JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jaguars opened the final day of the NFL draft with picks on the defensive side of the ball, selecting Gators linebacker Ventrell Miller and Oklahoma State edge rusher Tyler Lacy in the fourth round.
Miller (6-0, 232 pounds) played inside linebacker with the Gators and was one of the team’s top defensive players last season. He had 23.5 tackles for loss and 240 tackles in his career. Miller also had 7.5 sacks. He was the 121st pick overall. He is the 13th Gators player drafted all-time by the Jaguars, the most from a single college.
Miller will join a crowded linebacking room that includes high picks from last year’s draft in Travon Walker, Chad Muma and Devin Lloyd.
They finally added an edge rusher at pick No. 130 in Lacy, a highly productive player at Oklahoma State. Lacy (6-4, 279 pounds) had 113 career tackles, 11.5 sacks and 30 tackles for loss. At a position of need on the team, Lacy should be a rotational player early for Jacksonville.
The Jaguars traded their second fourth round pick (No. 127) to the Saints for a seventh rounder (No. 227) and a fourth-round pick in next year’s draft. It was general manager Trent Baalke’s fifth trade of the draft so far.
On Friday night, after trading down twice, the Jaguars picked Penn State tight end Brenton Strange, who will complement the unsigned — but franchise tagged — Evan Engram, at No. 61. They added Auburn running back Tank Bigsby in the following round at No. 88.
On Thursday, the Jaguars traded down twice and picked up three additional picks in the process. They eventually picked Oklahoma offensive tackle Anton Harrison at No. 27.