I don’t think anyone thought the Jacksonville Jaguars were going to win the AFC South, let alone win 10 games in 2017. Then again, Jacksonville’s roster is flat-out loaded. No one has more pure talent on the defensive side of the ball than the Jags. Tom Coughlin and Doug Marrone seem know what they’re doing. Hell, Blake Bortles wasn’t a total trainwreck, right? What can we expect from the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2018?
3 Position Battles To Watch:
1. Wide Receiver: Marqise Lee, DJ Chark, Donte Moncrief, Keelen Cole, Dede Westbrook
Allen Robinson is gone. So is Allen Hurns. All of the sudden, a team led by Blake Bortles now has to count on a sketchy group of pass catchers. If we thought Blake Bortles was bad before… Things could get ugly. Marqise Lee has been very average. Same with Donte Moncrief. Neither have had an 800 yard season in the NFL. Dede Westbrook is a suspension waiting to happen. Then there’s DJ Charks who’s a rookie that can’t run routes. Let’s see how this pans out!
2. Defensive Tackle: Marcell Dareus, Taven Bryan, Abry Jones
The Jaguars defense is an interesting one to dissect because they could give a rip about stopping the run. Calais Campbell is an every-down defensive tackle after playing defensive end for his entire career in Arizona. Jacksonville is worried about one thing, causing as much havoc as they can on the quarterback. They did not sway from that strategy when they drafted Taven Bryan in the first round. Can he stop the run? Hell no, but he can bounce around those slow-footed guards and can after the quarterback. Marcell Dareus also brings it when he’s motivated. Yannick Ngakoue, Donte Fowler, and Malik Jackson give the Jags the deepest pass rush unit in the AFC.
3. Tight End: Austin Seferian-Jenkins, Niles Paul
Mercedes Lewis gave the Jaguars nothing at tight end for the past decade. It doesn’t look like that narrative will change in 2018. Niles Paul is there to do one job…block! Austin Seferian-Jenkins had a big first half of the season with the Jets but then decided to do nothing the rest of the way. Let’s see if he can top the 3 touchdowns he snagged in 2017.
Ready To Breakout: Myles Jack
Well, this one is easy but if you don’t love watching Myles Jack play then there’s something wrong with you. Jack isn’t just good, he might be one of the five best linebackers in the sport by the end of the season. The former UCLA linebacker has unreal speed and just finds a way to make plays on the ball. Jack upped his tackle number from 24 to 90 in his first two years. Get ready for a lightning bolt to crash because this guy is special.
Rookie To Watch: Ronnie Harrison
I still can’t decide if Ronnie Harrison is going to make it. Sometimes he looks like the next Landon Collins. Others it looks like he can’t cover a lick. The good news is Harrison found a great landing spot with the Jags where he can lock into his niche and become a damn good box safety. It may just be a perfect fit.
The Lead Word – NFL PreDraft Special And NBA Finals – 4.25.18
Fantasy Sleeper: DJ Chark
As mentioned previously, the Jags have zero targets. One could make the argument that DJ Chark is the true X-factor of this team. Running game…Check. Offensive line…Check. Defense…Big Check. Passing game…STINKS! Chark is a deep threat and we saw that during the pre-draft process. Chark needs to be productive because we know defenses will stack the box against Leonard Fournette. If Chark can do his thing, this offense takes on a new dimension.
