How Devin Lloyd’s First Day as a Jaguar Set a Tone
The Jacksonville Jaguars did their homework on Devin Lloyd. They knew what kind of person and leader they were getting in the All-American Utah linebacker they traded up to select at No. 27 overall.
But his first day at TIAA Bank Field still set a tone, showing the Jaguars exactly why they think he could be a key building block for the franchise's rebuild.
“The thing we noticed about him is his hard work. First day he’s in building he’s looking for [Inside Linebackers] Coach [Tony] Gilbert," Jaguars defensive coordinator Mike Caldwell said at the end of OTAs earlier this month.
"He came into the coaches locker room. ‘Coach, let’s go watch film.’"
And on Lloyd's first day as a Jaguar, he showed Caldwell, Gilbert and everyone else involved in the key selection of Lloyd why they are so confident in their decision. The Jaguars are betting big on Lloyd, and all early signs so far have been that he is the right type of player to bet on.
"So when you get a guy that’s hungry like that and ready to get coached, that’s somebody special and he’ll just continue to grow and continue to perform and continue to do what we need him to do," Caldwell said.
It isn't surprising to see Lloyd's work ethic shine from his first steps into the team facility. This is the same player who was lauded throughout the draft process for his leadership and off-field intangibles. It is also the same player who was in Jacksonville working with teammates and personal trainers just days after being drafted.
Simply put, Lloyd's first day as a Jaguar showed the same thing all of his previous days showed, and the same thing all of his future days will likely show as well.
"I knew as soon as I got out here, I wanted to get to work so I talked with some of the guys here and they connected me with Jason over at Rise and Grind [Training] and he does a great job," Lloyd said during rookie minicamp.
"Like you said, he’s worked with a few of the players. I just wanted to get to work."
“It’s a credit to Devin obviously. He’s such a tremendous person and not only a football player. He wants to develop, he wants to get better, and he wants to learn from these veterans," Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson said in May.
"I think it’s important that these young guys attach themselves to a veteran in their room and kind of learn the ropes a little bit and learn what it means to be a pro because this is their job now. They don’t have to worry about school or any of that, this is their job and it’s important to them.”
The Jaguars traded the No. 33 pick, the No. 106 pick (fourth-round), and the No. 180 pick (sixth-round) for the No. 27 pick, taking Tampa Bay's spot in the first round and ensuring one of the draft's top linebackers would land in Jacksonville.
Lloyd, a former safety, appeared in 47 games and started 32 for Utah after redshirting his freshman season. After collecting six tackles as a backup in 2018, Lloyd became a full-time starter in 2019. He earned honorable mention All-Pac 12 in 2019 after leading the team with 91 tackles, along with 11 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, three pass deflections, and one interception.
Lloyd was named a first-team All-Pac 12 member in 2020 as he started five games. The Utah team captain recorded 48 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, two sacks, and one forced fumble, leading the team in tackles and tackles for loss.
Lloyd started 13 more games in 2021, being named the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year and First Team All-Pac 12 as he recorded 110 tackles, 22 tackles for loss, eight sacks, 10 pass deflections and four interceptions.
All of this staggering production is a major reason why the Jaguars selected Lloyd. His athletic versatility and ability to impact a defense against the run and pass are other reasons. But it is also Lloyd the person the Jaguars fell for, the person who sets a tone with his first day at the building, and whose reputation makes the Jaguars believe he could even potentially handle green-dot duties as a rookie.
"The thing about rookies is you’re a rookie when you first walk in. We’ve been outside and we’ve practiced and he’s had rookie minicamp, OTAs, he’ll be in mandatory minicamp next week, so he’s getting his reps, then training camp comes," Caldwell said.
"You have to know the person and if he’s able to handle the green dot, and if he can’t handle it then we’ll put it to someone else. But as a rookie you typically don’t want that, but when you talk about him and you go back and talk to his college coaches in Utah, he’s a guy that is a leader, put the work into study, is smart enough to handle it and I see no reason why he couldn’t.”
