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Holt provides immediate target

Join jaguars.com senior editor Vic Ketchman as he tackles the fans' tough questions.

Miguel from Jacksonville:
What can we expect from Torry Holt at this stage of his career?

Vic: My expectation is for Holt to give David Garrard a proven number one target right from the start of the season. Almost certainly, the Jaguars are going to draft a receiver or two and sign more in undrafted free agency. These are young players who, along with Mike Walker, will require development time. The Jaguars need someone to bridge that gap and Holt and Dennis Northcutt should be able to do that. At Holt's age, you begin to worry about holding up through an entire season. In my opinion, if he can just give the Jaguars a strong first half of the season, that may be good enough. The Jaguars are opening in Indianapolis and will play three division games in the first four weeks of the season. They need somebody who's ready to go in week one and that's Holt. He gives the Jaguars wide receiver corps immediate credibility. My hope for him is that he'll get this team over the early-season hump and buy time for the young receivers to establish themselves.

Earl from Jacksonville:
My wife has several organic Jaguar "crystal balls." She has been naming her plants after Jag players. She cares for them all equally well. This last year, however, Matt Jones withered and Jerry Porter never produced any flowers. I've been watching her Maurice, David, Tony and Scobee. All have been healthy and are looking really good. Freddie is also looking better than he has in awhile. I'll be keeping a careful eye on him, especially around Christmas when we play the Pats.

Vic: She might wanna get a heater for the Freddie plant.

Mikey from Lake City, FL:
Long-time readers know of your distaste for questions about fashion. That said, as a team journalist, do you find the necessity to cover the uniform unveiling as something to genuinely garner excitement, or is it just another part of the job?

Vic: I've never covered a uniform unveiling, therefore, I don't know what the answer to your question is. This is new ground for me.

Jeff from Neptune Beach, FL:
I'm amazed how similar draft boards are. With so many opinions, it has to be near impossible for everyone to think so highly of the same group of guys.

Vic: In my opinion, the draft hype machine has become very stale. Kiper and McShay and their wannabes all say the same things; they just move the same players up and down a few places and call it new. Ho, hum. I've grown so weary of draft talk that I think I'm actually looking forward to the new-uniforms press conference.

Chris from Jacksonville:
I'm a 42-year-old male who played high school football and graduated from UF twice. I don't attend Jags games, I don't listen to sports-talk radio and I hauled my TV to the dump five years ago. I'm not a hater; I just don't care. Your column is the only connection I have to any team in the country, and I enjoy reading it. Does this make me a Jags fan?

Vic: I think you may be nuts, but that's OK because it sounds as though you have a brain and you use it. I think there's also a chance you may be a Jags fan and you don't even know it. Hey, they need every nut they can find.

Ray from Nampa, ID:
Are the Jaguars' "First Holy Communion" uniforms going away? I hope not, they're one of my favorites.

Vic: I think they've walked to the altar for the final time.

Ian from Leeds, England:
I can confirm that there is hate in Leeds, however, we have a handy tool nearby called Manchester United and most of said hate is directed at them. For the NFL, there's nothing but love.

Vic: I love the singing.

Sean from San Bernardino, CA:
I know you are not fond of picking Crabtree due to his injury, but what if you passed on Crabtree and he became an NFL sensation?

Vic: Wide receivers are like subway trains: If you miss one, just wait, another one will be coming along soon.

Chet from Fort Bragg, NC:
Who do you think has the best chance to fall far beyond where they are projected to be taken? Basically, who do you think is going to be this year's Aaron Rodgers or Brady Quinn?

Vic: I don't get the Jason Smith love fest, but big guys rarely fall, unless there's an injury concern. I think what you're going to see is a guy fall due to off-the-field concerns. This draft has a lot of those kinds of players. I don't wanna name names because I don't have proof, but I've heard rumors about a lot of guys and teams seem to be extra sensitive to off-the-field stuff this year and the combination, in my opinion, is going to cause some big-name guys to fall hard. We'll know who they are and why they fell.

Bob from Neptune Beach, FL:
Would you trade this year's first round good pick for a pick next year that may have a chance to be great?

Vic: I'm OK with good. If I knew I was getting a good player, I'd pick him. Trading good for a chance at great is an attempt to catch lightning in a bottle and it seldom works. Good is just fine with me.

Bray'de from Jacksonville:
The team should hold the news conference in the south end zone and let the players in the new uniforms run onto the field through the smoke machine, like on game day. Let the season ticket holders attend and put a podium in the end zone. Give the fans a stake in the action. Hold the news conference at six p.m. when the light isn't as harsh as midday. Offer a $1 raffle for a new customized Jaguars authentic jersey to the winning ticket. I bet 3,000 fans would show up. I know I would. The marketing department needs to think outside the box. Create some excitement. Jaguars football has become stale.

Vic: This is one of the most ridiculous marketing suggestions I have ever heard. If you were the marketing director and you did this, the Jaguars would be ridiculed by ESPN and every sports talk-show host in the country.

Bryson from Atlantic Beach, FL:
Is the signing of Torry Holt one of the biggest name-signings the Jaguars have ever had? The last big-name player I can remember them signing is Hugh Douglas, and while he was a bad fit, the signing made a splash in the league news. Do the Jaguars need to continue to be more active with big-name players in order to remain nationally marketable?

Vic: Move over, Bray'de.

Joe from Jacksonville:
What does "the Jags belong to Blesto" mean regarding scouting?

Vic: Blesto is a scouting combine to which seven teams, including the Jaguars, are members. Blesto is the oldest scouting combine; the other one in the league is National. Blesto is short for Bears, Lions, Eagles, Steelers Talent Organization. It was founded in the 1960's. Jaguars General Manager Gene Smith is a product of Blesto.

Gene from Punta Gorda, FL:
What did Gene Smith mean when he said "garnering value?"

Vic: He was referring to the team's value board. The closer the team can stay to its board when picking, the more value it can accumulate in its draft class.

N.R. from Nampa, ID:
Three days from the draft, would you please name three positions, either on offense or defense, that are still areas of concern for the Jags?

Vic: I'll name five: offensive tackle, defensive tackle, wide receiver, cornerback and quarterback.

Tim from Tucson, AZ:
When does the updated value board hit the streets? I want to know what name you'd put on the paper when the Jags go on the clock.

Vic: I plan for my final, all-important pre-draft value board to be posted on Thursday. To know who my selection for the Jaguars would be, pick the highest-ranked player available when the Jaguars pick.

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