JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Following the team's annual rookie minicamp, the Jacksonville Jaguars have signed first-year TE Zach Conque, rookie LB Manase Hungalu and rookie OL Brandon Smith, the club announced today. To make room on the roster, the club waived first-year OL Avery Gennesy. The Jaguars now have 90 players on their offseason roster.
Hungalu, 6-1, 238, attended Oregon State and appeared in 34 career games, totaling 223 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, 12 passes defensed and four fumble recoveries. As a senior in 2017, he posted 97 tackles, including a career-high 20 tackles on Nov. 4 at California. A native of Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, he attended Kealakehe High School and was named the Big Island D1 Defensive Player of the Year after leading his team to a 10-2 record and a state playoff bid and registering 86 tackles, 2.0 sacks, two INTs and two blocked FGs as a senior for the Waveriders. He also starred as a center on the school's basketball team. The son of Loumaile Hungalu and Mitna Taumoefolau, Hungalu also has four siblings: Kelepi, Hueina, Malia and Sinai. He was born on Jan. 4, 1995, and will wear No. 40 for the Jaguars.
Conque, 6-4, 235, spent parts of his rookie season in 2017 on the Houston Texans' practice squad after a three-year career at Stephen F. Austin. Conque, who played QB for the Lumberjacks, switched his position to TE when he entered the NFL in 2017. At Stephen F. Austin, Conque played in 35 games with 33 starts and threw for 6,867 passing yards and 46 TDs, as well as adding 1,602 rushing yards and 34 rushing TDs. A three-time All-Southland Conference honorable mention selection, Conque was named the conference's Newcomer of the Year in 2014 after transferring from UT-San Antonio. He finished his career at Stephen F. Austin ranked in the top 10 in school history in many important categories, including career rushing TDs (34; second), total TDs (81; third), pass completions (611; third), passing yards (6,867; fourth), passing TDs (46; sixth) and career points (214; eighth). His 1,602 rushing yards are the most in school history by a QB. At UT-San Antonio, he appeared in one game in 2013 after redshirting during the 2012 season. A two-year starter at Catholic High School in Little Rock, Ark., Conque threw for 5,000-plus yards and 38 TDs and added 800 rushing yards and 15 TDs on the ground en route to first-team All-State honors during his senior season. His father, Clint, is the head coach at Stephen F. Austin. Conque will wear No. 87 for the Jaguars.
Smith, 6-8, 327, was a four-year letterman at East Carolina and started at right tackle the last three seasons (2015-17). In 2014, Smith appeared in five games as a reserve lineman and on special teams en route to earning his first letter. Smith officially enrolled at East Carolina in January of 2013 and redshirted during his true freshman year. A native of Kernersville, N.C., Smith attended East Forsyth (N.C.) High School and earned Associated Press All-State honors in 2012. Smith was a two-year starter and team captain and led his school to a 13-1 record as a senior, while registering 39 pancake blocks and allowing his one sack on 138 pass attempts. Smith, who was born on Sept. 12, 1994 in Morgantown, N.C., did not start playing organized football until the ninth grade. He will wear No. 77 for the Jaguars.
