Jacksonville Jaguars claim kicker James McCourt off waivers

The Jacksonville Jaguars have claimed kicker James McCourt off of waivers from the Los Angeles Chargers.

The move comes after the team released preseason kicker Ryan Santoso after he went 3-for-6 on field goals through three preseason games. Elliott Fry also kicked for the Jags in the preseason, but he was cut earlier this month.

McCourt spent six years at Illinois, spending his first three seasons as a reserve before taking over as the primary kicker in 2019. He connected on 18 of 23 field goals in 2021, including tying a school record with four 50-plus yard field goals. He earned All-Big Ten Third-Team honors in 2021 and finished ninth in the nation in kickoff touchback percentage, booting 82.4% of kickoffs into the end zone. In 2020, McCourt nailed a 47-yard field goal at Rutgers as time expired to give Illinois their first win of the season.

He was born in Dublin, Ireland (let’s go!) and attended St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale) High School.