The Jaguars turned to "need drafting" with their second pick in the fourth round, then worked a trade with Chicago that brought the Jaguars two extra sixth-round picks (176 and 193) and one pick in the seventh round (218), in exchange for the Jaguars' fifth-round selection (143).
"Here, we're going mostly need because there are so many players rated the same," Jaguars personnel director James "Shack" Harris said following the selection of LSU running back LaBrandon Toefield with the Jaguars' fourth-round compensatory pick.
Toefield, 5-11, 233, was troubled by two anterior cruciate ligament injuries to his left knee during his years at LSU, where he gained 992 yards rushing as a sophomore, but slipped to just 475 yards as a junior last fall.
The Jaguars selected Toefield for his size and potential, not his college production. "We prefer a bigger back. If need be, he can also serve as a fullback," Harris said of Toefield, who is similar in stature to the man he will attempt to replace, Stacey Mack.
"I knew they didn't have a backup," Toefield said of the Jaguars having lost Mack to the Texans in free agency.
But Toefield was surprised to have been selected by the Jags, who had shown little interest in him. "I didn't even get a call from them," he said.
"We think he's a guy who can compete for some playing time," Harris added.
The deal with Chicago was made to help stock the Jaguars' roster with more young talent, and to allow the team to address more of its needs. "We prefer to have more players with more opportunities to make the team. You may find a role player," Harris said.
"We went into the draft realizing we couldn't address every need, and that we wouldn't make (the pick) fit (the need). We also went into the draft looking to trade down; anywhere from the second round on down. We couldn't get a trade we liked," he added.
Harris confirmed that the Jaguars have had trade discussions involving several of their veteran players, and that Mark Brunell is one of those players. "We've been involved in calls about Brunell, but that's as far as we got," Harris said.
