Travis Long and the NFL: Jacksonville Jaguars
By Josh Davis
Jacksonville Jaguars
Stacked Against the Pick:
Dec 5, 2011; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars helmet at EverBank Field during the game against the San Diego Chargers. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-USA TODAY Sports
With the picks that the Jags have, the opportunity to upgrade their linebacker and defensive end spots with more explosive players than Travis Long is high. Those two spots are arguably two of the least talented spots on the field for the team. While that would generally be a positive for Long’s chances, the position(s) might already be addressed a couple of times before a Long would be looked at later in the draft.
The Perfect Storm:
I really like Travis Long’s chances though, mostly because the Jaguars will be looking to make splash name picks early on and defensive ends or linebackers might not be among them. Another factor is that the Jags have the first or second pick in every round, meaning that if a team drops Travis’ name as the rounds wear on in hopes that he’ll be around in the next round, the Jags will be among the first teams to look at him. With Long’s ability to play some linebacker and non-stop motor from the end position, I can see Jacksonville being very intrigued with him as a developmental guy in their system.
Likelihood of Getting Drafted by Jaguars:
A: I think Long would be a terrific fit in Jacksonville and I’m thinking he’ll get a strong look in rounds 5, 6 and 7 if he’s still available.