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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- I came to the Jaguars' headquarters at EverBank Field in search of specifics.

Blaine Gabbert’s terrible rookie year was well-documented. But his new coaches believe he still can become a quality NFL quarterback.

What have they seen that fuels their confidence in him? And can we expect to see improvement in summer camp and fall games?

We’ve heard from coach Mike Mularkey about how he respected the way Gabbert dealt with all the negativity connected to his completion percentage of just over 50.0, the 40 sacks he absorbed, the 12 touchdown passes against 11 interceptions, his 14 fumbles (five of them lost) and 65.4 passer rating.

Offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski offered some analysis of what needed fixing in this “Evening with the Coaches” talk early in the offseason.

I wanted to pick up on that.

Enduring early lumps is part of the deal for virtually every quarterback early in his career. Now, with a new start, tell me about what he’s doing better, I asked.

The initial request was a long shot, but I was still disappointed that Gabbert and his coaches were unwilling to show me one play on film -- comparing and contrasting what Gabbert did with it in last year’s training camp or during last season, and what he’s doing now. No, they don’t need to go into that sort of detail or offer that level of information. But what would it have hurt?

Short of that, Bratkowski offered the most detail in discussing Gabbert’s improvements so far, circling back to what he touched on in that chalk talk.

“Fundamentally, there were some times last year in his drops when he was getting a little bit long with his footwork and getting a little too fast,” Bratkowski said. “So what we’ve tried to do is get him to slow his feet down just a little bit, take shorter steps and stand taller in the pocket.

“Those are some things we identified when we first looked at him, and he’s improving on those things out there right now. You can see him carrying it into the actual plays we’re running in team situations.”

After a fast drop that took him too deep, he typically wound up shuffling forward as soon as he completed his drop, and his busy feet hurt his ability to make sound throws.

Gabbert said forming the new habit isn’t hard.

“The biggest thing all the quarterbacks are working on is just calming our feet down, staying in the pocket, not getting too long, not taking too long of a drop,” Gabbert said. “Because at some point in time, the angles get off with our offensive tackles when they’re trying to block a rush end …

“A lot of the footwork is dictated on the route concepts, the type of offense you run, the style of offense you run. And we have a different offense. We have different plays, and the drops go with those types of plays.”

Mularkey said the Jaguars' offense is about half installed at this point. Reporters are dismissed from OTA sessions once the team reaches the installation phase.

So, despite the reportorial desire to be shown, not told, those of us trying to track the team are left to rely more on conversations than observations regarding Gabbert and everything else.

In the handful of team plays I saw, one horrific pass stood out: a short throw over the middle that bounced well behind the intended receiver. At another point, as the quarterbacks threw to a couple of stationary receivers while running through some red zone possibilities, they were aiming for a target at the front left corner of the end zone.

The situation required a high, firm pass. After Gabbert’s first try wasn’t loopy enough, quarterbacks coach Greg Olson assumed the position of a cornerback the pass needed to get over. He stood with his back to the throw, an arm extended. But as he anticipated the ball’s arrival, he jokingly pulled his hands back to cover his head.

“Can I trust you?” he joked as he turned back to Gabbert, whose second attempt at the pass had cleared Olson and landed where it needed to, proving him trustworthy.

It was rhetorically symbolic, I thought.

"It really is about that to me, at any position with any position coach -- there's got to be a trust factor," Olson said. "He's got to feel that everything I tell him is meant to get him better. Three months into the relationship, I think we are developing that trust factor. If there is no trust there, you have no chance to grow."

Gabbert's teammates have big expectations for a big bounce-back after a rookie season that included the team's being sold and former coach Jack Del Rio getting fired during a 5-11 season.

“I don’t know that I’ve ever heard of a situation where a quarterback gets thrown into a starting role that early with the deficiencies in personnel that we had at that time, with a lot of things stacked against him,” said guard Uche Nwaneri.

“I think people kind of teed off on him. There were some things that he did that weren’t particularly the best, but, you know, he was a rookie. There were so many things happening that affect the quarterback as the result of protection, route running, guys getting open.”

Look, it’s somehow fashionable to say that the bad things Gabbert put on display last year serve as indisputable evidence he can’t be a successful NFL quarterback. I understand his footwork isn’t the only thing that gets sped up -- our assessments come faster than ever.

But judging a quarterback on 15 games and 13 starts with a bad team is simply too hasty.

Gabbert is not going to be Peyton Manning or Troy Aikman. But those guys were awful as rookies, too. Manning threw 28 interceptions, and his Colts were 3-13. Aikman threw 18 interceptions and didn’t win a game for the Cowboys.

Two things struck me as I spoke with Gabbert that I think are significant for right now.

Several times he talked about how’s he’s having fun, how football is fun, how the new offense is fun.

And he still looks and sounds the part -- he’s got confidence as he talks, and in the way he carries himself. He doesn’t look like a broken guy. He looks like a kid ready to go give it another try.

The biggest issue is dealing with the rush. Olson said the team is trading some seven-on-seven passing situations (where there are no linemen) for team periods where Gabbert has to feel pressure and sort it out. In drills without defenders, a coach or an equipment guy typically charges at him with flailing arms.

"For a guy coming out of a system in college where he wasn't only in the shotgun, but they had him lined up 7 yards deep, it was new to him last season," Olson said. "We're just hoping he'll be more comfortable with that environment, coming out from underneath center, taking a drop with an oncoming rush. That's all you can hope for right now, is the comfort level gets much greater. And it's been good."

Not having OTAs and minicamps didn’t hurt Cam Newton when it came to posting big rookie numbers for the Panthers, and it didn’t stop Andy Dalton from leading the Bengals to the playoffs.

Gabbert didn’t get off to the same kind of start, and maybe he’ll never earn his way into a conversation about the top quarterbacks of the 2011 draft class.

He’s getting that OTA time now. There is time to build slowly. It’s a different deal.

I wondered if Gabbert was appreciating the pace now, or finding himself anxious to get to the Jaguars' Sept. 9 opener in Minnesota, so he could do something to start to erase the dud of a first season.

“Everybody’s eager,” he said. “When you have a season where things don’t go the way you want them to, you’re always eager to get back out there. But it’s a process.”

The important people are willing to give him the time to go through it. The rest of us will just have to wait.

» AFC Scenarios: East | West | North | South

Yes, the start of training camps is two months away, but it’s never too early to consider the coming season. A look at the best-case and worst-case scenarios for the Jaguars in 2012.

Dream scenario (10-6): Mike Mularkey’s offensive scheme does for Blaine Gabbert what it did early on for Matt Ryan in Atlanta. Gabbert silences his stable of critics, playing with newfound poise and confidence and finding himself in situations in which he’s comfortable and can show off the arm that was a big reason he was a top 10 pick.

The second-year quarterback is well-protected as he works his way through progressions and spreads the ball around to a much-improved receiving corps headed by Laurent Robinson and Justin Blackmon. With the passing offense faring far better, Maurice Jones-Drew's hammer hits even harder because his carries are less predictable.

Defensively, the team is healthy all season long in karmic payback for last year’s slew of injuries.

Defensive tackles Tyson Alualu and Terrance Knighton put it all together, with middle linebacker Paul Posluszny playing great behind them, and no one can even ponder running up the middle against the Jaguars. Rookie second-rounder Andre Branch provides a serious boost to the pass rush, and the linebackers get involved in pressuring the quarterback. When they don’t get a sufficient push, the coverage holds up.

And rookie punter Bryan Anger regularly hits bombs and pins teams deep, semi-justifying his third-round draft status.

Mularkey wins coach of the year as the Jaguars qualify for the playoffs.

Nightmare scenario (4-12): New coaches, a new system and new receivers don’t make for a new Gabbert, and he struggles in his second season much as he did as a rookie. A rough start means the fan base calls for backup Chad Henne, and Mularkey finds himself in a tough spot with a quick quarterback controversy.

Henne eventually gets the call but doesn’t play much better, so the team is over-reliant on the run game. The defense, meanwhile, can’t overcome the lack of a pass rush. It gives up too many passing yards and too many big plays because quarterbacks have time to wait for targets to break open. Then the Jaguars begin to blitz more to amp things up but pay a price by giving up big plays out of high-risk, high-reward situations.

Owner Shahid Khan, used to life as a businessman who wins, says or does something controversial that makes things even messier. The Jaguars actually finish a game worse than they did in Jack Del Rio’s final season, leaving Denver’s defensive coordinator shrugging and people removing some responsibility for 2011 from him.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Weapons and protection. Protection and weapons.

In any fair-minded conversation about what around Blaine Gabbert needs to improve for him to fare far better in his second season as the Jaguars' quarterback, those have been the two huge themes.

And the weapons have been upgraded. The team brought in free agent receiver Laurent Robinson and traded up to draft receiver Justin Blackmon fifth overall.

But they did nothing of note on the offensive line outside of adding undrafted free-agent center Mike Brewster, who shouldn’t see the field on offense if he makes the team.

So why are we expecting Gabbert to benefit from better protection when he’ll be operating behind a line made up of the same guys? The one significant change will be the return of right tackle Eben Britton, who missed 12 games last season because of a herniated disk.

“It’s a different offense, it’s a different scheme, it’s different coaches, it’s a different offseason,” coach Mike Mularkey said. “There are a lot of different things going on. We run a different offense here and we will do what we have to do to protect him.”

Right guard Uche Nwaneri said running backs will be more involved in blocking the edges, that the protection schemes are called using numbers instead of words and that there are a lot more small nuances that will allow the Jaguars' offensive line to have more control in reacting to what a defense is doing.

Gabbert took 40 sacks last season and the Jaguars allowed 44. Not all of them were on the offensive line, of course. Placing blame for sacks can be subjective. Gabbert often held the ball too long or moved into trouble.

The progressions in the new offense should give him the ability to get rid of the ball more quickly when he needs to, and his pocket presence should improve. (More on that and Gabbert coming soon.)

Britton’s return and a season of experience for left guard Will Rackley should also help reduce the number of sacks the Jaguars allow.

“It’s about all five guys working in unison,” Nwaneri said. “With injuries and with young talent out there, that can shake up consistency at times and those are some of the things we dealt with last year. This year I think it’s going to be a lot better.

“We’re going to have a healthy line, a young guy like Will will know what’s expected and how to prepare for games. It’s going to give us a better opportunity to succeed.”

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- When Andrew Luck was getting grief from his draft classmates in New York over his primitive cell phone, Justin Blackmon was on board.

It turns out his own telecommunications situation isn’t exactly superior.

Blackmon tossed his iPhone off a roller coaster at Six Flags last season, and the person he tossed it to fumbled it. When he went and found it below, the screen was cracked and he couldn’t hear callers.

He eventually replaced it but the replacement was stolen. So he reverted back to an old one and now has a GPS that’s hard to read -- he has to constantly reset it as he tries to find his way around. And he has to put on big Beats headphones to fully participate in a call. (You’re better off texting him.)

So the No. 1 and No. 5 picks in the draft come into the AFC South with questionable cell phone situations.

Here’s hoping once they sign contracts and have a break they can upgrade to something more suited to their stature.

Blackmon thinks Luck should go first.

“He’s got a Nokia flip phone, I gave him crap about it this weekend (at the rookie premiere),” Blackmon said. “I don’t know why he keeps that thing, he just won’t get a new one. I know his upgrade is somewhere close. I’m nowhere around mine, and those iPhones run big money.”

» NFC pressure points: West | North | South | East
» AFC pressure points: West | North | South | East

Examining who faces the most challenging season for the Jaguars and why.

Blaine Gabbert can deliver some big-time passes.

In a rookie season when he was on the field sooner than the Jaguars initially intended, the offensive framework a young quarterback needed was not in place. Injuries on the offensive line meant less-than-stellar pass protection. The receivers were a motley crew. Mike Thomas’ play dropped off after he got a new contract. Tight end Marcedes Lewis' play dropped off after he got a fat new contract.

Gabbert played poorly, drawing criticism for being panicky and, worse, scared. It’s too early to brand him. But the Jaguars' efforts now center on maximizing his chances to succeed.

He needs to pull his game up to at least average to justify the faith of Jaguars management and coaches. The Jaguars added Justin Blackmon and Laurent Robinson to the receiving corps. They’ll get Eben Britton back on the offensive line. A healed-up defense will do a better job at getting Gabbert and the offense the ball back and in better field position.

Coach Mike Mularkey, offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski and quarterback coach Greg Olson are spending the offseason working with Gabbert. Come the season, they will craft game plans that give him the best chance at success.

The issues that contributed to holding him back have all been addressed. It’s time for us to see some of those big-time passes.

Houston Texans

The Texans don't plan to hand the starting kicker's spot to rookie Randy Bullock, drafted out of Texas A&M in the fifth round. Rather, special-teams coordinator Joe Marciano told SportsRadio 610, Bullock will have to beat out veteran Shayne Graham. "He has to compete to make the team first," Marciano said, per the team's official site. "If he can beat Shayne out, then I think he’s going to be very good for us."

Defensive lineman Hebron Fangupo, a free-agent signee from BYU, hopes to impress coaches during upcoming rookie camps. “I’m excited to compete with a top-notch offense and defense,” Fangupo said. “I’m ready to learn all I can from coaches and players, and I believe being able to compete with such great players can help my game tremendously.”

Indianapolis Colts

Owner Jim Irsay, on Twitter, said he sees the franchise "taking shape" and that the Colts' defensive front seven "could impress" in the new 3-4 defensive scheme.

Indianapolis grabbed tight end Andre Smith off waivers from the Bears; he's expected to be part of new coordinator Bruce Arians' five-tight end offense, Brad Wells notes for Stampede Blue. The Colts also waived cornerback Mike Holmes.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Running back Maurice Jones-Drew, absent from the Jaguars' voluntary workouts, wants a contract extension, coach Mike Mularkey said. "I wish he was here. He knows we wish he was here," Mularkey said. "His teammates have talked to him about it. It's a personal decision. There's nothing I can do about it."

Tuesday's first day of organized team activities saw Jacksonville's first-round draft pick, receiver Justin Blackmon, going full speed with quarterback Blaine Gabbert and the first team, according to the Jags' official site. A sore foot that bothered Blackmon during rookie minicamps seems to have been helped by new cleats.

Defensive tackle Terrance Knighton apologized Tuesday for the club incident last month in which he suffered an eye injury that has kept him out of offseason workouts. Knighton said the vision in his injured eye has improved substantially. “It’s progressing a lot faster than they thought it would,” Knighton said. “I plan on being ready by training camp."

Tennessee Titans

A number of players, including quarterbacks Matt Hasselbeck and Jake Locker, have signed on for coach Mike Munchak's "Strikes to Stop Diabetes" charity bowling event, set for June 14. The tournament will pair a Titans player or coach with a four-person team, with proceeds going to the American Diabetes Association, the team's site reports.

Center William Vlachos, a free-agent signee from Alabama, has been impressed with the Titans' O-line after doing some film study. “I've been watching film for a couple days and my jaw's on the floor,” Vlachos said. “They're just so physical, the effort they bring every play is outstanding.”

Let’s set aside Andrew Luck for the purposes of this post. Provided he’s not injured, the Colts rookie quarterback will start all season, and a starting quarterback is likely to be more impactful than people who play further away from the football.

So, beyond Luck, what rookie stands to make the biggest impact in his first season?

I’m looking for your vote and your case for the preseason AFC South Rookie of the Year BL -- Besides Luck.

I only get five slots in the poll, and went with the highest-ranking guys from the draft.

Justin Blackmon will be in line to make a big impact lining up outside provided Blaine Gabbert proves able of getting him the ball.

Kendall Wright would seem less likely to post big numbers, given he’s got a better group of receivers to compete for catches against.

Whitney Mercilus should add to the Texans' pass rush, but he’s third in line where they will have two on the field at a time.

Coby Fleener could be Luck’s top target based on Bruce Arians’ system and the pre-existing relationship between the tight end and quarterback.

Andre Branch has a chance to be the final piece to a very good defense in Jacksonville if the end can effectively and consistently rush the passer.

Like somebody drafted lower better?

Make your case below.

Mike Mularkey and his wide receivers coach, Jerry Sullivan, have had some time to consider their group and decided in the past couple days that Jarett Dillard is not part of the solution at a spot where the team is looking to upgrade.

That’s two players the Jaguars once thought would be a help at receiver they’ve dumped. Kassim Osgood, a quality special-teamer Gene Smith thought could grow into an effective receiver did not do so after he was signed in 2010 and was cut earlier this offseason.

Now Dillard is gone. He was drafted in the fifth round in Gene Smith’s first draft in 2009 when the Jaguars put a lot into receiver. Mike Thomas was a fourth-round pick, Dillard a fifth-rounder and Tiquan Underwood a seventh.

Only Thomas remains.

No. 5 pick Justin Blackmon should lead the group with free-agent addition Laurent Robinson. Thomas should now be the No. 3, which is the best role for him. They’ll round out the group with Taylor Price, Brian Robiskie, Lee Evans and Cecil Shorts in line for the fourth spot and beyond.

As for Dillard, he dealt with some injuries and never really flashed. A fifth-rounder is hardly a guarantee and has to have done more to stick heading into his fifth season considering he was due about $1.3 million this season.

The Jaguars cut five others in addition to Dillard: quarterback Dan LeFevour, safety Akwasi Owusu-Ansah, receiver Nelson Rosario, receiver Jarrett Boykin and defensive end Frank Trotter.

They added seven who were part of the recent minicamp on a tryout basis -- quarterback Jordan Palmer, fullback Naufahu Tahi and defensive tackle Odrick Ray, receiver Mike Brown, receiver Chris Forcier, linebacker Donovan Richard and defensive back Jeremiah Brown.

A look at what came out of the Jaguars' rookie minicamp:

• Receiver Justin Blackmon didn’t practice Sunday because of a sore right foot, says Vito Stellino of the Florida Times-Union. Coach Mike Mularkey praised Blackmon’s ability as a “natural catcher” and the way he adjusts to the ball.
• Mularkey said the Jaguars will sign two to five of the players who participated on a tryout basis. Stellino reported that fullback Naufahu Tahi will be one of them. He has spent parts of five seasons with the Vikings.
• Like veteran corner Rashean Mathis, rookie defensive end Ryan Davis is trying to make the Jaguars after playing at Bethune-Cookman. Davis feels a connection with defensive line coaches Joe Cullen and Paul Spicer, says Stellino.
• There’s no progress on a new contract for kicker Josh Scobee, who’s not signing his franchise tender, says Tania Ganguli. Scobee’s agent denies that Sebastian Janikowski’s contract is an issue. The team will have to keep another kicker for OTAs while Scobee remains unsigned. Ultimately, they’ll strike a deal or Scobee will sign the tender.
• Controversial draft pick Bryan Anger consistently hung his punts in the air for 5.1 seconds, reports Stellino. Anger had good humor about all the grief the Jaguars have taken for drafting him in the third round. Obviously, he hopes to quiet those critics with his performance.

How much better can quarterback Blaine Gabbert be for the Jacksonville Jaguars?

The prevailing national opinion is that, because of how bad Gabbert looked for most of his rookie season, he can’t be a capable NFL quarterback.

But a slew of quality NFL signal-callers played poorly in their first seasons. Gabbert has all sort of new resources, starting with a new coaching staff hired largely because of experience developing young quarterbacks. He got one receiver, Laurent Robinson, in free agency and another, Justin Blackmon, with the fifth pick in the draft. The defense will be healthy, and second-round draft pick Andre Branch, an end from Clemson, could prove to be the final piece of a great group. A great defense is a good friend for a developing quarterback.

Gabbert was skittish at times for sure. But the jump to saying he played scared is too big for me. He’s got a great arm and can fire the ball to spots when he’s given time, and when his targets are in the right spots. He certainly can develop a better pocket presence. Will he?

General manager Gene Smith and many in the Jaguars organization have staked their reputations on Gabbert. The franchise traded up to the 10th spot in last year’s draft to select him out of Missouri. How much he can improve is likely to tell the Jaguars’ story in 2012.

Reading the coverage ...

Houston Texans

Jacoby Jones had some big moments with the Texans, but they were too infrequent, says Jerome Solomon.

Bob McNair talks draft with Drew Dougherty of the Texans’ website, showing particular interest in receiver Keshawn Martin.

What to expect from Whitney Mercilus in the rookie year of the Texans' first-round outside linebacker, from Nate Dunlevy of Bleacher Report.

Indianapolis Colts

The average rookie-year production of first- and second- round tight ends sets a relatively low bar for production from Coby Fleener and Dwayne Allen. Dunlevy breaks down the recent history.

A Jim Irsay comment about Indianapolis needing another big hotel to get another Super Bowl prompted this piece from Anthony Schoettle of the Indianapolis Business Journal.

Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jaguars released a long list of workout players who will get a look in minicamp, says Vito Stellino.

The story of Long Ding, a Chinese kicker hoping to make the Jaguars, from Michael Preston of the International Federation of American Football.

What to expect from first-round receiver Justin Blackmon and second-round defensive end Andre Branch, in more Dunlevy projection pieces.

Tennessee Titans

The Titans added veteran linebacker Zac Diles and fullback Collin Mooney who spent the last three years fulfilling his service commitment to Army, says Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean. With Quinn Johnson and Mooney on the roster, it doesn't look good for Ahmard Hall to return.

What to expect from Kendall Wright, from Dunlevy.

A piece I linked to earlier today calls for more comment.

Tania Ganguli of the Florida Times-Union wrote about how the Jaguars intend to experiment with a Wildcat package in camp and the preseason with Mike Harris, their sixth-round pick out of Florida State in position to throw.

I’ve been saying I think the Jaguars can close the gap on Tennessee if Blaine Gabbert can up his game to average and if the coaching staff lives up to its billing.

Two picks into the draft I was excited about what they’d done with receiver Justin Blackmon and defensive end Andre Branch.

Then they made the controversial third-round punter pick. And now they are talking Wildcat.

Seriously?

You lean on a gimmick when your base stuff won’t work, so looking at Harris’ good arm as potentially providing a change-up doesn’t serve as a great endorsement of Blaine Gabbert.

Harris was a spread option quarterback at South Miami (Florida) High School. I wouldn't bank on that for much beyond an occasional trick play.

My understanding about why Tim Tebow ultimately decided to steer the Broncos to trade him to the Jets instead of the Jaguars -- who made a similar offer -- was because he’d get more chances to play on offense in New York.

Great, I said, no gimmicky stuff for the Jaguars. They want to play and excel largely as a conventional offense.

Now I am wondering why they are pumping up the Wildcat, which is largely dead around the league.

Here’s a piece of Ganguli’s story with Mularkey talking.

“It’s not really the college Wildcat scheme but it is a way to attack defenses with somebody other than your quarterback,’’ he said.

He said his scheme sometimes doesn’t have the quarterback on the field. In some Wildcat formations, the quarterback is spread out as a wide receiver.

He said he always asks players if they’ve played quarterback at some point and how well they throw. Besides Harris, the other player he has identified as a candidate is wide receiver Cecil Shorts, who was a high school quarterback.

“We’re going to see how it looks in camp and maybe experiment a little bit in the preseason,’’ he said.

With anything they run that’s Wildcat-like this season, they are begging more Tebow questions, especially if he has any success in the system with the Jets.

The Jaguars, of course, are upbeat and confident they’ve made the right choices, with the selection of punter Bryan Anger in the third-round, outside linebacker Brandon Marshall at a spot where the roster is well stocked, and Harris and seventh-round defensive tackle Jeris Pendleton out of Ashland.

Every team in the league feels confident now. I just hope Terry McDonough, the team’s director of player personnel, doesn’t wind up regretting this enthusiastic comment:

“The bottom line is that we will win, we will fill the stadium and we are going to talk about the punter at the end of the year.’’

Grading drafts is one of those things -- a ton of people object to the concept, but then they read every word eagerly.

Acknowledging that, we share what we can from the ESPN.com Insider file of Mel Kiper .

Indianapolis Colts

Overall grade: A-

Kiper: "Think the Colts were concerned about building a supporting cast for Andrew Luck? They showed an unbelievable commitment to Luck, adding the top two tight ends in the draft in Coby Fleener and Dwayne Allen (Luck is used to two-TE sets), a burner in T.Y. Hilton who could become a gem in the slot and even got a possible late steal with Lavon Brazill way down the board. Josh Chapman hits a big need on the interior of that defensive line, and I've even heard really positive assessments of his health situation after he actually played some games without an ACL in 2011. Colleague Trent Dilfer noted that getting all these pass-catching pieces now is a good way to develop early chemistry and give Luck a chance to succeed earlier than we suspected given the state of the lineup going into the draft. I'd make this grade a good one with Luck alone. But the Colts did that one better. They had a plan and I came away impressed."

Jacksonville Jaguars

Overall grade: C

Kiper: "Give the Jaguars credit for hitting needs with their top two picks. Justin Blackmon isn't a guy you want to have to trade up for, but it didn't cost Jacksonville dearly, and the Jaguars had to find a receiver to complement Laurent Robinson. If they didn't get Blackmon or Michael Floyd, they would have been no closer to knowing if Blaine Gabbert can develop into a franchise quarterback. Andre Branch can start early. He's better when he goes wide -- he won't be able to rush through tackles -- but he's a viable guy for a team lacking any punch in the pass rush. Bryan Anger was the top punter on my board, but taking him in the third round, with several guys who profile as potential starting right tackles available? I didn't like that pick. The Jags also didn't adequately address the secondary. Their only pick at corner or safety was Mike Harris. He was my No. 27 corner prospect."

Tennessee Titans

Overall grade: C+

Kiper: "Tennessee goes into 2012 with a vastly improved group of wide receivers. I didn't see this as a top need, but with Kenny Britt back, the addition of Kendall Wright means Jake Locker has the necessary weapons to succeed if he starts the season. If you know you have the weapons, you can better assess if you truly have your franchise quarterback. I can see the strategy. Wright was no steal, however. I thought it was possible he could fall to Round 2. Zach Brown is an athlete, but he's not physical at all. He's better chasing down plays from the weak side than he will be taking on blocks. Taylor Thompson will be a fun one to watch as he converts to tight end. He caught passes there in high school, so it won't be a foreign concept. Coty Sensabaugh has a chance to stick, but I expected earlier urgency for a cornerback. Markelle Martin might be the best value pick for Tennessee at No. 190."

Houston Texans

Overall grade: B

Kiper: "I had Whitney Mercilus as a good fit at defensive end as high as No. 19 with the Bears, so he's a pretty good value at No. 26. He isn't Mario Williams, but the defense made a huge leap in 2011, and the Texans clearly want to make sure Wade Phillips has the tools he needs. He's not a great value at No. 68 overall, but I'm intrigued by the DeVier Posey pick. He had to sit out so many games last year I don't think scouts saw enough of him. He has really good hands, can create some matchup problems, and might be a little underrated in his ability to stretch the field. I also really like Keshawn Martin. He creates space and should stick with this team. Ben Jones and Brandon Brooks help the interior of that offensive line. I was surprised the Texans didn't get a linebacker. At one time I saw Jared Crick as a second-rounder. If he regains form, that's a good value in the fourth."

» NFC draft analysis: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South


Despite talk of grabbing the best player available, it’s funny how often needs and picks seem to line up.

Of 31 picks, I count four that don’t technically qualify as addressing needs: Jaguars fifth-round linebacker Brandon Marshall, Titans fifth-round tight end Taylor Thompson, Jaguars sixth-round cornerback Mike Harris and Colts seventh-round quarterback Chandler Harnish.

We saw the Texans replenish at outside linebacker, on the offensive line and at kicker and add to their options at receiver. The Colts loaded up on help for No. 1 overall pick Andrew Luck -- seven of their other nine picks bring offensive players to Indianapolis . Jacksonville addressed its big needs right out of the chute, then made a couple of odd selections. Tennessee didn’t take two players at the same position.

BEST MOVE

The Jaguars came into the offseason in dire need of upgraded weaponry for Blaine Gabbert. They started last season with wide receiver Jason Hill as a starter, and he was cut before the season ended. Mike Thomas was miscast as a top-of-the-group guy when he should be a No. 3. Cecil Shorts showed he needs a lot of time to develop.

Mike Mularkey hired a solid receiver coach, Jerry Sullivan. He’s a tremendous upgrade from Johnny Cox, who was quickly fired after Jack Del Rio was dismissed during the 2011 season. Free agency brought Laurent Robinson, who should help, and Lee Evans, who’d be gravy if he can revive his career.

The Jaguars successfully sold pundits on the idea they’d be trading down, then only gave up a fourth-rounder to move up from No. 7 to No. 5 to draft Oklahoma State’s Justin Blackmon. He’s a dynamic receiver who can catch balls outside his frame and cause matchup problems.

Outside of Luck, no team in the division got a player who can cure an ill better than Blackmon can fix what ails the Jacksonville offense. Now it’s on Gabbert to show he can effectively get the ball to the new star receiver.

RISKIEST MOVE

The Titans didn’t touch a defensive end until Scott Solomon in the seventh round, and they didn’t add an offensive lineman at all. And pass rush and run blocking were two areas that qualified as weaknesses at the end of last season.

Tennessee hosted Scott Wells, Chris Myers, Jeff Saturday and Dan Koppen and saw all four sign elsewhere. On Saturday, coach Mike Munchak made those meetings sound like information-gathering get-togethers rather than courtships, a stance that’s pretty insulting to veterans who wouldn’t waste time making visits without the possibility of a contract.

The defense of incumbent starters on the interior -- Eugene Amano and Leroy Harris -- has entered a new round now. Munchak said the team felt no “dire need there” and that “we have guys we can win with.” Still, watch for a key undrafted addition or free agent or two.

The Titans added one big piece this offseason to its insufficient pass rush in the form of free-agent end Kamerion Wimbley, who was a cap casualty in Oakland. He may provide a big boost but also probably shouldn’t be on the field for every play. Tennessee’s only attempt to bolster itself on the edges came with the 211th pick, end Scott Solomon from Rice.

The Titans face a pretty good slate of quarterbacks this season. Those passers may have a lot of time to throw.

MOST SURPRISING PICK

We hit it hard Saturday night, but the Jaguars' selection of Bryan Anger in the third round was a baffler. Yes, the team will benefit from a big leg and stands to gain field position.

But Jacksonville overrated special teams’ impact by deciding to draft Anger so early rather than addressing other needs where it could have selected a player with a chance to play.

The Jaguars have a recent history of messing up at the position, and teams that struggle with stability at a spot are prone to overreach in an effort to correct it.

I believe that’s a good piece of what happened here. They could have gotten him or a punter who still would have been a big upgrade later.

The Jaguars found Terrance Knighton, Derek Cox and Will Rackley in the third round in Gene Smith’s previous three drafts. They are all starters who affect games more than a punter can.

They can rationalize this pick. And we can stridently disagree.

FILE IT AWAY

Six receivers came into the division -- Blackmon, Kendall Wright in Tennessee, T.Y. Hilton and LaVon Brazill in Indianapolis and DeVier Posey and Keshawn Martin in Houston. That’s two first-rounders, two third-rounders, a fourth-rounder and a sixth-rounder.

The countermeasures?

Just two incoming cornerbacks -- Titans fourth-rounder Coty Sensabaugh and Jaguars sixth-rounder Harris.

Secondary depth could be severely tested by good quarterbacks and receivers, especially when the division faces the NFC North and the high-powered passing offenses of Green Bay, Detroit and Chicago.

The Colts have no proven corners beyond Jerraud Powers. The Texans lost Jason Allen, who played a reasonable amount. The Titans need to unearth a new nickelback now that Cortland Finnegan is gone. Only the Jaguars have fortified the spot, adding two-time Super Bowl winner Aaron Ross, presumably getting Cox and Rashean Mathis back healthy and drafting Harris.

The AFC South is a big running back division, but it’s become more equipped to sling it and may not have the people needed to cover offenses with a lot of downfield weapons.

“It tells you that this is a wide-open league, the offensive focus is on scoring points probably more than ever,” Titans general manager Ruston Webster said. “It’s becoming more of a quarterback-wide receiver league probably every day.”

Notes from the fine folks at ESPN Stats & Info on the four newest members of the AFC South…

Quarterback Andrew Luck of the Colts

• A QB has been selected with the first overall pick 12 times in the last 15 drafts (1998-2012).
• The Colts have drafted an offensive player with five of their last six first-round picks.
• Luck is the fourth Stanford QB to be picked 1st overall in the history of the NFL draft, joining John Elway (1983), Jim Plunkett (1971) and Bobby Garrett (1954). Stanford is the first school to have four quarterbacks drafted first overall and the first school to have four No. 1 picks at any single position.
• The Colts had the lowest Total QBR (11.9) inside of the red zone of any team in 2011. Luck has excelled in the red zone throughout his career, throwing 52 touchdowns and just three interceptions in 183 pass attempts. Since the start of 2010, no player in FBS had a higher touchdown to interception differential than Luck’s +45.

Wide receiver Justin Blackmon of the Jaguars

• Blackmon ranked third in FBS in receptions last season, fourth in receiving yards and second in receiving touchdowns.
• Blackmon replaced Dez Bryant in 2010 and caught 111 passes for 1,782 yards -- breaking Larry Fitzgerald's FBS record for sophomores -- and 20 TD
• He set an NCAA record with at least 100 yards and one touchdown in all 12 games in a season
• The Jaguars seek a first-round home run at receiver for the first time. Matt Jones (2005), Reggie Williams (2004) and R. Jay Soward (2000) were busts.

Wide receiver Kendall Wright of the Titans

• Wright is the fourth time the Titans-Oilers franchise has drafted a receiver in the first round and first since Kenny Britt in 2009.
• Wright and No. 2 pick Robert Griffin III were one of two QB-WR combinations selected in the first round. Oklahoma State’s Brandon Weeden and Justin Blackmon were also first-rounders. Only three times before in the common draft era have a quarterback and receiver from the same school.
• Want big plays? Wright was targeted on throw of 20 yards or more. He caught 14 of them, producing eight touchdowns and 14 plays of 30 yards or more.

Outside linebacker Whitney Mercilus of the Texans

• Mercilus led the FBS with 16 sacks and nine forced fumbles, and had 22.5 tackles for a loss.
• Texans first round picks in their rookie season under Gary Kubiak have started 94 of a possible 96 games. Mercilus could break that trend, as he should be the team’s third outside linebacker in their base personnel, coming in to offer some relief to Connor Barwin and Brooks Reed and as part of a nickel package.