Skip to main content
Week 1 Game Center
Advertising

Jaguars News | Jacksonville Jaguars - jaguars.com

COACH TOM COUGHLIN ON REGGIE BARLOW

ÂłThis morning we tried to solve some problems. We needed to do some things on the receiver/kickreturn side. We have a young man in Reggie Barlow who gives us that possibility. IÂčm not going to tell you heÂčs the most polished guy yet, but I think thereÂčs obviously an opportunity here with the size-speed guy. HeÂčs a guy who averaged 20 yards in punt returns his senior year, who averaged over 16 yards in receptions, who had 12 touchdowns as a junior, who had long punt return for a touchdown this particular season, who has good straight-line speed, is a guy who I believe has athleticism and can be polished into an outstanding receiver and return man. In this situation having traded down, having picked up the fifth-round pick (from Seattle) which we had maneuvered over into the top of this round. Prior to this, we feel like now weÂčve got an opportunity to pick up another pick in the draft and do something about a couple of our needs which basically are receiver and cornerback.

ÂłI donÂčt know how many people know about a lot about Reggie Barlow and I mentioned as we started this day off that there will be players taken in the draft today, in particular. YouÂčll see some clubs accumulate a bunch of picks. YouÂčre going find a lot of guys taken for whom you really donÂčt have a lot knowledge. It doesnÂčt mean heÂčs not a good football players, it just seems they do not have the notoriety. Some of this is the give-and-take where you had people at one end of the value falling to the opposite end and other people from the opposite end moving into the middle round. So I think youÂčre going to see a lot of that today.ÂČ

(on Barlow being a better receiver or kick returner) ÂłI hope heÂčs a combination. If he could ever duplicate that punt return average, I think we have ourselves a pretty good football player. I think he gives us the chance to take the speed and utilize him as best we can. He has some size about him, so heÂčs going to be a guy, we hope, who has some durability.ÂČ

(on identifying needs) ÂłCorners, more wide receivers, that type of thing would be good. The foremost direction we would go, and IÂčm not going to tell that every time we pick there isnÂčt a tremendous tug for value. I talked to (New EnglandÂčs Bill) Parcells this morning. They were trying to come up to get ahead of us to take Tony Brackens. That type of situation is always going to dominate your pick. Youƒre not ever going to pass for a need on a player of that quality. But weÂčve got to solve some needs.ÂČ

(on good picks in the late rounds) ÂłDonÂčt forget that Marcus Price and Curtis Marsh came out of this end of the draft a year ago, so there are certainly quality players that a lot of people donÂčt have knowledge about that come out of this end of the draft who do make a sizable contribution to your team. And when you have the needs that we all have, you have to go about the business of trying to solve those needs.ÂČ

# #

This article has been reproduced in a new format and may be missing content or contain faulty links. Please use the Contact Us link in our site footer to report an issue.

Related Content

Advertising