(April 27)--The Jaguars passed on an opportunity to draft Jonathan Ogden in 1996. They didn't pass on a chance to draft his brother, Marques Ogden, on the second day of the 2003 NFL draft.
"I knew it was going to be tough coming out of Howard," the younger Ogden said after the Jaguars made him the third of three sixth-round picks.
Brother Jonathan was the top-rated offensive lineman in the '96 draft and was selected by Baltimore after the Jaguars made linebacker Kevin Hardy the second player chosen overall. Seven seasons later, Ogden is considered to be the best offensive tackle in the league and is well on his way to a bust in the Hall of Fame.
Such fame is not predicted for Marques, 6-4, 317, who chose to play small-college football and remain close to his ailing father in Washington, D.C. For Marques Ogden, this draft was about an opportunity to prove he's worthy of a place in the same league his brother has dominated.
Sherrill "Tiny" Ogden was an offensive lineman at Howard, but these days he awaits a kidney transplant. His youngest son, Marques, had limited his college football opportunities to nearby Maryland or Howard, so as to remain close to his father. When Maryland withdrew a scholarship offer, Marques turned to Howard.
The decision may have cost Marques the exposure he needed to be a higher draft choice, but Jags personnel director James "Shack" Harris knew enough about Marques from Harris' days in Baltimore to use a late-round pick on him.
"He's a three-position player. That gives us tremendous value," Harris said of Ogden.
"They told me they want me to be a tackle first, then compete at center, if need be," Ogden said.
"I'm not worried about making the football team. I just want someone to give me the opportunity. I just need time to develop my upper-body strength. I'm going to show everybody who passed me over that they made a mistake," Ogden said.
