes."
"If our player’s there, and we have a couple in mind, I doubt whether we move out of that spot, but we certainly may consider it. I think it gives us time to think it through and talk it through as a staff."
Jaguars again set to trust their board over needs
The Jaguars surprised a lot of people with some of their picks last season. They took players at positions such as running back, cornerback and offensive tackle early in the draft last season despite having Day 1 options already at each position. The reason they did this, of course, is because they valued their grades and overall talent over needs. The Jaguars wouldn't have drafted multiple backups if this wasn't the case, and this should be expected to continue this year.
"We had that discussion today with the coach, and yesterday. This league’s about having the best players and sometimes you have a need, and you want to force a need and you get a lesser player," Baalke said.
"When you’re in that circumstance, my thought process has always been [to] take the best player available. You’re hoping that need and best player available come together, but when they don’t, you take the best player. You never go wrong making one room stronger, so that’s how we’ve always approached it. We’ve had that discussion with the coaching staff."
