Looking Back on the Jaguars’ Past Drafts: 2018 Class Set to Be Depended on Heavily

With the 2020 NFL Draft looming ahead in the coming months, and with Dave Caldwell returning as the Jacksonville Jaguars general manager, it is worth looking back at past Jaguars' draft classes to determine the team's recent track record in April.

Caldwell has been general manager since 2013 but it was from 2013-2016 when Caldwell was truly dictating the team's draft process. Former executive vice president of football operations Tom Coughlin entered the picture in 2017 and had a large say in the team's draft-day decisions.

Of course, context is needed for each draft class. Sometimes picks simply don't work out, whether it is because of injuries, circumstance, or anything else.

The 2018 draft took place a few months after the Jaguars advanced to the AFC Championship following a 10-6 regular season and playoff wins vs. the Buffalo Bills and Pittsburgh Steelers. Because of their success, the Jaguars held the 29th pick, the first time in the Caldwell era the Jaguars hadn't picked in the top five. It was the first time the Jaguars hadn't owned a top 20 pick since 2007, when they picked 21st overall.

Jacksonville had signed quarterback Blake Bortles to an extension during the offseason and had filled a few other holes with additions such as Andrew Norwell and D.J. Hayden in free agency. This eliminated quarterback as an option early on, but it seemed as if the Jaguars were positioned to take the best player available at any position at No. 29.

Now, the 2018 draft class is entering its third season and almost every member of the class will be depended on heavily by the Jaguars moving forward. How has the Jaguars' 2018 class progressed out thus far? We reviewed each pick to examine.

DT Taven Bryan (Round 1, 29th overall)

Seasons in Jacksonville: Two and counting.

Stats with the Jaguars: 53 tackles, three sacks, eight tackles for loss, one forced fumble.

Summary: Drafted to serve as a long-term replacement for either Malik Jackson or Calais Campbell, the uber-athletic Taven Bryan initially started his Jaguars career playing the big end position behind Campbell. This experiment didn't last the whole season, however, and he was shifted inside to his more natural spot at three-technique defensive tackle. All in all, his rookie season consisted of only one start, one sack, and three tackles for loss.

Bryan showed improvements in his sophomore season and was generally more disruptive against both the run and pass, resulting in a minor bump in his production. He started eight games and recorded two sacks, five tackles for loss, and a forced fumble, but he still didn't impact the game as much as a first-round pick ideally would. Entering 2020, Bryan will be leaned on heavily on the interior of a defensive line in transition. While he improved in 2019, he needs to take an even bigger step forward in 2020.

WR DJ Chark (Round 2, 61st overall)

Seasons in Jacksonville: Two and counting.

Stats with the Jaguars: 87 receptions for 1,182 yards and eight touchdowns.

Summary: When the Jaguars drafted Chark, they knew they were getting a somewhat raw receiver but one with immensely impressive physical tools. The 6-foot-3 Chark ran a 4.34 40-yard dash and recorded a 40-inch vertical jump at the NFL Scouting Combine, and it was clear as day he had massive potential.

He struggled early on in his career, catching only 14 passes for 174 yards in 11 games in 2018, but he had a breakout season in 2019 and is now considered one of the team's top players. In his sophomore season, Chark recorded 73 receptions for 1,008 yards and eight touchdowns, earning him a place as a Pro Bowl alternate. His work ethic matches his physical ability, giving the Jaguars hope that he can continue to develop and build off of his stellar 2019 campaign.

S Ronnie Harrison (Round 3, 93rd overall)

Seasons in Jacksonville: Two and counting.

Stats with the Jaguars: 103 tackles, three interceptions, three sacks, one fumble recovery, 12 pass deflections, and five tackles for loss.

Summary: Ronnie Harrison was initially the Jaguars' third safety in 2018 due to the presence of veteran defensive backs Barry Church and Tashaun Gipson, but he still started eight games once it became clear that Church was nearing the end of his Jacksonville tenure. Harrison was an exciting safety as a rookie because of his intriguing physical tools and size. It can be argued he flashed more on the field than any other Jaguars' rookie in 2018.

OL Will Richardson (Round 4, 129th overall)

Seasons in Jacksonville: Two and counting.

Stats with the Jaguars: 15 games played and two starts.

Summary: Will Richardson was initially drafted as a right tackle who would serve as key offensive line depth heading into 2019, but he missed the first several weeks of his rookie season with a knee injury. He was then placed on injured reserve in mid-October, ending a forgettable rookie campaign.

Richardson was shifted inside to play guard during the 2019 training camp, where he found himself in a tight competition with A.J. Cann for the starting right guard position. Injuries at offensive tackle forced Richardson to move from right guard to left tackle for the first two games of the season, and Richardson held his own during the transition. He then went back to guard and rotated with Cann for the rest of the season. He has a lot of playing time under his belt and now has experience at multiple positions, so he is a valuable piece of the offensive line's depth moving forward.

QB Tanner Lee (Round 6, 203rd overall)

Seasons in Jacksonville: One.

Stats with the Jaguars: None.

Summary: Tanner Lee never appeared in a regular season game for the Jaguars after sitting behind Blake Bortles and Cody Kessler to start his career. He then was fourth in the quarterback pecking order in 2019, being placed behind Nick Foles, Gardner Minshew II, and Alex McGough in training camp. He was cut in mid-August in 2019.

LB Leon Jacobs (Round 7, 230th overall)

Seasons in Jacksonville: Two and counting.

Stats with the Jaguars: 63 tackles, two sacks, four forced fumbles, and one pass deflection.

Summary: Leon Jacobs hasn't played a ton of snaps over the last two seasons (14% of defensive snaps in 2018, 31% of defensive snaps in 2019), but he has been a solid player at strongside linebacker. He doesn't offer much in coverage so he isn't used in most nickel situations, but the hulking linebacker is a physical edge setter who is good vs. the run and is a solid blitzer. He isn't ever going to command a large role, but he has been a very useful player for Todd Wash's 4-3 defense, and took a step forward as a player in 2019.

P Logan Cooke (Round 7, 247th overall)

Seasons in Jacksonville: Two and counting.

Stats with the Jaguars: 161 punts for a 45.8 yard-per punt average.

Summary: Logan Cooke was one of the NFL's top punters in 2019, making for a good return on investment for the Jaguars. His net punting average of 44.5 yards was the third-best in the NFL last season, and he also landed 25 punts inside the 20-yard line, tied for the 17th-most in the NFL. He gives the Jaguars a reliable option at the position moving forward.

Overall

The Jaguars' 2018 draft class didn't produce much in 2018, but 2019 saw the team get a lot of production and snaps out of the group. Chark and Harrison proved to be solid starters, while Richardson, Jacobs, and Cooke all solidified their places as dependable role players.

On the flip side, the Jaguars got nothing out of the Lee pick and they will need Bryan to simply produce more in 2020 to justify his draft slot. Bryan has had his flashes, but he hasn't played to the level of a first-round pick during his tenure in Jacksonville.

Regardless, the Jaguars are set to lean on the 2018 class heavily in 2020, with at least three players likely entering the season as starters in Bryan, Chark, and Harrison. Richardson has a chance to start as well, while Jacobs and Cooke should have their positions locked down as well.

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