/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/46655774/usa-today-8637173.0.jpg)
When veteran wide receiver Cecil Shorts left the Jacksonville Jaguars for the Lone Star State, a large portion of wholehearted fans and local media thought the Jaguars might snatch a receiver early in the draft to immediately fill the void he left behind.
They were wrong.
The Jaguars actually waited until the fifth round to take a receiver, which turned out to be Florida State’s Rashad Greene. Greene doesn’t carry anything particularly captivating about his game athletically, but he can move around as a receiver and enjoys a pair of reliable hands.
Rashad Greene will not fill Cecil Shorts’ place in the offense directly. As part of the Jaguars young receiving core, Greene is expected to work out of the slot in certain situations, also competing for the Jaguars punt returner role.
Second-year receivers Allen Robinson, Marqise Lee, and Allen Hurns look to step up in 2015 as the Jaguars’ primary three wide receivers. Greene will do his best to work himself into this group, pushing for playing time as the season unfolds.
Greene’s strong hands and knack for running open could push his development along faster than projected as he works to become a consistent target for quarterback Blake Bortles. Somewhat undersized at 5'11 and 182 pounds, Greene could have a hard time being as dependable in the NFL as he was at FSU.
Greene might not have elite size or athleticism, but he is fearless in the open field and carries the ability to make himself a factor. There was probably no better situation for Greene to walk into than this Jaguars receiver group, considering the offense is made up of 1st and 2nd year players looking to establish their roles and form a offensive identity as a whole.
As Greene fights for playing time and develops inside of his role, the Jaguars receivers room could take one more step as a group. This makes Greene a player to watch in training camp and preseason games.