Scouting the Jacksonville Jaguars

Time to get more information on some of the Jacksonville Jaguars players that you may not have ever heard about. Everyone knows about Maurice Jones-Drew and what he has to offer, but here is more information on some of their other playmakers on this squad that you may still be learning about. Shane Clemons from The Jaggernaut was able to help us out and give us his expert view on these players:

QB Blaine GabbertBlaine Gabbert is a guy that’s not short on talent, but he’s 100% raw talent. He needs more time to develop into a great quarterback, and he has the entire weight of the offense on his shoulders. Gabbert steps into his throws and puts the ball on point when he has time and protection in the pocket. The key to beating him is getting some pressure. He often panics far too early, often stepping into sacks. When he throws under pressure, he’s inaccurate because his footwork is terrible when there are defenders in his area.

WR Mike ThomasMike Thomas is the Jaguars’ best wide receiver, which isn’t saying much. Ideally, he’d be a slot receiver in the Jaguars’ system, but the circumstances have dictated that he’s their number one guy. He’s not big, but he’s very dangerous running after the catch. He’s been compared, and I believe accurately, to a running back once the ball is in his hands. Look for the Jaguars to run screens to get him the ball in space as well as a means to help Gabbert get into a rhythm.

LB Daryl SmithDaryl Smith is the Jaguars’ all time leading tackler. That should tell you a lot about the way Smith plays. He’s quick to the ball, and he rarely misses a tackle. His biggest flaw is that he’s not excellent in pass coverage. There’s yards to be had by the Chargers with their receivers or tight ends matched up against Smith.

LB Paul PoslusznyPaul Posluszny has been an integral part of the Jaguars’ linebacking corp. He, like Smith, simply doesn’t miss many tackles. He’s great at shedding blocks to locate the ball carrier. Also like Smith, he’s not always great in pass coverage. Still, I would characterize him as “above average” in coverage for a linebacker, but teams have a very difficult time running the ball in his gaps. He’s very aggressive as well, so it could be possible to get him to bite on play action fakes or misdirection plays such as screens.

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