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The Exodus of B-Dub... Good-Bye, old friend. You will be missed

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The Jaguars have some new faces in the secondary this year, and they'll be tested early and often by Peyton Manning. After getting over my initial disappointment at the release of my favorite Jaguar, I decided to play scout (I know what to look for in a just about every position except TE, QB, SS, because their positions are so scheme based you can't always tell if the player executed his role propely). I re-watched the game focusing solely on Derek Cox and how he plays the position.

Proven and versatile (albeit overpaid) RCB Brian Williams was given his walking papers, and at first you may think he'll be sorely missed, especailly early in the season. Brian's veteran savvy is always helpful against a brilliant defensive manipulator like Peyton Manning. I am typically very realistic in my expectations, as many of you know. I think this is a rebuilding year without question.

However, I am telling you all right now, based on his sole preseason performance (in which he started at RCB), against Washington's above average receiving corp. Derek Cox is already better than Brian Williams from an athletic perspective. HIs body type, which can be a worry for some rookies, is already NFL ready. Now, on to my evaluation of what I saw after rewatching the game

Positives:

Derek has better recovery speed than anyone else on the defense (This is a 6'1" man who ran a 4.3 at his pro-day) Even Mathis or Nelson can't match his speed, and don't you dare argue with me. Literally, I watched on one play where he gave the WR maybe 7 yards of cushion, then back peddled at the start of the cadence to close to 10 yards, only to explode back toward the WR right before the snap, re-routing him without contact and allowing himself to blanket the WR the entire play.This type of maneuver wasn't limited to this one instance, but this was the most impressive explosive moves I've seen, and is the type of play that could lead to a INT (like Mathis loves to do), or confusion on the QB's part leading to a coverage sack.

Derek Cox has very fluid hips, allowing him to maximize his speed. Just because a player can run 40 yards really fast, doesn't mean he has fluid hips to change direction at fast speeds and get turned with the WR to prevent the play. That was something Brian struggled with occasionally (Remember all the pass interference penalties for "face-guarding" by B-Dub, that's a result of stiff hips), and Cox seems to be a big improvement in that area.

Derek Cox is the most physical corner on the team, and is a better tackler than any DB, sans Considine. There was a 3rd and 8 play where Washington completed a pass 4 yards short of the sticks, and the player had a good 2 yards to build up steam, he collided with the DB, who I thought was B-Dub delivering one of his patented hits, and the player got completely knocked silly... Once I saw the replay, I was pleasently surprised to see it wasn't Brian, it was Derek, making a bone shattering hit. THIS WAS THE PLAY WHEN IT FINALLY HIT ME... BRIAN WASN'T GOING TO BE A JAGUAR ANYMORE...

Derek Cox isn't afraid to play the run, and he was shedding WR blocks left and right during the game, he's powerful and it shows. He'll be an asset in the run game, which as everyone knows, is a prerequisite to being a Jaguar.

Negatives:

Sometimes he overestimates his recovery speed, I fear. I saw one play where he must've been  12 yards back, now granted, it was a third and long situation, but if his man catches the pass, he better make that tackle. I also caught him watching the QB's eyes quite a few times, which allowed his man to get behind him, he got beat even though the ball didn't go to his man. Peyton will play games with his eyes and if Derek isn't careful, he's going to get severly schooled opening day. I mean badly. You can take risks like that in a Cover-Two defense, but not against Peyton, he's the best at what he does.

Derek Cox has another problem that was painfully evident watching the Redskins game. He isn't mentally prepared. He was lost time and time again (3 or 4 times I counted, I think) where he was checking with the MLB or Safety as to the coverage he was supposed to play. If Peyton sees that, he'll hike it early and beat you for a quick 7-8 yards. I can't stress enough how much of a test this game will be for our new and improved RCB. Don't crucify him if he has a bad game... He almost assuredly will, but I can promise you this, he's the future and will surpass B-Dub's ability by week 4-6. This kid is a find.

-Collin Streetman

The Jaguars' 2008 receiving corp may go down as the worst in franchise history. In an off season full of change, all but two players are gone and one (Troy Williamson) finds himself on the bottom of the depth chart. The other holdover is the subject of this article, Mike Walker.

What exactly has Walker done to deserve staying on the roster in good standing? On paper, not much. Walker has barely any stats to his name, and spent most of his short career nursing a knee injury that has plagued him since his days at UCF. However, it is the limited flashes that Walker has shown that makes him so intriguing.

As I said, on paper, Walker doesn't offer much. In a two year career, he has amassed the awe inspiring statistics of

The stats don't make me think he'll be challenging any major receiving records anytime soon. However, it is his potential that has kept him on the roster and why many believe he is due for a breakout season in 2009.

Continue reading this post »

What would your definition of a Shack Harris wide receiver be? My definition would be tall, slow, poor route runner, and a knack for substance abuse. Since Jimmy Smith retired following the 2005 season, the Jaguars have been plagued at the position. Enter Mike Thomas, the antithesis of a Shack Harris receiver. Thomas is short and an excellent route runner with 4.3 speed. He is the PAC-10's All-Time leader in pass receptions. In addition, he started returning punts his senior year. He took to it well, returning two for touchdowns and was named 1st team All PAC-10 as a returner and wide receiver. What does Mike Thomas offer the Jaguars that made him such a great pick in the fourth round?

Continue reading this post »

The Jaguars' have a huge problem on the interior of their defensive line, and it is becoming apparent that a changing of the guards will have to occur sooner rather than later in regards to John Henderson. I would get what I could for the disgruntled vet now, and as such, I thought now would be a good time to introduce you to the future of the Jaguars' line. I was able to find video on two of the new DT's for the Jags. Third round selection Terrence Knighton, a man whom the Jags feel should be a potential fixture at the position, is first. I also found video on an undrafted free agent whom I've been touting since we signed, Nader Abdallah. I almost expect him to make the final roster, seriously, the kid has got game.

Here's the Jags 3rd round pick, Terrance Knighton.

Terrance displays an above average bull rush ability, as seen in the video. On top of that, we also see some nice disengagement skill. His active hands and his arm strength enable him to shed some of the hands thrown at him in the blocking drill. The potential is there, and his bull rush and overall strength can be further improved under an NFL workout regime. I think that Terrance benefits largely from his size and would expect him to be a big contributor in stopping the run.

Next we move to relative unknown, but a guy I'm personally very high on, Nader Abdallah. Watch and you'll see why I've mentioned this young man more than once on this site. It is a travesty he wasn't selected in the draft. It would not surprise me one bit to see Nader make the final 53, I like the kid that much.

So, now you all know why I love this kid. He's got a decent pass rush ability, and he's clearly as strong as a mule, as evidenced by the way he tosses aside grown men like dolls. He can also recover quickly if taken down, a rare ability for men his size. Finally, when we look at his body type, it is clear he can still grow into an every down DT. He's got very long arms, enabling him to wrap up tacklers and make plays with one arm while engaging a blocker with the other arm. He doesn't have a lot of definition in his arms yet, but that is due in part to their length. The longer the arm, the longer the muscle, and consequently the stronger and bigger it can get. That is why long arms on linemen (offensive and defensive) are so important, from a physical standpoint. Length equals potential strength.

Next time, I'll follow with a video series on the new WR's.

-Collin Streetman

Cardinal... Yum, tastes like Chicken!

Background:

Julius Williams is a beastly physical specimen. He played DE at UCONN and was a major part of the squad's success on defense. Williams missed getting a combine invite by only one vote; this likely contributed to his slide in to UDFA. Williams is known for his uncommon strength for a college player. He can already bench press 450lbs, and even shifted to DT on occassional nickel situations because his strength allowed him to act as an interior lineman, despite his relatively low weight. Williams comes from Decatur, GA, and jumped at the opportunity to play for the nearby Jacksonville Jaguars. 

Comparison to current NFL players:

I found a comparison between Julius WIlliams, Quentin Groves, and Everette Brown. 

Julius Williams' stats over his last two college seasons were:
2008 - 36 TT / 9.5 TFL / 6 Sacks
2007 - 35 TT / 12 TFL / 8.5 Sacks

Note the similarities between Williams and Everette Brown and Quentin Groves:

Everette Brown - 6'2" 256 Lbs - 4.65/40
2008 - 36 TT / 21.5 TFL / 13.5 Sacks
2007 - 36 TT / 11.5 TFL / 6.5 Sacks

Quentin Groves - 6'3" 250 Lbs - 4.46 to 4.56 /40
2007 - 38 TT / 7 TFL / 3 Sacks
2006 - 35 TT / 11 TFL / 9.5 Sacks

Interesting comparison, no? Julius's stats are almost identical to the other two players collegiate records. I am not suggesting that Julius WIlliams will be an NFL star, but I am saying that there isn't much of a drop-off between past draft picks and UDFA. 

Scouting:

As mentioned above, Williams was not a combine invitee. However, he shined at his pro-day work-out and recorded major numbers. Showcasing his NFL calibur strengh, Julius put up 36 reps on the bench at 225 lbs. That's one shy of the 2009 combine best of 37. Julius also recorded at 41" vertical leap, which indicates his explosiveness off the line of scrimmage. His 40 yard dash was 4.58 seconds, good enough for a DE or rush 3-4 LB. 

Showcasing both his willingness to improve, and his love of the weight-room, Julius had this to say: 

"I'm ready to go to the weight room right now," Williams said from his home in Decatur, Ga., on Sunday night. "I'm so excited. It didn't turn out the way I wanted it to but all I wanted was an opportunity and now that I've got that opportunity, I'm going to give 110 percent on everything I do."

Williams visited with the Jags. He said they talked to him about playing defensive end but the team will be playing some 3-4, too, and would put him in as an outside linebacker to rush the passer.

"My mind-set right now is to give them everything I've got wherever they want me to play," Williams said.

Notice: "He said they talked to him about playing rush LB in a 3-4." The Jaguar's will be incorporating a unique variety of defensive fronts, and having a wide variety of players available to run the system is key. Quentin Groves is NOT a star OLB. Period. He wasn't eye-popping at Auburn at OLB, and I doubt very seriously he'll make a huge impact in the NFL at that position. Julius Williams may have a chance to cement his roster spot if he can prove that he's the club's best option at 3-4 OLB, on the occasions that the Jags use such a set-up.

-Collin

Biography:

Peter Ittersgen has got game. He was one of only two division III players this year who had a chance to be drafted in the 2009 NFL Draft.

Many times, at least one player from a Division III school gets selected. However, that was not the case this year, as neither of the two major prospects were selected. Pete is the caliber of athlete you have to be if you are comng out of a school with weak competition. He was litterally a shut down corner. Before you jump down his throat for having faced little to no real competition, look at what Sports Illustrated had to say.

 "the best cornerback and return specialist you never heard of. He's broken up 30 passes since his junior campaign while averaging 16.5 yards returning punts. He has the size, speed and skills to make an NFL roster and could end up being tabbed in the late rounds by the Jacksonville Jaguars, Pittsburgh Steelers or Houston Texans."

Pete was no stranger to the Jaguars' either, as he was brought in for a workout prior to the Draft. He quickly chose to come to the Jaguars in UDFA thanks to the complete lack of talent in our secondary. Scott Starks is coming off injury, B-Dub is another year older. Derrick Cox is a rookie, and Mathis is the only rock back there.

Scouting: 

Pete is 5'10" and 191 lbs, clearly he has the size for the position. His vertical was 37" and he ran a 4.47 40-yard dash. He also benched pressed 225 lbs 18 times. indicating adequate strength for the secondary. He could possibily compete for a back-up safety or cornerback spot. 

Pete is going to have a great opportunity to make the squad, especially if he can prove to be a decent punt/kick returner. We are going to have a major camp competition going on this summer for returner responsibilities. Mike Thomas, Pete Ittersagen, Dennis Northcutt, and Spoonie will all be competing to make the team, and will look to their return capabilities to add value to their resume'.

Ittersagen's accumulated quite the cabinet of awards during his collegiate career, but with the Jags, he's just another UDFA.   

All-American cornerback Pete Ittersagen was given the MDM Award for "Special Forces Player of the Year". The 5-foot-10, 190-pound senior (PICTURED RIGHT) was recognized as an All-American by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) for the second consecutive season, was honored as CCIW First Team All-Conference on defense and special teams and selected to the D3football.com's All-North Region Team along with earning North Region Defensive Player of the Year. He finishes his career fifth all-time in NCAA Division III in passes defended with 61. His 464 punt return yards this season set a new Wheaton single-season record and he also holds the school career record with 65 punt returns for 1,075 yards.

"Brock Bolen: Crazy like a fox"

Background: 

Jaguar fans, meet your new full-back, Brock Bolen. He will face the stiffest competition of any UDFA in this year's class. He has an established FB, a franchise RB, and  do-it-all Montell Owens to compete with. All three of those players WILL be on the opening day roster. Rashad Jennings, Chauncey Washington, and Brock Bolen will be the main competitors for the other spot(s). 

In addition to FB, Brock spent some time during his Senior season playing tailback, and he accumulated nice statistics on the ground, averaging over 4 yards a carry. During his Junior year, he averaged a whopping 5.2 yards per carry on 88 rushes. Bolen is built like a mack truck, and is known as a workout warrior in the locker-room. His father was a vietnam vet, and had a gym in his house that would rival the gear at some high-schools.  If Brock is anything like his father, he may be crazy enough to make it in the NFL. I was surprised when I read this.

Louisville FB Brock Bolen’s father was a Green Beret who once worked as a contract killer in Africa and has spent time in jail for offenses ranging from fighting to gun-running.

Bolen was considered the nation's top fullback coming out of high-school, and is known as an accomplished pass blocker. His run-blocking ability isn't as heralded, but that can be taught. He has the size to be a legitimate run blocking FB, and is known as a player with good balance, a crucial and difficult to teach skill. 

Scouting: 

Brock Bolen stands at 5'11" and weighs 233 lbs. That frame allowed him to score 14 touchdowns in his last two seasons at Louisville. He's a great goal-line and short yardage runner. He doesn't have breakaway speed, and only ran a 4.70 40-yard dash at his pro-day. He benched pressed 225 lbs 24 times, indicating decent strength, but he'll have to get stronger.

...looking for running backs that are constantly in a forward lean and don’t give the defense much of a target. Bolen has this technique down to a science, his feet are constantly moving after first contact and he has enough athleticism to make defenders miss.

Brock has terrific hands, showing he can catch the ball out the backfield as well as down field running different routes. 

Athletic, tough, hard-nosed, nasty, intimidating and competitive are the best words to describe this All-American candidate.

Pros: Great balance and control at the point of contact.Has the size and ability to run through defenders.Great pass blocking skills.Runs with a low center of gravity.

Cons: Not light enough on his feet to be a running back in the next level.Needs to improve his leg drive when run blocking.Does not have break away speed

Overall: Has the potential to be a great 3rd down back. Needs to keep his weight down.

We see from these reports that Brock has the ability to be a potential third down back. He could be a real weapon in this scenario, because he is known for his pass blocking ability and his ability to catch out of the backfield. Those are extremely important for any third down back. You have to be able to pick up the blitz on a third down, if it isn't a short yardage situation. If there is no blitz, then you have to be able to flair out to the flat to catch the underneath route if everyone is covered. Brock is strong in all of these areas and could be a major asset to this team come September.

Brock Bolen article 1

Brock Bolen article 2

 Brock Bolen scouting report 1

Brock Bolen scouting report 2

Brock Bolen goal-line TD

-Collin Streetman

Background: 

Mesphin Forrester, the second player the Jaguars' signed after seeing their workout at Mini-Camp, was a safety and cornerback at Washington. Mesphin came from a recruiting class that was heralded as one of the top 20 in the nation five years ago, although it hasn't lived up to that billing, as the team went 0-11 last season. That poor record may have caused some to overlook Mesphin, whom the Jaguars thought enough of to offer a contract after seeing him workout. 

Forrester may not stick with the team, but he has the size and athleticism to seriously compete for a spot. He wasn't invited to the combine, but he was stellar at his pro-day, and was an All Pac-10 choice at Safety in 2007. 

Scouting:

...ran 4.52/4.53 in the 40-yard dash and posted a 32" vertical, a 9'8" broad jump, a 4.15 short shuttle, a 6.96 3-cone; and did a very solid 17 reps on the bench at 225 lbs...

Mesphin's greatest asset may be his versatility. He can play both safety and corner, and started at both positions during his stint at Washington. He's got the size for either position. He's 6'2" 201 lbs, and showed his strength on the bench. He seems to be ready to compete for a spot, physically speaking. Some players body's just aren't ready for the NFL and they require a year to bulk-up before they can be successful, this is not the case with Mesphin.

Some concern has been raised about the fluidity of his hips, which is something very important for coverage corners. At his size, he may be better in press coverage, bumping a receiver off his route, in a nickel package. Here's what one reporter had to say.

He has played both corner and safety, but as one observer told me, he was a cornerback in a safety's body.  You could see him struggle a bit with the position (Safety) in 2007 when Jason Wells went down.  His best moments have come playing in the nickel.

Mesphin was a three year starter for the Huskies, and had a nice season last year. He recorded 56 total tackles, 2 interceptions, and 10 passes defended last year at CB, while starting all 11 games. He also played special teams at Washington, and was projected as a 6th round pick before the draft.

Mesphin video 1 

Mesphin Video 2

Mesphin video 3

Scouting report.

-Collin Streetman