2020 NFL Scouting Combine: 5 Offensive Guards for the Jaguars to Track in Indianapolis
With the NFL Scouting Combine set to take place in one short week, it is a worthwhile exercise to look into the position groups and draft prospects who will be participating in the workouts in Indianapolis.
The Jacksonville Jaguars own two first-round draft selections in 2020 (No. 9 and No. 20 overall), so this year's combine will be especially more noteworthy as the Jaguars get an up-close view of their next two first-round players.
In this edition, we will preview the offensive guards who have been invited to the combine and will be taking place in workouts at Lucas Oil Stadium. Offensive linemen will workout on Friday, Feb. 28th, the second day of on-field workouts.
Jacksonville is unlikely to invest in an offensive guard early on in the 2020 NFL Draft due to the fact that both starting guards from last season, Andrew Norwell and A.J. Cann, are expected to return in 2020, unless a surprising move is made as the team reshapes its roster.
The Jaguars could save $5.5 million if they cut Norwell this offseason, but it is more likely the team opts to keep him and his solid, albeit unspectacular, play at left guard as they fill holes elsewhere on the roster.
Cann carries a $6.308 million cap hit in 2020, but the Jaguars would save only $2.441 million by releasing him. He won the starting right guard spot over 2018 draft pick Will Richardson by the final weeks of the 2019 season, so the Jaguars are likely still high on him.
If the Jaguars do decide to invest in a guard after their first pick for insurance or offensive line depth, or even an attempt to upgrade over Norwell or Cann, then they will have a few interesting names to choose from.
Among those names are five guards we have identified that are worth paying a close eye to during next week's combine:
Ohio State OG Jonah Jackson
Starting at left guard for a solid Ohio State offense in 2019, Jonah Jackson was named to the third-team All-American squad and was a first-team All-Big Ten player. Jackson has experience at multiple spots on the offensive line, so his versatility and pedigree may interest a Jaguars team who could be looking for depth at multiple positions. At the Reese's Senior Bowl, Jackson was a consistent and balanced performer who looked to be ready to be scheme versatile.
Oregon OG Shane Lemieux
Shane Lemieux has started at left guard for the Ducks for the last four seasons, providing consistency and continuity on head coach Mario Cristobal's offensive line. If general manager Dave Caldwell wants to invest in a seasoned prospect with years of starting experience, Lemieux could fit the bill pending how he tests at Indianapolis.
LSU OG Damien Lewis
If any guard most resembles the style of player that Norwell and Cann are. it might be Damien Lewis. Lewis is a hulking prescence who started for the Tigers at right guard from 2018-2019, becoming an integral part of the team's National Championship run. At the Reese's Senior Bowl, he was a dominant run blocker who used his heavy hands and strength to shut down, and in some cases flatten, pass-rushers and blitzers. How he tests in agility drills will be key.
Clemson OG John Simpson
Another big-bodied run-blocker who performed at the Senior Bowl, John Simpson started almost 30 games at left guard over the last two seasons at Clemson, earning a place on the first-team All-ACC team in 2019 and a second-team All-American honor. He had the look of a physical and gritty interior blocker in Mobile, the kind of guard the Jaguars have invested in in the past.
Indiana OG Simon Stepaniak
Simon Stepaniak has experience at both left and right guard, though most of his time has been at right guard in recent seasons. Stepaniak has the look of a larger, mauling guard the Jaguars could be interested in, but how well he performs in agility drills at the combine will be key to indicate how much of a fit he could be. At worst, he could be a depth piece the team deploys to replace Tyler Shatley and backup each guard position.
