The wait is over for injured linebackers Myles Jack and Jaylon Smith.
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“It’s been long, a little bit embarrassing”, Jack said on a conference call of the draft process. The only thing we don’t know and can’t know is how the Jags view a knee injury that has some questioning Jack’s long term future in the NFL. He took Ezekiel Elliott at fourth overall and now he grabs Smith with pick 35 with Jack as well as plenty of quality players who could contribute immediately still on the board.
Jack, the former Bellevue High star and UCLA linebacker, was finally selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars with the No. 36 overall pick during the second round of the National Football League draft on Friday. No matter what else happens with the Jaguars’ remaining five picks, Caldwell gets an A-plus.
As I sit here on draft day in Chicago, I’ve chose to go with what we do know.
Jack’s junior season was cut short after injuring his knee during a routine practice drill in September, ending his year just three weeks in.
On Monday, Myles went on The Rich Eisen Show and explained (via Chase Goodbread of NFL.com) that experiencing a draft slide was rough on him: “It was, honestly, humiliating”.
Cleveland traded out of the No. 8 spot in the first round, but opted to stay in place for the opening pick. “I think the body of work we did this offseason, some of the veterans we brought in”. And, apparently, when he visited Jacksonville, the team’s running back coach even envisioned a position switch of sorts.
Most teams would sacrifice a late 2nd round pick in the present draft for a top 5 talent in the next crop.
There’s no nice way to put it: It was tough watching Myles Jack tumble out of the first round of the NFL Draft on Thursday. The Jaguars added defensive lineman Malik Jackson and safety Tashaun Gipson in free agency and drafted Florida State cornerback with the No. 5 pick.
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Jack also noted he was pretty embarrassed having to walk out after the draft Thursday night alongside his family and without a jersey with the No. 1 on it.
