Laviska Shenault, the Rare Talent Who Can Shape the Jaguars' Offensive Future
To succeed in the NFL, you have to be a bit lucky, you have to be good and you have to be just a smidge cocky, believing that your talent is better than the man across the line.
Jacksonville Jaguars rookie wide receiver Laviska Shenault Jr. has proven himself to be all three during the back half of the Jags 2020 season, setting himself up—and subsequently the Jaguars—for a productive future.
After a touchdown in Week 1 to open his rookie season, Shenault went eight games without a touchdown. Granted that was in the midst of quarterback changes and injuries and inept offense.
Then in Week 13 versus the Minnesota Vikings, the Colorado product got lucky. A Mike Glennon pass intended for D.J. Chark was too high and should have been intercepted. Instead it bounced off Minnesota corner Kris Boyd, through the double coverage and into the waiting hands of Shenault in the endzone.
“That was lucky,” admitted Glennon after the game.
"Got some luck, [it] went our way. But yeah, that wasn’t a very good ball and it was just all luck.”
It was luck … that was capitalized on by Shenault being in the right place. He was there as the over route for his quarterback and as such, was there even when the play broke down, proof that committing to your assignment pays off more often than not.
That commitment coupled with an understanding of the playbook is the crucial piece to the puzzle that is Laviska Shenault, which defenses will be stretched to put together. Because once a player of his caliber with the ability to improvise can also kill defenses with precision, his game becomes unstoppable.
Take his touchdown against the Chicago Bears. For weeks, the Jaguars used Shenault across the middle or in the backfield, letting him work in space to juke defenders. Against the Bears, Shenault lined up out wide, shook the corner and was a step ahead of two defenders when the trio streaked into the endzone. Having already used speed and precision to get downfield, Shenault then flashed his strength to outman both defensive backs to haul in the 34-yard touchdown.
For Offensive Coordinator Jay Gruden, that touchdown was a flash of what Shenault can do for years in the league.
“It was good to see Laviska get behind the defense. That’s something that he’s going to have to continue to work on in his craft. I think a great offseason for him will be important where he can get his body right and really work on his routes, his get offs, his finishing speed.”
On Sunday, Shenault put a punctuation mark on his rookie season, with two touchdowns versus the Colts—a fitting bookend. On the first score, from wide left, Shenault ran an underneath slant inside. Nabbing the low throw at the goal line, the rookie put the Jags first touchdown on the board.
On the other side of the half, Shenault flipped to the other side of the field. Splitting two defenders on the fade, he hauled in the rainbow pass with ease. It was only easy though because of the precision with which the rookie handled every aspect from the snap onward.
“If you can find a way to get the ball in his hands, good things are going to happen,” bragged Glennon of his receiver after the game. Glennon, a NFL journeyman, has a list of league receivers to compare and contrast but what he’s seen out of Shenault in one season has impressed him beyond few others he’s seen.
“He is one of, if not the strongest receiver I’ve been around and I can’t even remember seeing. He is like a running back when he gets the ball in his hands but he can run receiver routes. He is so hard to bring down, he’s so strong, he is like a man-child out there.”
"He is like a man-child" says Glennon of Shenault, fighting here against the Vikings defense. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports
As mentioned, the very nature of Shenault’s talent makes one want to put him primarily at the Z—slot—position when playing receiver and watch him make defenses look silly. His speed means he can run jet sweeps out of the backfield and he’s run the wildcat enough that coaches named him on the roster this season as the emergency quarterback.
During the two and a half games Shenault was out this past season with a hamstring injury, the Jaguars game plan lost a significant portion of the playbook.
“They’re scrapped,” Gruden said of the playbook at the time.
“Laviska does some special things. You put him in the backfield, you can do some wildcat things, and you don’t do that with anybody else. He’s getting all those reps, the reverses and all that stuff. Some other guys we can get out in space and do somethings, but Laviska’s a different cat and calls for a different type of play. Once he went out, it shortened up our playbook.”
Laviska Shenault Jr. works his way through the Colts defense. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
While the Jaguars stumbled to a 1-15 record and sweeping changes have already begun, Laviska Shenault Jr. at the very least built a foundation off which to build for himself and the Jacksonville Jaguars in the coming years. He finished his rookie season with 600 yards and five touchdowns on a 75% reception to target rate.
Said Gruden, “He has a great future in the NFL for sure. There’s a lot of things he can work on, but to see him have some success early in his career has been exciting and I think the future is very bright for Laviska.”
