2009 NFL Draft
Welcome back to the COMCAST RED ZONE
by River City Rage on Mar 23, 2010 11:29 AM EDT
in 2009 NFL Draft
Last fall Comcast decided to come aboard as one of the primary sponsors of Big Cat Country and other SB Nation football blogs. I'm excited to announce that Comcast will indeed be back to sponsor this site and other SBN sites in 2010. Comcast realized how awesome of a thing we have going here at BCC and the rest of the network and wanted to continue the partnership for another year.
0 commentsJaguars' Trade Value: 2010 Draft
by silencecs on Mar 18, 2010 6:27 PM EDT
in 2009 NFL Draft
Right now, the Jaguars stand with a whopping five picks in this year's deep draft. Will it stay that way, absolutely not. Will anyone want to trade up to the number 10 spot... not likely. But let's forget what we'll do with our first overall pick, and instead focus on our other opportunities to gain draft picks.
Compensatory picks - Gene Smith has had great luck gaining picks, and I think if the Jaguars' get one 7th rounder, it will be a blessing.
Trades: Right now the Jaguars' have numerous opportunities to gain picks for players... Let's look at what we've got.
John Henderson - Obviously, after have a fantastic year, John could possibly fetch a 2nd and a 4th round pick. He is an obvious player teams will be targeting on draft day should their plan to get a DT fall through.
Reggie Nelson - Would you take a late 2nd or early third for Nelson right now? I would. He was a formerr first rounder who has dealt with a different cocoordinator every season since his rookie year, he's got value.
Luke McCown - The Jaguars' literally stole McCown from the Bucs, and if Gene finds a QB he likes who fits BAP, don't put it past him to trade the recently acquired McCown if he can get a 5th or 6th rounder (His true value).
Clint Ingram - The LB falls into the category of being able to be tendered should the Jaguars' want to, and they have decided to give him an original round pick tender, so should another team sign him, the team will immediately receive a third round pick. However, should they re-sign the embattled LB, they wouldn't hesitate to let him go for a 5th or 6th rounder.
Who's your trade bait?
-Collin Streetman
Jacksonville Jaguars sign 18 Undrafted Free Agents
by River City Rage on Apr 27, 2009 7:24 AM EDT
in 2009 NFL Draft
Between the end of the draft and this morning the Jacksoniville Jaguars have signed 18 undrafted free agents. These are players who sign with the Jaguars because they believe they have a chance to make the roster. On a team with as many holes as the Jaguars, hitting a home run or three with the UFA's is key.
We'll preview these guys in more depth later on, but for now, here's the list.
Russell Allen, LB, 6-3, 230, San Diego State
Kyle Bell, FB, 6-1, 233, Colorado State
Brock Bolen, FB, 6-0, 233, Louisville
Nathan Brown, QB, 6-1, 219, Central Arkansas
Weldon Brown, CB, 5-10, 185, Louisiana Tech
Michael Desomeaux, SS, 6-0, 204, Louisiana-Lafayette
Maurice Dupree, WR, 5-10, 168, Jacksonville State
Jason English, WR, 5-10, 188, Tuskegee
George Hypolite, DT, 6-1, 299, Colorado
Pete Ittersagen, CB, 5-10, 191, Wheaton
Tyler Lorenzen, TE, 6-5, 226, Connecticut
Mike McClendon, RB, 5-9, 196, N. Alabama
Jeremy Navarre, DE, 6-3, 283, Maryland
Cecil Newton, C, 6-2, 300, Tennessee St.
Kevin Patterson, SS, 5-10, 185, Wake Forest
Todd Peterson, WR, 6-4, 215, Nebraska
Johnny Williams, LB, 6-2, 236, Kentucky
Julius Williams, DE, Connecticut
2009 Draft Reactions
by Jonathan Loesche on Apr 26, 2009 8:46 PM EDT
in 2009 NFL Draft
First off, a huge thank you to everyone who participated this draft weekend. Without a doubt Big Cat Country set a two day record for activity this weekend. From the first thread up Saturday until now, there have been 27 threads or stories up on the front page. However, the real eye popping number is the nearly 3000 comments left by readers. Once again, thank you for making Big Cat Country the best Jaguars site on the net.
Second, it's my one year anniversary of registering at BCC. I discovered this site during the last off-season and remember going "What, somebody actually bothered to have a site devoted to the Jaguars" and "Who is this guy and why does he keep saying we're going to get Philip Merling."
This was Gene Smith's first draft as General Manager and it'll be remembered for more than that. Did Gene stick strictly to BAP? Doubt it. However, compared to last year's de facto two player class, I'm thrilled with the results. I won't give a "Grade" as that is pointless at this point. That doesn't mean I don't have my own thoughts.
1. Eugene Monroe, LT, Virgina: Read my thoughts here
2. Eben Britton, RT, Arizona: Honestly, I felt Everette Brown should have been the pick here. However, you can never have too many good tackles on the roster. It seems that Pashos and Britton will be battling it out for the Right Tackle spot in training camp, with the loser becoming the right guard.
3. Terrance Knighton, DT, Temple: The third round is where things seemingly started going down hill. Knighton was a reach here in the third round; however, he certainly has potential and provides another body to clog up the middle. Assuming Derek Landri can "Come off the shelf" the Jaguars have their new jar on the shelf DT.
4. Derek Cox, CB, William and Mary: Mr.Cox, let me be the first to formally welcome you to the Jaguar's family. In addition, congratulations, you'll likely be the most scrutinized draft pick since Byron Leftwich.
Why do you trade a second round pick to select a guy in the third round who most draftniks had at best as a "Late round/UDFA gem"? Honestly, I don't know. Cox has impressive size and off the charts measurables. However, then why was he playing at William and Mary and not Southern Cal?
5. Mike Thomas, WR, Arizona: The Jaguars go back to the desert to get a quality WR and returner. Thomas is a poor man's Percy Harvin. He is also the anti-Shack Harris wide receiver. Instead of a basketball player, Thomas is 5'7 and a blazer. Great pick with excellent value.
6. Jarrett Dillard, WR, Rice: Dillard put up bigger numbers than Michael Crabtree and will give 110%. A safe pick who can help out on special teams until he adds some bulk.
7. Zach Miller, TE/QB, Nebraska-Omaha: The self described "poor man's Tim Tebow" will apparently be Mike Tice's pet project. He can become a quality receiving TE who offers plenty of after the catch potential. In addition, maybe the Jaguars have their "Wild Cat" quarterback.
8. Rashad Jennings, RB, Liberty: A terrific value pick and another body in the running back stable.
9. Tiquan Underwood, WR, Rutgers: I'll be honest, I don't know anything on the guy.
On non-jaguar related draft news
1. Biggest Boom or Bust pick: Percy Harvin, WR, Minnesota Vikings. Harvin can be the rookie of the year or he could be serving a four game suspension before he even plays a down.
2. Facepalm of the draft: Darrius Heyward-Bey going to the Raiders followed by my initial reaction of learning Gene traded a 2nd rounder to draft Cox.
3. After Stafford, the rest of the Lions' draft left me unimpressed. Especially puzzling was selecting Brandon Pettigrew over Michael Oher and Alex Mack. If history has taught us nothing else, make sure your franchise QB can stay upright before worrying about getting him weapons. My gut reaction is they'll be the same ole Lions.
4. Steal of the draft: James Laurinaitis, LB, St.Louis Rams. I honestly think the Road Warrior is going to be ten year fixture for them.
5. I love Pat White. However, there is no way he is worth a 2nd round pick. He's a Wildcat QB, lovely; the Phins already had Ronnie Brown.
2009 NFL Draft: 6th/7th Round Open Thread
by River City Rage on Apr 26, 2009 4:25 PM EDT
in 2009 NFL Draft
This is it, final round and a half for the Jaguars. Not much for them to do other than wait for their 7th round picks.
I'm cooking dinner and starting to compose Monday's draft analysis, so pardon my slow response time.
-Chris
2009 NFL Draft Live Blog/Open Thread
by River City Rage on Apr 26, 2009 2:39 PM EDT
in 2009 NFL Draft
Here we go, final rounds.
-Chris
2009 NFL Draft Live Blog/Open Thread: Part 3
by River City Rage on Apr 26, 2009 1:04 PM EDT
in 2009 NFL Draft
Here we go, another open thread.
-Chris
Jacksonville Jaguars 4th Round Draft Pick: Arizona Wide Receiver Mike Thomas
by River City Rage on Apr 26, 2009 12:48 PM EDT
in 2009 NFL Draft
Arizona Wide Receiver Mike Thomas
When Torry Holt, Mike Walker, Dennis Northcutt and Troy Williamson round out your wide receiver corps, adding a new threat through the draft is key. The Jaguars selected Arizona Wide Receiver Mike Thomas with the 107th overall pick in the 4th round.
Thomas is a different sort of receiver for the Jaguars, he's shorter and faster than the "Basketball team on grass" that the last group, he's a short and speedy threat that set records for both Arizona and the Pac-10.
Mike Thomas: By the Numbers:
Mike Thomas is about as safe as a draft pick gets. He ensures that "safety" with his punt return ability. He projects as a top punt returner, a position Seattle could easily upgrade at. Great punt returners can be worth two touchdowns over average over a season. A good punt returner is still valuable and would still contribute at a decent clip for a third rounder, and that's about Thomas' floor: good punt returner.
Thomas could be a great wide receiver. He has the short, squatty build of Wes Welker or Steve Smith, and is arguably a better athlete than either. He's also shorter than either - somewhat significantly. Thomas is under 5'8". And that's really the essence of any critique against him. He's really, really short. He's the all-time receptions leader in Pac-10 history, but he's really, really short. He can slam dunk a basketball or outrun Percy Harvin, which is impressive, because Thomas is really, really short and has really, really short legs. He's a crisp route runner that gets monster separation, has the kind of open-field moves, speed, agility and body control to turn almost any pattern into a home run, and is known for his high character, hard work and good hands, but he's real-
It's not that his height doesn't matter, it's just how much does his height matter? He's never going to be Randy Moss, of that we can be certain. There are some patterns he won't excel at, and therefore he's not the complete wide receiver prospect like Calvin Johnson. He's not the prototypical wide receiver, but that's kind of the point. Were Thomas four inches taller, he'd probably be a top ten pick. He certainly played better, longer against top competition than Jeremy Maclin, and he certainly rates better in skills and tools than Maclin, too. So what's to say Thomas couldn't be Welker, Smith, Deion Branch or Santana Moss? Is that too short of a ceiling for a third round pick?
Scouting Reports: NFL Draft Scout:
Analysis
Positives: Short, but has a strong, surprisingly think frame. Good initial burst off the snap and can quickly eat up the cushion if unchallenged at the line of scrimmage. Can sink his hips and shows good immediate burst out of his breaks. Good toughness as a receiver and returner. Not afraid of contact and will go over the middle or attack the seam as a returner with reckless abandon. Good vision for the cutback and sets up his blocks well. Soft hands for the reception. Can pluck outside of his frame. Good body control to make extend and make the tough catch. Short, but times his leaps well. Returned two punts as a senior -- his first year as a returner. Solid week of practice at the Senior Bowl. Well suited to moving inside to the slot position.
Negatives: Will be limited to a slot position in the NFL, as he lacks the size and strength to play outside. More quick than fast. Good timed speed, but lacks the top end speed to consistently beat defenders over the top. Prone to lapses in concentration and drops more passes than he should. Production is inflated due to Arizona's spread offense and lack of surrounding playmakers throughout much of Thomas' career.
2005: Suffered fractured bones in his forehand vs. Washington (11/12) and underwent surgery to have screws inserted. Despite wearing a cast, he was back in the starting lineup the following game vs. Arizona State.
2006: Suffered a high ankle sprain in the season opener vs. Brigham Young (9/02) and the injury lingered for more than a month.
I like the pick. More to come.
Showing 1 - 8 of 37 Older
Certain photos copyright © 2012 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
