Which Pass-Rushers Helped Jaguars RT Jawaan Taylor Improve the Most in 2019?

Life comes at you quick as an NFL rookie. For Jacksonville Jaguars right tackle Jawaan Taylor, he got an introduction to elite talent across from him nearly every week during his 16-game rookie season.

The Jaguars' 2019 second-round pick played every offensive snap last season and started in all 16 games, leading him to face a string of elite pass-rushers which included Frank Clark, JJ Watt, Joey Bosa, Von Miller, Cameron Jordan, and Shaquil Barrett. These matchups would be tough tasks for any offensive tackle, but especially for a rookie learning the ins and outs of the NFL.

"All the things I needed to improve on, I’ve been working on that so far this offseason. Even though the virus and stuff is going on, I still am focusing on the certain things I need to get better at," Taylor said earlier this week. "I did go back and look at different things I did well. It was a good year for me, but I can also do a lot better and I’m looking forward to next season coming up.”

But which pass-rushers do Taylor considered the best he went against, and which ones helped him develop as a rookie and show him where he needed to improve? For Taylor, the answer was simple.

“Von Miller and Cameron Jordan were the best two I went against. They both bring a lot of different things to the table," Taylor said. "They challenge you in the games. Those two I feel like were the best.”

These aren't surprising answers in the least. Jordan had 15.5 sacks in 2019 and recorded two sacks and two quarterback hits in the Saints' 13-6 win over the Jaguars in Week 6. Two weeks earlier, Miller recorded two sacks and four quarterback hits in a loss to Jacksonville.

“I talked to Von [Miller] after the game. He told me I would be a great player in this league for a long time. I still talk to Von to this day," Taylor said. "He got me a lot better. It was different things I knew I needed to improve on once the game was over with once I went back and watched the film.

"They both definitely got me a lot better. Cam [Jordan] was a power rusher, a bull rusher, he is a swim move type of guy, but Von has a lot of different things he does to get to the quarterback.”

Taylor had a solid rookie season, but he is cognizant of what he needs to improve on in 2020 if he wants to continue his upward trajectory as an NFL right tackle. Luckily for him, he was baptized by fire in 2019 and he can use the lessons he learned from Miller and Jordan to help him take the next step in his career.

“I want to get stronger. I feel like that is something I definitely need to improve on, getting my strength level up," Taylor said. "I want to improve my hand placement in pass protection and I need to clean up penalties. Those main three things, I need to clean up the most.”

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