JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS 2014 NFL DRAFT
QB BLAKE BORTLES LEADS JAGUARS DRAFT CLASS
Round No. Pos. Player Ht. Wt. Age College
1 3 QB Blake Bortles 6-5 232 22 Central Florida
2 39 WR Marqise Lee 6-0 192 22 Southern California
2* 61 WR Allen Robinson 6-3 220 20 Penn State
3* 93 G Brandon Linder 6-6 311 21 Miami (Fla.)
4* 114 CB Aaron Colvin 6-0 186 21 Oklahoma
5 144 LB Telvin Smith 6-3 218 22 Florida State
5* 159 DE Chris Smith 6-1 266 22 Arkansas
6* 205 C Luke Bowanko 6-6 300 22 Virginia
7 222 RB Storm Johnson 6-0 216 21 Central Florida
*Robinson selected with choice obtained from San Francisco for Jaguars’ 3rd (70) and 5th (150)-round picks; Linder selected with choice obtained from New England for Jaguars’ 4th (105) and 6th (179)-round picks; Colvin and Chris Smith selected with choices obtained from Baltimore for OT Eugene Monroe; Bowanko selected with choice obtained from San Francisco for QB Blaine Gabbert.
The Jaguars selected nine players in the 2014 NFL Draft, tied for the most players drafted by the club since 2009. The Jaguars had a pick in each round including two in the second after a trade with San Francisco and two in the fifth after a previous trade with Baltimore. Six offensive players and three defensive players were selected, the most offensive picks since 2009 (7), and four offensive players were taken with the first four picks for the first time in franchise history. It marked the first time in franchise history the club selected offensive skill players with their first three selections. Four underclassmen were selected including the first three picks. Conferences represented by the Jaguars draft were the Big 12, Big 10, All-American Athletic Conference (2), Pac 12, ACC (3) and SEC. In two seasons as Jaguars general manager, David Caldwell and his staff have selected 17 players with nine on offense and eight on defense.
This year’s draft class was highlighted by the selection of former Central Florida quarterback Blake Bortles with the third overall pick, the first time in franchise history the team selected a player third overall. It marked the seventh consecutive season the club had a selection in the top 10 and the 13th time overall. Bortles is the fourth-highest drafted player in Jaguars history – behind only offensive tackle Tony Boselli (1995), linebacker Kevin Hardy (1996) and offensive tackle Luke Joeckel (2013) – each of whom was the 2nd overall pick.
Bortles, 6-5, 230, was the highest drafted quarterback in franchise history and the third quarterback selected by the club in the first round. A native of Oviedo, Florida, Bortles started 30 of 37 games for the Knights before declaring for the draft following his junior season, compiling a 22-5 record as a starter. He became the highest drafted player in school history. Bortles threw for 7,598 yards and 56 touchdowns on 585 of 891 passing and added 15 rushing touchdowns in three seasons. He became only the second player in school history to produce multiple 3,000-yard passing seasons including 3,581 yards through the air in 2013. He was named the American Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year following his junior season where he threw for 25 touchdowns and only nine interceptions. Bortles concluded his collegiate career with 301 passing yards and three touchdowns in a Fiesta Bowl win over Baylor.
The Jaguars continued the offensive trend in the second round, selecting wide receivers Marqise Lee (39th overall) and Allen Robinson (61st overall). Lee, 6-0, 192, was a three-year starter at Southern California where he produced 3,655 yards and 29 touchdowns on 248 receptions. He owns 24 school records and set five Pac-12 Conference marks, winning the Biletnikoff Award as the nation’s top receiver as a sophomore. He ranks first in school history in career receiving yards, is second in receptions and fourth in receiving touchdowns. The Inglewood, California native started all 11 games as a junior in 2013 and totaled 57 receptions for 791 yards and four touchdowns. As a sophomore in 2012, he was named the Pac 12 Offensive Player of the Year after registering a single-season and conference record 118 receptions for 1,721 yards and 14 touchdowns. Lee’s standout season included eight 100-yard receiving games and a school-record seven games with double-digit receptions. He finished fourth in the Heisman Trophy voting and was a finalist for the Walter Camp Award. His 9.1 receptions per game and 132.4 receiving yards ranked second nationally while his 206.4 all-purpose yards per game were third in the nation. Lee set the conference record with 345 yards, the fifth-most in NCAA history, against Arizona.
Robinson, 6-3, 210, became only the second Penn State player to be drafted by the Jaguars in franchise history. He played in 35 games with 24 starts for the Nittany Lions before entering the NFL draft following his junior season. He finished his career with 177 receptions for 2,474 yards and 17 touchdowns. Robinson ranked second in school history for receptions, third in receiving yards and fourth in touchdowns. His play earned him Big Ten Conference Receiver of the Year and first-team All-Big Ten honors in each of his final two seasons. He led the conference in receptions and receiving yards as a sophomore and junior and became the first player in school history to register a pair of 60-plus reception seasons. In 2013, Robinson totaled a school single-season record 97 catches for 1,432 yards and six touchdowns en route to earning seven All-America honors. His season included eight 100-yard receiving games.
The Jaguars closed out day two of the draft staying with the offensive theme, selecting former Miami (Fla.) guard Brandon Linder with the 93rd overall pick in the third round after a trade with New England. Linder, 6-5, 311, became the first player from Miami to be drafted by the Jaguars in franchise history. The Southwest Ranches native played under Jaguars offensive coordinator Jedd Fisch from 2011-12. A four-year starter for the Hurricanes, he started 37 games at right guard, three at center and two at left tackle. He finished his career with 35 touchdown-resulting blocks and 275 key blocks/knockdowns. Linder was a second-team All-ACC selection by the league’s coaches as a senior and named the team’s Most Valuable Player after leading the club with a 90 percent blocking consistency grade.
Jaguars general manager David Caldwell turned to the defensive side of the ball to start the final day of the draft, selecting former Oklahoma cornerback Aaron Colvin in the fourth round with the 114th overall pick. Colvin, 6-0, 186, started 36 of 50 games for the Sooners and totaled 234 tackles (170 solo), 15 tackles for loss, five interceptions, 3.5 sacks and 23 passes defensed. He suffered a torn ACL at the Senior Bowl in January while playing for the South team led by the Jaguars coaching staff. The Tulsa, Oklahoma native was a two-time All-Big 12 first-team selection. Former Florida State linebacker Telvin Smith was selected in the fifth round with the 144th overall pick. Smith, 6-3, 218, started 15 of 54 games for the Seminoles and played on the national championship squad as a senior. He concluded his collegiate career with 214 tackles (139 solo), 29 tackles for loss, seven sacks, four fumble recoveries and two forced fumbles while returning three of four career interceptions for touchdowns. Smith started all 14 games as a senior and paced the team with 90 tackles while adding 9.5 tackles for loss, three interceptions and two sacks. With the second of two fifth round selections, the Jaguars drafted former Arkansas defensive end Chris Smith, the 159th overall pick. Smith, 6-1, 266, finished his career with 21.5 sacks, 30.5 tackles for loss and 20 quarterback pressures while starting 27 of 43 games. He registered 18 sacks (9.5 in 2012, 8.5 in 2013) in his final two seasons while adding 24.5 tackles for loss (13 in 2012, 11.5 in 2013). The Mount Ulla, North Carolina native earned second-team All-SEC honors as a senior after leading the team in sacks and tackles for loss.
The Jaguars closed out the draft on the offensive side of the ball, selecting center Luke Bowanko (6th round, 205th overall) and running back Storm Johnson (7th round, 222nd overall). Bowanko, 6-6, 300, was a four-year letterman at Virginia where he played guard and center. He started the first four games as a senior at left guard before moving to center for the final eight contests. Johnson, a teammate of Jaguars first-round pick Blake Bortles at Central Florida, started 18 of 36 games in a collegiate career that included one season at Miami and two seasons with the Knights. He rushed for 1,765 yards on 335 carries with 19 touchdowns in his career. He led the All-American Athletic Conference with a team-high 1,139 yards as a junior on 213 carries with 14 touchdowns. Johnson ranked fifth on the team with 30 catches for 260 yards and three touchdowns.
