JACKSONVILLE – Myles Jack may or may not be headed to the Jaguars.
But if the UCLA linebacker indeed is – as many analysts are projecting – the Jaguars' most likely selection at No. 5 overall in the 2016 NFL Draft, Ron Jaworski is convinced the team will be getting a big-time player.
Jaworski, a long-time NFL quarterback and a longtime prominent ESPN NFL Analyst, took part in a pre-draft conference call Tuesday morning along with fellow ESPN NFL Analyst Merrill Hoge. Among several topics discussed was Jack, and just where he will play in the NFL.
Jaworski's assessment:
Whether Jack plays inside or outside linebacker, he can be very, very good.
"When you look at college tape, you want to find guys who are playmakers," Jaworski said. "When you put Myles Jack tape in, he's a playmaker. He can play sideline to sideline and he can be solid as a rock inside.
"He can take on double teams. He can split double teams. He can get off double-team blocks. That's the kind of guy you want."
Jack was among 10 players visiting the Jaguars Tuesday. He reportedly told Matt Miller of Bleacher Report that the Jaguars are considering using him as a hybrid strong safety/linebacker if they draft him.
"Especially with the tight-end positon as viable as it is in the passing game now, you have to have guys who are big enough who can run with them," Hoge said. "That's always a problem. He fits that well."
Jaworski, like many analysts, cited Jack's coverage ability as one of his strengths. Many analysts consider him the best coverage linebacker to enter the draft in recent memory.
"He's a thumper," Jaworski said. "He's versatile. He can cover. He can make plays. He flashes. I think he projects and transitions very well to the National Football League."
Also Tuesday:
*Hoge called Florida running back Kelvin Taylor – the son of the Jaguars' all-time leading rusher, Fred Taylor – a potential NFL starter. That's in contrast to the opinion of many analysts who generally project Taylor as a late-round draft selection. Hoge called Taylor "one of the best runners I have seen in recent memory," adding, "His spontaneous agility, his body control and his decisiveness make him a player that I will bank heavily on transitioning well to the NFL. I think he'll be a starter – and a contributor right away. … That is a fabulous runner." …
*Jaworski said he expects the Tennessee Titans to select Ole Miss offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil No. 1 overall, a move to protect last year's No. 2 overall selection, quarterback Marcus Mariota. "If you're smart, and I think [Tennessee Head Coach] Mike Mularkey is, you're going to think protection first," Jaworski said. "I think Laremy Tunsil is a guy I would project will fit in." Said Hoge, "You have to have phenomenal feet [to play left tackle], and his feet may be the most ridiculous I've seen. When you look at how he pass blocks, it's as professional as you want to see." …
*Jaworski praised Mississippi State quarterback Dak Prescott, comparing him to "a certain degree" to longtime Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb. "He's been very impressive in his ability to throw the football," Jaworski said. "He can rip throws, he has a strong arm and he has that mobility." …
*Hoge discussed the advent in recent years of spread offenses in college football, criticizing the system in terms of preparing players for the NFL. "I understand the goal in college," Hoge said. "You have to win in college. But it is a horrendous offense to transition from college to the NFL. Offensive line, quarterbacks, wide receiver, backs – they do very few things [in the spread] that you need to see in the NFL." …
