JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS 2010 NFL DRAFT NOTES
FOUR DEFENSIVE LINEMEN HEADLINE JAGUARS DRAFT CLASS
The Jaguars selected six players in the 2010 NFL Draft and acquired veteran linebacker Kirk Morrison in a trade with Oakland. The Jaguars had a first round pick, a third round pick, two fifth round selections and two sixth-round picks (one compensatory). Four defensive players were selected along with one offensive player and a return specialist.
The Jaguars selected defensive linemen with their first four picks, tied for the most defensive linemen selected overall in franchise history. The first day of the draft consisted of the first round while day two included the second and third rounds followed by rounds four through seven on Saturday.
The Jaguars had a top-10 pick for the third consecutive season and the club selected California defensive tackle Tyson Alualu with the eighth overall pick. Alualu, 6-3, 294, was the first player drafted by the Jaguars from Cal in franchise history and the first defensive tackle selected in the first round by the club since John Henderson in 2002. Alualu was one of five defensive tackles selected in the first round and the third overall behind Ndamukong Suh (2nd overall) and Gerald McCoy (3rd overall). He was a three-year starter for Cal and never missed a game in four seasons. He finished his career with 195 tackles, 26 tackles for loss and 16 sacks. As a senior, he was an All-Pac 10 first-team selection as he recorded a career-high 65 tackles and led the team with 7.5 sacks and 11.5 tackles for loss.
Alualu was a three-time recipient of the school's Brick Muller Award, given to the team's most valuable lineman. In 2009, he was honored with the Joe Roth Award for the player best exemplifying courage, attitude and sportsmanship. He comes from a large Samoan family which includes seven sisters and one brother. He and his wife, Desire, have a four-year old daughter, Dereon, and a one-year old son, Tyree.
Smith, 6-2, 298, was a two-time All-WAC selection at Louisiana Tech. Known for his speed and quickness, Smith became the first player in school history to be drafted since 2007. He started 44 of 49 games including 31 straight and finished his career with 23.5 tackles for loss and 12.5 sacks. As a senior, he finished with 51 tackles along with 5.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks. A native of Pickering, La., Smith graduated in three and half years with a bachelor's degree in psychology while boasting a 3.0 grade point average.
The Jaguars began the third day of the draft by trading for Morrison, sending Oakland their fourth round pick in this year's draft in exchange for the Raiders' fifth round selection (153rd overall) and Morrison. Morrison, 6-2, 240, has started 79 consecutive games since being selected in the third round by the Raiders in 2005. A native of Oakland, he has registered 621 career tackles along with five sacks, seven interceptions, six forced fumbles and five fumble recoveries. In 2009, he led the team and ranked tied for sixth in the NFL with 133 tackles (109 solo) and a career-high three forced fumbles. He collected a career-high 135 tackles in 2008, the fifth-most in the NFL. He played collegiately at San Diego State where he was a two-time All-America selection and four-time all-conference selection. He remains second in school history with 396 tackles in four seasons.
Central Arkansas defensive end Larry Hart was selected with the 143rd overall pick, the first of the club's two fifth-round picks. Hart, 6-0, 248, finished with 21.5 sacks in two seasons at UCA after transferring from Holmes Community College. He was a two-time selection to the FCS All-American team and was the Southland Defensive Player of the Year award in back-to-back seasons. He finished with 12 sacks and nine tackles for loss as a senior while leading the league with four forced fumbles. He caught the eyes of the scouts at the Texas vs. The Nation Challenge, an all-star game played in El Paso, Texas, in February.
The Jaguars selected another FCS standout with their second fifth round pick, Murray State defensive end Austen Lane. The pick was obtained in the trade with Oakland which the Jaguars received Morrison. Lane, 6-5, 274, set a school record with 29 career sacks and 55 tackles for loss and was a two-time selection to The NFL Draft Report All-America first-team. As a senior, Lane registered a career-high 65 tackles with 20.5 tackles for loss and 11 sacks en route to being named OVC Defensive Player of the Year. He led the conference and ranked fourth in the nation with a school-record 12 sacks as a junior. In addition, he had 22 tackles for loss along with three forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries.
After four defensive players, the Jaguars moved to the offensive side of the ball with the selection of Southern Illinois running back/kick returner Deji Karim with the 180th overall pick in the sixth round. Karim, 5-8, 209, rushed for 1,667 yards and scored 20 total touchdowns (18 rushing, one receiving, one kickoff return) as a senior. He led the Salukis to the quarterfinals of the 2009 NCAA Division I Football Championships and a number one national ranking. He played in the Texas vs. The Nation Challenge and was a finalist for the Walter Payton Award given to the nation's most outstanding player in the FCS. He began his career at Northeast Oklahoma A&M Junior College before transferring to Southern Illinois in 2007.
James Madison return specialist Scotty McGee was selected in the sixth round with the 203rd overall pick, the Jaguars' final pick in the draft. McGee, 5-8, 182, was regarded as one of the nation's top kick returners while also playing cornerback. He finished his career with six returns for touchdowns, three on kickoffs and two on punt returns. He was a second-team All-CAA selection in 2009 as a specialist, averaging 30.5 yards per kickoff return with a long of 64 yards. He began his senior season with a 50-yard kickoff return at Maryland. As a junior, he returned three punts for touchdowns while averaging 12.9 yards on 23 returns with a long 69 yards.
