JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The NFL is taking over Indianapolis this week for the combine. Hundreds of athletes will be there to interview and work out in front of NFL teams. The workouts begin on Thursday.
The schedule
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Thursday: Defensive linemen, linebackers
Friday: Defensive backs, tight end
Saturday: Quarterbacks, wide receivers, running backs
Sunday: Offensive linemen
Players to watch
WR Keon Coleman, FSU
This is a deep wide receiver class. Coleman has been getting a little lost in the wash. Coleman is a big-body receiver who FSU fans know excels at going up and getting the football. His stock could shoot through the roof if he has a good workout at the combine. Keep a close eye on the 40-yard dash. If Coleman runs a sub-4.5, all of a sudden it might not be crazy for him to be in the conversation for the Jaguars pick at 17.
CB TJ Tampa, Iowa State
In early mock drafts, cornerback has been one of the trendiest picks for the Jaguars in the first round. But if they don’t go corner in at No. 17, they could still look to add a DB later in the draft. A guy like Tampa would make sense. He is a big body (6-2) and excelled in press coverage at Iowa State. The question about Tampa is does he have a long speed? A good 40-yard time could help him solidify himself as a second day guy.
Edge, Laiatu Latu, UCLA
The guy with the most on the line at the combine of any player is Latu and it isn’t close. He has been the most productive edge in college football over the last two years. But a neck injury in 2021 almost ended his football career. He will need to pass the medical test from the teams. If his neck is red flagged, Latu could slide drastically down team boards.
Under the radar players with connections to the Jaguars staff:
As the Jaguars rebuilt their coaching staff they pulled a few coaches from the college level. That will give them first-hand experience with some of the players in the draft. Sometimes that can help lead to finding a diamond in the late rounds.
CB, Kamal Hadden, Tennessee
The Jaguars hired Cory Robinson as the team’s cornerbacks coach. Robinson spent last year as a defensive analyst with Tennessee. Hadden was off to a fantastic start to his season before a shoulder injury ended his year. Hadden played seven games and had three interceptions and was the top-graded cornerback in single coverage last season (92.4) according to Pro Football Focus. Hadden is a big corner who looked to take a huge jump in his development last season before the injury. If he had completed the season on the trajectory he started on, Hadden would be in line to be a much earlier pick. Robinson would have first-hand experience with the type of person Hadden is on and off the field.
DL, Maason Smith, LSU
The Jaguars hired Matt House as the team’s linebacker coach. House spent the last two years as LSU’s defensive coordinator. Smith is a former big-time recruit who got off to a fast start in his college career but injuries derailed it a bit. A shoulder injury ended his freshman season. Then, just eight snaps into his sophomore year, Smith tore his ACL. Not everyone recovers from ACL injuries the same way. Smith didn’t start looking like his old self on the field until the final few games of the season. If the pieces come together, Smith could be a force on the defensive line because of his physical gifts. No one will have a better idea if Smith has what it takes to reach his ceiling than House, the defensive coordinator who spent the last two years with him.
RB, Jaylen Wright, Tennessee
The Jaguars hired Jerry Mack as the team’s running back coach. Mack was the running back coach at Tennessee for the last few years. Mack’s lead back from last season is in this year’s draft — Wright was a track star in high school and turned into a big play threat on the college football field. The Jaguars don’t have a huge need at running back but if they wanted to add another back to the group Wright would be an interesting addition.
DL Marcus Harris, Auburn
The Jaguars hired Jeremy Garrett as their defensive line coach. Harris played all over the defensive line for the Tigers. Harris was a disruptive force with seven sacks last season. Harris is a little undersized for an NFL defensive lineman, but he makes up for it with his quickness. The Jaguars could use a boost to their interior pass rush. Garrett helped Harris become a force for the Tigers; continuing that relationship in the NFL would be worth exploring with a late-round pick.