JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jaguars selection of Taven Bryan in the 1st round of the 2018 NFL Draft was a move that they expect to pay off down the line. As a rookie Bryan came along slowly, but going forward the Jaguars will be counting on the former Florida Gator.
Position: Defensive Tackle
2018 Stats: 20 tackles, Sack
2018 season in review: The best way to describe Bryan’s rookie season was that it was essentially a yearlong internship. He went through practices most of the year but spent most game days watching on the sidelines.
In a first round pick you would like to see a couple of splash plays that justify the pick. That wasn’t the case in 2018 for Bryan. In the season finale he saw his most significant action with 32 defensive snaps. That was also where Bryan picked up the first sack of his NFL career.
Status for 2019: In Marcell Dareus and Malik Jackson the Jaguars have two expensive players that play defensive tackle. Both Dareus and Jackson have cap hits of over $10 million for 2019. It’s almost a certainty that one or both could be gone next season.
Bryan saw more playing time towards the end of the 2018 season. The Jaguars will be counting on him for a much larger role in 2019. Expect Bryan to battle Abry Jones and Dareus or Jackson for a starting defensive tackle spot next season.