r.JACKSONVILLE – Senior writer John Oehser's notes and observations Wednesday as QB Blake Bortles and CB A.J. Bouye speak on Day 6 of Jaguars 2018 Training Camp at the Dream Finders Homes Practice Complex …
1.Among the standouts of camp's first full week: Wide receiver D.J. Chark, a second-round selection in the 2018 NFL Draft whose athleticism and speed has flashed in recent practices. Chark Jr. caught a touchdown from quarterback Blake Bortles in cornerback Jalen Ramsey's area Wednesday, and has made several plays downfield in practice this week. "That man is athletic," Bouye said Wednesday. "He has a baby face, but he plays like he is 30. Him and Jalen working, you love to see those matchups because you are going against the best in the game. If you see him do something like that to Jalen, you get excited. It is not only him, [second-year veteran] Keelan Cole has taken another big step. That wide receiver room has a lot of competition." Bortles called Chark's development "awesome. He has gotten better each and every day. We talk about it in the quarterback room all the time. He is definitely headed in the right direction and on the right track. He obviously has the physical tools that you can't really coach as far as size and speed and the ability to go get the ball and make plays and he is an open book. He learns as much as he can or retains as much information as he can, and he is improving each and every day. He is fun to watch and someone that has become more fun to watch him get better." …
2.Another rookie flashing Wednesday: cornerback Tre Herndon, who signed as an undrafted free agent from Vanderbilt shortly after the '18 draft. The Jaguars are talented at corner with Bouye, Ramsey, nickel D.J. Hayden and veteran Tyler Patmon likely making the roster. The competition after that appears open, with players such as second-year veteran Jalen Myrick, Herndon and undrafted rookie Quenton Meeks competing. Meeks and Herndon made plays in practice Wednesday, with Meeks defending a pass early in practice. Herndon had one of the day's highlights, stepping in front of a pass at the goal line in a late-red zone drill and making a snatch interception that drew cheers from defensive teammates. "They have been grinding," Bouye said. "You can tell the jump they have had from OTAs especially with Tre [Herndon] and 'Q' [Quenton] Meeks. They have been making plays and they are coachable and they are starting to show it, especially on the film. You saw what Tre did today with the pick in the red zone. We are all just happy for him, and we can't wait to see him do it in first game." …
3.Ramsey's importance to the Jaguars' defense is well-documented. It has been on display again in recent days, with the first-team Associated Press All-Pro selection returning to practice Tuesday after missing camp's first four days following the birth last week of his daughter. Ramsey worked with the starters Tuesday, and was his normal talkative, animated self Wednesday. "It is very nice," Bouye said of Ramsey's return. "Our coaches were actually joking about it, but he came back and now we are finally talking trash – the DBs. He brought that aspect back, but you see me and him and our defense out there, and it is a scary sight. We are just trying to get it started now." The Jaguars' secondary had one its more active days of camp Wednesday. While Ramsey gave up the early Chark play, he also had multiple pass deflections – including a pass breakup on a pass to Cole in a red-zone drill. Bouye had two interceptions, including one off Bortles that he returned for a touchdown. …
4.Another early camp standout: second-year wide receiver Dede Westbrook. Newly-signed tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins mentioned early this week that Westbrook has developed trust with Bortles by consistently being in the right place on routes. Bortles on Wednesday agreed. "He is a really good football player and he has a knack for how to play football," Bortles said. "He is not always the biggest, strongest or the fastest. He knows what he has. He knows what he does well and he knows how to beat guys. He does a good job of getting the right leverage and leaning on guys and doing a good job in man [coverage]. In zone coverage he knows where to get and he knows when to get there. It is nice and relaxing as a quarterback that when I get ready to let this ball go that he is going to be in the right place at the right time. He has proven to be able to do that consistently day-in and day-out at this camp." …
