Training camp notebook: Heat makes things tough during first day with full pads

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – If you can’t take the heat. … You have heard the phrase before. The heat was cranked up on Tuesday, in both a literal way and a figurative way.

Literally, it was hot, and the players felt it. Figuratively, it was the first full padded practice of the year and that always turns up the heat out on the field.

I’m not sure what had a more significant impact on practice.

🥵Heat 🥵

This may not have been the hottest day of training camp so far but the heat in combination with players putting their pads on for the first time had an impact on a few guys.

Calvin Ridley

Midway through practice, Ridley stopped participating in drills and had to go sit in the cool tent. He took his pads off while he tried to cool down. He eventually rejoined his teammates but didn’t participate in practice after that.

Roy Robertson-Harris

The defensive line group signed autographs today. At the table, Robertson-Harris had ice water poured on him as the trainers tended to him.

🏈The Pads🏈

This was the day of camp we had been waiting on. This is when things start to get more interesting and players start to separate themselves. Tight end Gerrit Prince has been one of the early stars of camp when the practice was in shorts. With the pads on, Prince’s hot streak has not slowed down.

Prince was getting reps with Trevor Lawrence and has continued to make a push to move up the depth chart. Even with Prince’s continued high level of play the star of the day was Zay Jones. The Jaguars offense is really shaping up to be dangerous. I’d describe it as “anybody can get it.”

When Ridley left practice because of the heat, Jones stepped in and stepped up. Jones cooked the defense, beating every defensive player that lined up across from him for touchdown after touchdown.

📓 Notebook 📓

• Dabo Swinney was on the field watching practice. The Jaguars have three former Clemson players — Trevor Lawrence, Travis Etienne and Tyler Shatley.
• Anton Harrison didn’t participate in team drills. The team is calling it “shoulder soreness.”
• Seth Williams may be a name to keep an eye on. Williams has made some nice catches during camp. When the team split up with first team on one field and second team on another field, Williams was on the field with Lawrence and the starters. Williams spent last season with the Jaguars practice squad.
• Tank Bigsby earned his name. He runs like a Tank! There were more than a few pops on running plays a Bigsby bounced off tacklers in the red zone.
• Turnovers come in bunches. The Jaguars’ defenders came up with three interceptions on Tuesday. Antonio Johnson, Caleb Johnson and Erik Hallett all got their hands on the football. For Johnson, this is his second interception in three practices. The rookie is looking like a steal.