JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jaguars began the third and final day of the NFL draft by selecting North Carolina State offensive tackle Will Richardson.
The 6-foot-6, 306 pounder started 10 games at right tackle for the Wolfpack in 2017.
Recommended Videos
He figures to provide immediate depth, but could develop into a starting right tackle.
He did have some off-field questions, including a DWI three years ago and a team suspension in 2017.
“We spent some time with him and felt like a lot of it was behind him,” general manager Dave Caldwell said. “He made some bad mistakes and I think he’s owned up to them. He was suspended for the first two games, and we feel that he has a lot to prove.”
Richardson also addressed the issues and said that he is a different person now than when he made those mistakes.
"Honestly, I just prayed to God. I just asked him – he knows how I felt in the past. He knows what I do now. He knows I am a changed person," Richardson said. "Of course, it is on my mind. I was falling and falling. My off-the-field issues of the past were the reason it was happening, so now that is even more of an urge for me to show people that I am not the person they think I am. I can really stay focused and be on track and stick to football."
The Jaguars started their draft Thursday by selecting Florida defensive tackle Taven Bryan with the 29th pick. On Friday, the team selected LSU wide receiver DJ Chark, a player they considered to have first-round talent. The SEC trend continued in the third round, when the Jaguars selected Alabama safety Ronnie Harrison.
In the sixth round, the Jaguars chose Nebraska quarterback Tanner Lee. The junior from Destrehan. Louisiana has good size at 6-foot-4, 218 pounds. He started his college career at Tulane, where he set freshman passing records. He transferred to Nebraska before the 2016 season, becoming the starter in 2017. He completed 57.5 percent of his passes while throwing 23 touchdowns and 16 interceptions. He has a strong arm, but has struggled with interceptions in his college career.
"He’s big. He’s got a big arm, really strong arm, quick release," Caldwell said. "You saw it at the Senior Bowl. You see it on Nebraska film. Coach [Eric] Price, our assistant wide receivers coach, coached him at Tulane so we know the kid very well, his makeup, his intelligence, his drive, his attitude."
In the seventh round, the Jaguars selected Wisconsin linebacker Leon Jacobs, who has played both inside and outside linebacker spots as well as fullback. He was born in Nigeria and came to the United States at the age of two.
With their final selection, the Jaguars selected Mississippi State punter Logan Cooke.