Will Wyatt Milum Start at Left Guard as a Rookie?

Competition breeds competition. There will be plenty of it during training camp throughout the NFL, as players compete for starting jobs, a spot on the 53-man roster, or a chance to reach the professional level.

Draft picks, for the most part, will make the final roster without much concern. That is especially the case for Jacksonville Jaguars rookie guard Wyatt Milum, a third-round pick from West Virginia who was one of the best offensive linemen in the country for the last two seasons.

Milum projects to be the backup left guard behind incumbent starter Ezra Cleveland, with the possibility of snaps at center in the coming seasons. However, the position has become one of the biggest question marks on the Jaguars offensive line this offseason, with the rest of the unit seemingly in adequate shape.

Cleveland had his struggles this past season, which has likely prompted the Jaguars' higher-ups, i.e., general manager James Gladstone and head coach Liam Coen, to pursue competition in the trenches. This is part of why Milum was selected in the third round and Jonah Monheim in the seventh, adding pressure to Cleveland to play with more consistency this season.

Yes, Cleveland has been seen as an 'established' starter at left guard for most of the offseason training activities and mini-camp. However, as Jacksonville Jaguars On SI beat reporter John Shipley recently noted, Milum is well-liked within the organization. That could generate some push for competition later this month at training camp.

Milum is an impressive player to watch when flipping on the All-22 film. He fits well in Coen's zone-blocking scheme with his power, mobility, and latches at the point of attack despite a lack of high-end lateral agility and sufficient athletic ability for the position. This is the type of player you try to get on the field on Sundays.

However, while Cleveland may get pushed for the starting job and may come close to giving it up, the Jaguars may not be able to afford to, literally. The former Minnesota Viking has a $5.9 million cap hit and is averaging $8 million per year after signing a three-year, $24 million deal last offseason. It would be difficult for the Jaguars to move on from him from a starting spot perspective.

Should Cleveland struggle at any point of the season, Milum could certainly take over the starting left guard job and not look back. It may not happen in training camp, but a good enough push could apply serious pressure on Cleveland.

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