Jaguars GM didn't want to leave a 'paper trail' behind second-round pick
After trading back a few spots on Friday night during the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft, the Jacksonville Jaguars ended up selecting a prospect that probably surprised many fans: TE Brenton Strange out of Penn State. Strange wasn't brought up a whole lot when people discussed second-round tight ends heading into the Draft […]
After trading back a few spots on Friday night during the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft, the Jacksonville Jaguars ended up selecting a prospect that probably surprised many fans: TE Brenton Strange out of Penn State.
Strange wasn't brought up a whole lot when people discussed second-round tight ends heading into the Draft because bigger names like Iowa's Sam LaPorta or Georgia's Darnell Washington took most of the spotlight in that sense.
That being said, the Jaguars felt comfortable picking the Penn State player because they believe they had unique insight and intel into who Strange is and what he brings to the table for Doug Pederson's offense. In fact, they tried to be quiet about how much they liked their guy.
"Tyler Bowen, who coached here two years ago, was on staff, and he recruited and coached (Strange) in college as a young guy," Jaguars GM Trent Baalke told reporters on Friday night. "So we have a lot of Intel. And you know, sometimes you just don't want to leave a paper trail."
The Jaguars surely did their work on Strange quietly, so much so that even the player was surprised to hear his name called. But the front office never wavered in the belief that he was their guy.
"When you got a lot of information on young guys, and everything checks out, all the boxes check out," Baalke added. "Everyone you talk to says the same thing about him, again, a culture fit."
As for Jaguars HC Doug Pederson, who's famously interested in tight ends, he thinks Strange isn't really a project. Instead, he expects him to contribute right away.
"He's kind of a ready-made tight end for us," Pederson said. "He can be an in-line blocker, a force as the Y-position, so he's got that versatility that way. The upside is extremely high."
Of course, the Jaguars already have a very well-known name at tight end. Evan Engram, who's currently expected to play under the franchise tag in 2023, established himself as one of the top weapons for Trevor Lawrence. However, Engram mostly lines up as a slot and thrives as an "F" tight end.
Strange should be a good complement to Engram and the entire Jaguars offense. The kid out of Penn State knows it, too. The rookie is aware of Pederson's history working with tight ends.
"You become very versatile with multiple tight ends," Pederson told reporters. "Guys that are athletic and that you can move around to create the match-ups that you want. Players like Strange, they see that. They see those opportunities."
