Lovers of the "Gene Smith guy" theory rejoice.
by Brian Levenson on May 1, 2011 8:00 AM EDT
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PrintDay one of the draft was a big surprise for most Jaguars fans. Almost no one thought that Gene Smith had Blaine Gabbert on his board at all, much less that Gene would be so aggressive in pursuing him. As a Junior from a big school, he seemed nothing like the traditional "Gene guy" pick. Well, those who said this draft was not a traditional Gene Smith draft should be singing a different tune by now.
Let's look at who else the team drafted.
Cecil Shorts III was the Jaguars first of two fourth round picks. Shorts was a dominant wide receiver from Mount Union, the same school Pierre Garcon attended. How do the two receivers compare? Shorts broke a few of Garcon's records and set a few more as well. He caught 279 passes for 4705 yards and 63 TDs, was an all-american sprinter on the track team, and accounted for almost 6,000 total yards in his college career. Again, Shorts is a Senior, team captain.
Chris Prosinski was the Jaguars selection at pick #121. Prosinski played at Wyoming (yet another small school) where he played 49 games. He piled up 373 tackles over his four years, adding 18 pass deflections and 5 interceptions. He didn't attend the Combine, so he was really an off the radar pick. He had a great pro day, which is how he caught Gene Smith's attention. Prosinski, in addition to having ridiculously toned muscles at his pro day, was, say it with me people: a Senior and a team captain.
Rod Issac was taken before several players at his position who were rated higher by ESPN and NFL.com. Gene Smith, however, wasn't going by ESPN's board. Issac was a two-year full-time starter at Middle Tennessee State, where he not only excelled in coverage, but also got involved in the running game. 18 of his 189 tackles were for a loss, which is a lot for a cornerback. He had five interceptions, forced four fumbles, recovered three fumbles and scored three times on defense. Issac is the fourth straight draftee who was a small-school player, a senior, and a team captain.
So, those who like the "Gene Smith guy," rejoice! This draft is right up your alley. After taking Gabbert, who many believe to be the top quarterback in the draft, Gene managed to find mature, high-character players who have all dominated their competition in the later rounds. At this point, that should really surprise no one.
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Is It really lovers of the theory or people who trust him?
Because I can tell you for almost every pick I feel like we should have gone differently, but then I analyze the move and usually it has worked out. I don’t necessarily love the way he drafts, but I trust that he will be the guy who puts a winning team out there
by Dwalk1217 on May 1, 2011 8:12 AM EDT via mobile reply actions
I like the Prosinski pick a lot
He was one of my fave FS sleepers. Watch a Youtuve 2008-2010 highlights reel and you can see what a playa he is. Will Rackley was everyone’s sleeper and is described as Unaweri mark 2. Cecil Shorts I’m semi sold on but Rod Isaac is one I’m scratching my head over.I realise he may be very good but surely we can trade 5.16 for a 6th and 7th and get Mr No-one in the 7th??? That would give us a 6th for Ross Homan or someone else?
Now we have to FA 2 LBs and a DE to get even. It’s going to cost us plenty. We are paying Garrard $8m would we cut him or trade him???
What could of happened; did.
I think gene is expecting our young DEs to improve
We’ll probably go 2 LBs and a safety to get DB competition.
by Dwalk1217 on May 1, 2011 8:24 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
prosinski didnt necessarily go to a small school, wyoming isnt small..but isnt big.
He looks like a stud and i remember on this site alfie or another writer posted on prosinski and how we were interviewing him and trying him out. I like him a lot..all of these players will never give up until we win, i can assure you that.
Good lord, that guy plays out of his mind!
He closes on the ball like Troy Polamalu. Even if he doesn’t start immediately (and I think there’s a good chance he will given our situation) I have no doubt he’ll wreck people on special teams.
I’ve been wanting a safety who’s a “hitter” since we lost Donovan Darius
I trust Gene
It’s funny that so many fans want to question and analyze what they can’t possible understand. He is in the position he holds for a reason. The rest of you are not, for very good reasons. Primarily, you’re clueless. That makes you useless as far as football decisions go. You all realize that right? This is all for fun. Your opinions are as useful a pig in a space shuttle. Keep that in perspective.
But, by all means, run your mouths. Because it’s what you’re best at. But if you really want to contribute to the overall good of the franchise, shut up and buy tickets…or cheer and buy tickets.
Or just bitch, go with what you know.
JD Chambers
by viator on May 1, 2011 8:30 AM EDT reply actions 5 recs
Right, but if I have tickets and cheer, can I question and analyze things that I can’t possibly understand? Because I have a bone to pick with quantum mechanics. Uncertainty principle my left foot.
For me, it is far better to grasp the Universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring.
~Carl Sagan
BUT
a pig in a space shuttle could be handy if the astronauts become hungry and want to have a luau whilst in orbit. HA! didn’t think about that one did ya, mister smart guy?!
Sean
Pax Armis Acquiritur
"/>
Be of high character and play GOOD football...
Gene will find you!!!
One life to live, live it to the fullest...
by SDubxl456 on May 1, 2011 8:41 AM EDT via mobile reply actions
These guys look like gems.
You really have to do your homework to find talents like this. Some will ask why does he ignore the big schools. I don’t think he ignores them. I think that Gene finds guys that would have probably started at the major schools, but maybe didn’t have the financial assistance, grades, or whatever to attend those schools. Sometimes guys just want to be close to home. Anyway, you find football players where you find football and so that’s basically everywhere. We may have one of best scouting departments in the NFL.
by Slvrgun on May 1, 2011 10:13 AM EDT reply actions 2 recs
i agree completely but this is only genes third draft
i love that some of our small school guys have already worked out like Knighton, Cox, Jennings, and even Lane played well last year. I want to see how Dillard, D’Anthony, and McGee play when they get healthy and Miller could be great if he stayed healthy. Hart will need another year or two but i love him and Karim gave us some good plays last year. I just want to see how some of our guys who were injured develop and if they can become very good role players then I think we’ve hit on almost all of our picks, which would give our scouting department one of those honors.
Ive grown to love watching the Jaguars draft. You never know who they are going to take. Then when they do draft a unknown the reactions by different “experts” is priceless. After that its fun to research who exactly they took and most of the time its a very pleasant surprise. I hope all these picks work out for Gene because I have the utmost respect for a guy who disregards everyone else and does it his way.
Wyoming and Middle Tenn. State are both Division 1-A programs
I wouldn’t classify those as small schools.
I'd maybe give you middle tenn. state, but come on, Wyoming?
Prosinski is basically the only reason I know Wyoming has a team… or is a state for that matter.
Twitter: BLByline Youtube: BLByline
I'm willing to drink the Kool-ade, but I'm hungry for the truth.
by Brian Levenson on May 1, 2011 10:49 AM EDT up reply actions
I have you ever driven through Wyoming before?
Its officially the most boring and deserted state in the union. I think it has one traffic light and two stop signs total. Anyway, I look forward to these guys contributing as much as the other two drafts have. I dont think Gene has drafted a great player yet, (maybe Knighton) but everyone else who has seen playing time has proven to be at the very least good. This leads me to believe that Dillard, D Smith and the rest will be the same. 53 good players on a roster is good enough for a super bowl I think. Gene knows what he is doing.
I know about Dick Cheney...
I had no idea he was from Wyoming. Who are the other guys? Novacek played basketball right?
Twitter: BLByline Youtube: BLByline
I'm willing to drink the Kool-ade, but I'm hungry for the truth.
by Brian Levenson on May 1, 2011 2:26 PM EDT up reply actions
Cmon...you are kidding right?
Fennis Dembo was one of the best college basketball players ever…definitely among the best in WAC history. He was on cover of SI dressed as a Cowboy (Wyomings mascot) and was drafted by Pistons. He only played like 1 season, but played in Europe for awhile. Then, in 2003, he shot and killed a dude who had broken into his mom’s house on Easter morning. I assume you are kidding about Novacek, but I’m gonna tell you just in case – he was a 5 time All Pro and Pro Bowler and 1 time Super Bowl champ. His wife shot herself last year.
Fidelis Ad Mortem
Now I know.
Twitter: BLByline Youtube: BLByline
I'm willing to drink the Kool-ade, but I'm hungry for the truth.
by Brian Levenson on May 1, 2011 5:37 PM EDT up reply actions
If that is what you call "gun violence",
we need more of it in Duval.
Technically Dick Cheney is a cyborg...
therefore he was created in Wyoming, not really from there.
WTF IS THE INTERNET?!?
Any school that is scheduled by a BCS school as a homecoming game is what I consider a "small school"
by Joe Fisher on May 1, 2011 11:04 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
So when they go Big East in 2012 are they still going to be small?
Wake Forest is a small school? UCF must then be a major power
yes...
..because there will still be less than 10,000 students.
by moufpuncha on May 1, 2011 3:04 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
So...
you’ve probably eliminated about 50-65% of FBS schools with that parameter.
Notre Dame is not a power school.
really interesting though
couldn’t find an SEC or Big 12 school that fit, and only 1 ACC school, and about 1/3rd of the Big East schools.
Ok...
…so what. The parameter was small, not power. TCU is a small school. What are you really arguing about again? The point is the division you play in doesn’t determine the size of the school. Wake Forest is a small school.
If you would have said something like ….“is what I consider a ‘non power’ school”, then there would be no argument.
Then again, by your own definition, nobody’s scheduling Wake Forest as a homecoming cupcake game either, so where are you really going with that?
ok yeah sure..
…we’ll go to personal attacks. seems to be the way to go about your business when somebody disagrees with you.
seriously???
you throw out all this bluster and bloviation then you cower.
Perhaps you’re confusing me with your MO.
before Jim Grobe got there they were scheduling Wake for homecoming games
and I think Jim Grobe replaced Jim Caldwell if memory serves.
Finding FBS starter quality talent in the late rounds, when there is a huge FBS talent drop off.
Anybody want to argue that Ahmad “Slow as dirt” Black is better than Prosinski? I don’t think he is.
Is Pouncey really that much better than Rackley?
Gene's biggest draft
This draft will define Gene Smith. He drafted a franchise QB. That will make you or break you when it comes to drafting. Don’t forget too! when Gene took over he said he was going to clean house and get rid of the thugs and fakes. He only wanted good character and dedicated hard working football players, With so many holes to fill in a rebuilding process I think he has done a very good job selecting talent and cleaning up the team.
by Jagrob on May 1, 2011 11:19 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs
I was thinking about that last night. Besides that Osgood thing last year when was the last time a Jaguar player got in any trouble? Or at least something news worthy.
by OneSweetWorld on May 1, 2011 11:28 AM EDT up reply actions
Absolutely.
If Gabbert fails and the other small-school prospects don’t live up to their billing., Gene Smith is gone. I think he has two years. If after the 2012 season we are not contending, Weaver will likely make a change.
I, for one, think Smith will not fail in this regard
Gene Smith will get longer than 2012. He drafted Gabbert this year, so realistically 3-4 years down the road is when we’ll know.
by Alfie Crow on May 1, 2011 12:39 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Excuse me...
but what thugs are you referring to? I don’t remember any player before Gene becoming GM on the team that can carry that moniker.
what track record
people keep saying they trust genes track record, we aint been to the playoffs in a while and last years draft right now looks horrible im hoping hes right but the track record shows other wise. well see.
last year looks horrible?!!
Alualu- VERY solid player who should be an anchor on the d-line for years to come
Smith- got hurt and was out all year. no way to really judge him yet but there is no reason to think he won’t be a good player
Hart/Austen- both young DEs who played alright in their first years but show tons of room to grow. I would not expect a 5th round DE to come in and immediately contribute at a high level
Karim- when he was on the field he was a dynamic force and really showed that he is quite good value in the 6th round
McGee- see Smith above. He has not really even stepped on the field yet so no way to make judgments about him just yet.
Outside of Alualu, there wasn’t much of anything worthy of giving credit for the 2010 draft. You don’t get credit for potential.
by Alfie Crow on May 1, 2011 12:40 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
well then don't judge after one year becuase it takes time to become the player you can become
as of now some of these guys really can only be seen as potential becuase one year i not enough to fully develop into a player
dont you just want a star right away. it can happen just gota get the right guys, coulda got them this year. im rooting for everybody we got to do great i just feel everybody we pick is a developemental player no matter what round we draft them. i feel like there were players ready right out the gate its ok to draft a few of them to. speaking of Rackley(spelling?) did look good in video
Not saying I agree with the horrible angle, but in the same token you can’t call guys bad picks who didn’t play, you can’t call them successful either.
by Alfie Crow on May 1, 2011 12:41 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
thank you alfie. if its about potential then every team drafted great. they could become good but u can say that about anyone….or they can be superstars there rookie year and get all wondering out the way. austin lane and larry hart wont have 5 sacks between both of them and fact 1 probably get cut if we sign someone. karim im rooting for but something just missing.
Well
this is one of the dumber remarks I’ve seen in awhile. And that’s saying something.
On Wisconsin.
we still need d ends lane hart just aint gona do it. they look like kids not grown men. jags are banking on kampman geting healthy and jeremy mincey continuing to break out need some serioud lb help none of them can cover secondary up in the air because if carey and greene can improve then i see signs of decent safeties. up to coaching. rasheen has past his prime and cox is a good play bad play cb. we just need 2 or 3 true dominate playmakers on d
ummm
Arent Lane and Hart like 22 and 23 years old? Are you suppose to be a grown man by that age or am I missing something?
by OneSweetWorld on May 1, 2011 12:00 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
they still suck and wish we could waiver on last year draft. year before was solid(monroe) this year felt better then last years. i remember everybody scratching there head after last years draft. if rod isaac and polinski(whatever) make the team scotty mcgee probably gone
Here's my thought on drafts (I openly admit I'm no "expert"):
I enjoy sitting and watching who the guys who know what they are doing and who know more about football than I do (Gene and staff) do the picking, and I don’t care what positions they draft. I then read about the new guys, and I watch the training camp battles. At the end of training camp, all I am hoping is that the Jaguars have put the best 53 men on the field. I don’t care where they matriculated, I don’t care if they were captains or leaders, I only care that the players who make the 53 man roster give the Jaguars their best chance every Sunday.
That’s all I care about. I make 0 mock drafts; I make 0 big boards. I leave it to the guys who get paid to make our team better.
Fidelis Ad Mortem
thats cool and i aint an expert either however as a fan and season ticket holder u can bet your nachos ima voice my opinion. and i like hearing other ideas. i love the jags was 12 when we got em. football(from a fans stand point)is about opinions and conversation cooler talk who right whos wrong all week then they go and play it out its part of the game
They suck after one year? And who is “everybody”? Like there opinion really matters. Just sit back and enjoy the games. If the team doesn’t get any better, then run your mouth. It’s getting really annoying reading some of these comments, talking like you actually know what you’re talking about. I know we are all entitled to our opinion, but at least put some thought into what you are saying.
how can you say the suck? you saw one year and obviously they needed a year or two to develop
mcgee will make this team either way
I loved it when Hart and Aaron Morgan got there chances on 3rd down
I think Hart is only beginning to tap into his potential. And Lane will be playing LDE this year most likely
Hart's gotta do some massive condtioning this year
When JDR pings a player (Larry Hart was deactivated because he was out of gas), you know there’s some subtext.
Don't necessarily agree
They are gonna stick to BAP. My gut is 1st rounder will be a stud WR, but it will be based on BAP. Could be a corner or a LB too.
Gene wont take a WR in the first unless he falls to us and is excellent value
I think it will be a CB or DE.
next year's draft as of now is VERY deep on wide receivers
with that Texas a&m guy, alshon jeffry <—- next calvin johnson i see haha, justin blackmon, etc…i could see 4 or so receivers go in the FIRST round..
I have no clue how you even came to this thought
things change very quickly and very foten. What is to say Larry Hart and/or AUten lane don’t show major strides and our pass rush nets 45+ sack next year?! then the DE might not be such a desirable pick
then the jags would be in the playoffs, thats 19 more then we had last year.what part of our pass rush(dline and lb) right now can get us 45. even if kampman came back healthy our personel to me right now isnt near 45. mincey could make some noise, i dont see pot roast getting alot of sacks 3or4(good for a dt) alualu could get a few more, but lane hart ,harvey,douzable, morgan, just dont see it.
Why does it matter where football players are from?
Just because they play in smaller type schools, doesn’t mean they can’t play or succeed in the pros. So GM Gene prefers small school players, who cares. He knows more about football then all of us put together.
Finding FBS starter quality talent in the late rounds, when there is a huge FBS talent drop off.
Anybody want to argue that Ahmad "Slow as dirt" Black is better than Prosinski? I don’t think he is.
Is Pouncey really that much better than Rackley?
I read somewhere today that Black has better "football instincts" than Prosinski
for what thats worth…
Fidelis Ad Mortem
Considine has instincts too
but execution is about 80% of the game. I can know where to be but getting there at the right time is a different animal.
Someone commented on BCC (i forget where)
that Considine will probably make the team again. I almost threw up in my mouth.
Fidelis Ad Mortem
As of the Prosinski pick, he probably won't.
Twitter: BLByline Youtube: BLByline
I'm willing to drink the Kool-ade, but I'm hungry for the truth.
by Brian Levenson on May 1, 2011 2:28 PM EDT up reply actions
In his defense,
Joe thinks A LOT of things. Not all of them acceptable fodder for a “family website” like BCC.
Fidelis Ad Mortem
pot and kettle, hahahaha!!!
Cheers dude! I just love how that is “all I think” when I clearly wrote “a lot of times”
I avoid writing in absolutes for a reason. Perhaps silver could stand to read carefully before simply pouncing for the sake of pouncing.
I thought yours was a valid point...
of course, I’m not an “expert” like the many that seem to populate this website.
Fidelis Ad Mortem
but it does not natter
becuase Slvrgun is all knowing and knows better than everyone about everything, so much so that he knows exactly why players go to “small schools” as opposed to “large schools” and exactly what that measn about how talented they are.
He gets it and everyone else doesn’t. We all suck. We just have to get used to it.
That is an excellent point Joe. A lot of small guys are there because they werent 5 star prospects coming out of high school.
They didnt hit their stride until later in college.
So, oh Great One, please tell us the exact reason why a player is a D-3 player and how he is able to defy the odds and get drafted by an NFL team?
Surely all of those FBS schools couldn’t have been that far off, could they?
Yes, I get there are circumstances that pop up, such as homesick, disagreement with coach and release from schollie and transfer to play the next season, and others, but more often than not, kids go D-3 because they really had no other options and some kids don’t peak at 18. It happens now and then, hoss.
I am the all knowing.
Now, Scarecrow, you get a brain.
TinMan, you get a heart.
Cowardly Lion, you get courage.
BCC whiners, you get a slap in the back of the head so hard that your family will cry.
Smart BCC people, well…. Uhhh… where’d ya go?
HA!
Sean
Pax Armis Acquiritur
I'm still here
so I don’t know what you’re talking about ;)
You can't reason with unreasonable people.
If you ain't first, you're last.
since you’ve have spoken out of turn to the ALL KNOWING
you must be the new cowardly lion with all the fresh courage
Sean
Pax Armis Acquiritur
I love this draft better than i felt about last one which i also liked. We got our franchise QB whom i think will lead us to a great future and young and promising players. I only knew abour Gabbertand Rackley (whois a beast), the others i never watched nor heard about, but i have no reason not to trust Gene at this point when he already showed he is more than capable and an outstanding talent evaluator.
Sure Texans draft seems superior, they drafted sexy, names that everybody were familiarized to. Let’s just wait and see how that will translate on the field for us and them.
"Do I need to be liked? Absolutely not! I like to be liked, I enjoy being liked, I have to be liked. But it's not like this compulsive need to be liked...like my need to be praised." Michael Scott
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