Which Jaguars Rookie Records Could Josiah Scott Chase?

Entering the 2020 offseason, the Jacksonville Jaguars had a lot of question marks at the cornerback position. Fast forward a few months and the Jaguars have made several investments to hopefully answer each of those, including the selection of Josiah Scott in the fourth round,.

The most looming concern was a lack of depth following the departures of both of the team's starting corners from 2017 through a few games into 2019. Jalen Ramsey and A.J. Bouye had each been mainstays in Jacksonville's offense but Jacksonville would trade both for draft picks between October and March, leaving a void on the depth chart.

Jacksonville would have the comfort of knowing they'd be returning second-year cornerback Tre Herndon, who led the team in interceptions and pass deflections in 14 starts in 2019, and nickel cornerback D.J. Hayden, one of the team's best defenders. But behind those two arose the questions of who would fill out the team's depth chart, both in 2020 and the long-term future.

Included in Jacksonville's moves to address the short- and long-term state of the cornerback position is Michigan State's Josiah Scott, who Jacksonville selected with the second of their fourth-round selections at No. 137.

But what kind of role will Scott play for the Jaguars in 2020, and what chances does he have of matching some of the team's most illustrious rookie records?

Scott was the second cornerback the Jaguars selected in April's draft following the selection of CJ Henderson at No. 9 overall, and while Scott may not be an immediate starter like Henderson, the Jaguars seem genuinely excited about what he can offer all over the secondary, even if his smaller size (5-foot-9) leads to a narrative by some that he is more of a slot corner.

"Excellent toughness, physical, plays bigger than his size. Feel like that he's a natural fit inside, but also feel like he can also take some reps outside," general manager Dave Caldwell said following the draft. "So his makeup, his leadership skills, his football intelligence. Really was one of the players where - to be quite frank - because he came out early that I wasn't real familiar with early on in the process, like last summer. But as they started watching, watch the tape, you fall in love with him relatively easily.”

When it comes to determining if Scott can reach any Jaguars rookie records, it is important to factor in the type of role Jacksonville envisions for him. Since they see him as more than just a slot cornerback, it suggests he has a good chance to see the field even if he isn't a starter since he would likely be a primary backup at each of the other cornerback positions.

From Herndon to Hayden to Henderson, the Jaguars pride themselves on having cornerbacks who can play both inside and outside. In their eyes, Scott is built in a similar mold. So while he may not start during the season's early phases, he could still see time in limited action as a relief player.

"He's just an ultimate competitor, really tough, plays a lot bigger, I mean I think that was a key thing when you watch it," head coach Doug Marrone said following the draft. "Obviously, people will say 'hey listen, this guy who goes inside.’ Inside because they're looking at, you know, his height, but this guy shows the physicality to be able to play on the outside and do a good job, and then obviously the toughness you know equals special teams."

The two rookie records Scott would be most eligible to reach are the records for most interceptions and most takeaways forced. Presently, the Jaguars player with the record for the most interceptions as a rookie is Reggie Nelson, who recorded five interceptions in 2007 after being selected with the No. 21 pick in that year's NFL draft.

As for the rookie record for takeaways forced, three different Jaguars rookies recorded five takeaways in their first NFL seasons with Nelson (2007), Derek Cox (2009), and Fernando Bryant (1999).

If Scott is a top backup on Jacksonville's defense as opposed to a starting cornerback, or even the top slot cornerback, then it is hard to see him meeting either of these figures. He could compete with Herndon for the starting outside position but it is hard to envision the Jaguars entering 2020 with two rookies starting at cornerback. As for the nickel corner positon, Hayden should have it locked down as long as he is healthy, at least for 2020.

“He is a very tough individual, physically and mentally. That is some of the things that we talk about you have to be to play this game. I think he is underrated," defensive coordinator Todd Wash said last December. "I think we said this a couple weeks ago, what he allows us to do in the run game … He can cover slots man to man. I would definitely say he is underrated for how important he is for our scheme.”

The best chance for Scott to see the field may be in the event Hayden is ever out for an extended period of time. Hayden missed six games in 2018 and then one game in 2019 but he is regarded as one of the toughest players on Jacksonville's entire roster and played through injuries a number of times in the past two seasons that other players may not have.

Scott could be Jacksonville's future in the slot whenever Hayden's run with the team is over, but until then he will likely be a primary backup and special teams player. He will provide value as a rookie, it just may be a tough situation for him to reach any rookie records.

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