Jaguars' DJ Chark Accepting of Leadership Role Among Team's Young Receivers
On a young team, three-year vet D.J. Chark knows those around him are looking to the Pro-Bowler for advice. It’s still a new feeling for the 23 year old but if he and the Jaguars are going to achieve their goals this year, it’s one with which he’s quickly going to have to become comfortable.
“I just feel like this city, this city, this team deserves something to look forward to. So, that first starts with me as being a guy that’s trying to be there for my teammates, trying to get the right energy going. We're very young, so now [I am] kind of forced out of the shadows to speak a little more.
“They way I view leadership is a bit different. I don't really like being the guy that appoint myself to leadership. Real leaders shouldn’t always want to be the leader, if that makes sense. But I understand the situation that I'm in. So I understand that you know, young guys come in, they look at the roster they realize that ‘hey I’m in a room with a Pro Bowl receiver.’”
While this newfound elder role is still something Chark is getting used to, he’s found willing listeners in the Jaguars new rookies; 2nd round pick out of Colorado, Laviska Shenault and 5th rounder out of Texas, Collin Johnson. A year after Chark finished with over 1,000 yards (1,008) and eight touchdowns on 73 receptions, he made his first Pro Bowl and has become a mentor of such for the newbies.
“They work hard and are great people as well. And I think that's something that we need to continue to add to this team, just hard workers, people that want to come in win games. And one goal for me is to help those guys have a better rookie year than I did. So I want those guys to be able to come in and make a—whatever contribution to the team that they, you know, are able to make at the time, you know everybody, some people more advanced others, but whatever they can do whatever they ready to do, I’m behind them. The better we are in the receiver room, the better we are as a team.”
Chark admits he didn’t know much about the two receivers' college careers, since they weren’t LSU guys like himself. But as soon as they became the newest Jaguars, he quickly looked them up. The rookie class hasn’t taken the field with veterans yet at training camp, the two groups still practicing separately, but Chark spent enough time with his new teammates this summer to know the difference they’ll bring to the corps.
“I was able to meet them this summer. They was willing to come out here early and get some work in with me, the other receivers, the quarterbacks, and you know I was able to be able to build a bond with them.
“[Laviska is] very strong, you know, confident, efficient. I think that's the biggest things that I realized about him. Coachable, you know he listened to me and you know I'm not—I don't consider myself a big-time veteran, you know, so he listened to me. He listens to anybody that's willing to give him coaching advice. So I think he's gonna definitely help us out a lot. Very talented. And I think, working with Coach McCardell, and once he get the hang of the offense and get the hang of the way that the defense is trying to take him away and things like that—which comes with time—I think he's going to be a very dominant player.”
Shenault finished his career at Colorado with 1,943 yards and 10 touchdowns on 149 receptions, along with 161 yards and two touchdowns on 42 rushes. He did this despite injuries cutting short each of his three seasons. But it was enough for the Jags to know what he’d bring to a team and pundits and sites like Pro Football Focus to label him one of the biggest impact rookies.
Johnson finished his four years at Texas with 2,624 yards and 15 touchdowns on 188 receptions.
As Chark works on his goal of helping them have a better rookie year than he did (174 yards—14 receptions), he’ll do so coming off really his first full year contributing to the team. It’s one of the reason’s he’s still learning what it means to be the experienced voice in the room. So to help those behind him, he’ll continue to look to those ahead of him.
“Honestly, I'm still looking at Coach McCardell, because he's done it multiple times. So I'm looking at Coach McCardell as a leader for me. And then also I’m still looking at things Chris Conley do well, things that [Keelan] Cole do well, things that DeDe [Westbrook] do well. And I'm just, you know, jotting everything down and trying to make myself a better player.
“If anybody ever have a question about it, you know, ask me anything, I'm always willing to help, I'm always willing to talk to them. I don’t really want to be the guy that’s calling the meetings and saying this what we need to do or this what we should do. If it something that's on my heart, I'm gonna speak on it but other than that, I’m just still here playing football.”
There’s another rookie Chark has had his eye on for years; outside linebacker/defensive end K’Lavon Chaisson. When Chark was still with LSU, he pushed to have Chaisson come join them on the Bayou. He did and turned his two-year career and National Championship with the Tigers into a 1st round selection in this spring’s 2020 NFL Draft.
Despite there now being three former LSU Tigers on the roster, Chark says he and Leonard Fournette won’t monopolize Chaisson’s time with rookie-veteran traditions. He’ll let the defensive line handle that. He’s got a 2nd rounder that is now under his wing to look after…and put through the rookie hazing. It’s just part of his new job now to held lead the Jacksonville Jaguars.
“We’re gonna get Mr. 2 Live [Shenault], I’m gonna hit him up for some dinners.”
