JACKSONVILLE – Gardner Minshew accomplished his goal Thursday.
And if the road to the NFL is a long one for many draft selections, Minshew's road was longer and a bit more obstacle-laden than most. That made Thursday satisfying.
"I think all that experience has prepared me for this moment, this opportunity," said Minshew, the Jaguars' sixth-round selection in the 2019 NFL Draft, the No. 178 selection overall.
"I'm just looking forward."
Minshew (6-feet-1, 225 pounds), who played for East Carolina in 2016-2017, was a graduate transfer to Washington State in 2018. He transferred to WSU after originally considering transferring to Alabama with the idea of getting into coaching.
"It was all worth it," Minshew said. "Even the down parts were still a lot of fun. I'm getting to play football at this age. Anything past high school is blessing. To be, here, it's something I always dreamed of."
Minshew completed 468 of 662 passes for 4,776 yards and 38 touchdowns with nine interceptions this past season. He won the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award as the nation's top senior or fourth-year quarterback and was the Pac 12 Offensive Player of the Year in 2018. He also was fifth in the 2018 Heisman Trophy voting.
"It's something I always believed," Minshew said of his NFL hopes. "Other people might not have believed it, but that didn't matter. I believed it and my family believed it. Obviously, [Washington State Head Football] Coach [Mike] Leach believed it. I am where I am today."
Minshew, who is considered a cerebral quarterback with high football intelligence, said he received a Jaguars playbook immediately after the draft.
"I got an IPad sent to me overnight," Minshew said. "I've just been diving into that, studying and trying to get ready best I can for rookie minicamp. Hard work got me here and hard work's going to keep me here.
"I want to earn the trust and respect of the coaches and players. That comes through the work you put in in practice. I just look forward to being part of the team and moving forward."
The Jaguars now have signed two members of the 2019 draft class. They signed seventh-round defensive tackle Dontavius Russell earlier Thursday.
Minshew's signing leaves the Jaguars with five unsigned draft selections: edge defender Josh Allen (Round 1, No. 7 overall), right tackle Jawaan Taylor (Round 2, No. 35 overall), tight end Josh Oliver (Round 3, No. 69 overall), linebacker Quincy Williams (Round 4, No. 98 overall) and running back RyQuell Armstead (Round 5, No. 140 overall).
The Jacksonville Jaguars have selected Washington State QB Gardner Minshew in the sixth round of the 2019 NFL Draft.
FILE - In this Friday, Sept. 21, 2018, file photo, Washington State quarterback Gardner Minshew looks to pass during the first half of the team's NCAA college football game against Southern California, in Los Angeles. Washington State faces Stanford on Saturday, Oct. 27. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File)
Washington State versus Utah during the first half of a Pac 12 NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 29, 2018 at Martin Stadium in Pullman, Wash.
Portrait of Washington State quarterback Gardner Minshew II at the NFL football scouting combine, Friday, March 1, 2019, in Indianapolis. (Todd Rosenberg via AP)
Portrait of Washington State quarterback Gardner Minshew II at the NFL football scouting combine, Friday, March 1, 2019, in Indianapolis. (Todd Rosenberg via AP)
Washington State quarterback Gardner Minshew II throws a pass during the 2019 Scouting Combine in Indianapolis on Saturday, March. 2, 2019. (Perry Knotts via AP)
Washington State quarterback Gardner Minshew II warms up at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, Feb. 28, 2019. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)
Washington State quarterback Gardner Minshew II throws the ball during the NFL football scouting combine on Saturday, March 2, 2019 in Indianapolis. (Aaron M. Sprecher via AP)
Washington State versus California during the second half of the Cougars 19-13 win over the Bears in a Pac 12 NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 3, 2018 at Martin Stadium in Pullman, Wash.
WSU Football vs Arizona 2nd Half SH
Washington State quarterback Gardner Minshew is congratulated by fans as he leaves the field after an NCAA college football game against Colorado Saturday, Nov. 10, 2018, in Boulder, Colo. Washington State won 31-7. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Washington State quarterback Gardner Minshew II (16) looks for a receiver during the first half of an NCAA college football game against California in Pullman, Wash., Saturday, Nov. 3, 2018. (AP Photo/Young Kwak)
FILE - In this Nov. 10, 2018, file photo, Washington State quarterback Gardner Minshew, left, scrambles away from Colorado defensive lineman Mustafa Johnson in the second half of an NCAA college football game, in Boulder, Colo. Minshew nearly decided to spend this season at Alabama, where he almost certainly would have backed up Tua Tagovailoa the entire year. The East Carolina graduate transfer instead chose Washington State and has emerged as one of Tagovailoa’s top competitors for the Heisman Trophy. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)
South quarterback Gardner Minshew II, of Washington State, throws a pass during the first half of the Senior Bowl college football game, Saturday, Jan. 26, 2019, in Mobile, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)
Washington State quarterback Gardner Minshew (16) is pressured by Iowa State defenders Mike Rose (23) and Eyioma Uwazurike (50) during the the first half of the Alamo Bowl NCAA college football game, Friday, Dec. 28, 2018, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
East Carolina quarterback Gardner Minshew passes during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Memphis, Saturday, Nov. 25, 2017, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
Washington State quarterback Gardner Minshew (16) throws a pass against Iowa State during the the first half of the Alamo Bowl NCAA college football game Friday, Dec. 28, 2018, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
FILE - In this Nov. 23, 2018, file photo, Washington State quarterback Gardner Minshew passes against Washington during the first half of an NCAA college football game in Pullman, Wash. Minshew was named the Pac-12 offensive player of the year and the newcomer of the year Thursday, Dec. 6, 2018. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, File)
Washington State quarterback Gardner Minshew points to the scoreboard to call for a review of his run that was ruled for a touchdown in the second half of an NCAA college football game against Colorado Saturday, Nov. 10, 2018, in Boulder, Colo. Washington State won 31-7. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Washington State quarterback Gardner Minshew II (16) throws a pass while under pressure from Utah defensive back Marquise Blair (13) during the first half of an NCAA college football game in Pullman, Wash., Saturday, Sept. 29, 2018. (AP Photo/Young Kwak)
Washington State Cougars quarterback Gardner Minshew (16) warms up before the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 10, 2018, in Boulder, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Washington State quarterback Gardner Minshew II (16) throws a pass during warm ups before an NCAA college football game against Utah in Pullman, Wash., Saturday, Sept. 29, 2018. (AP Photo/Young Kwak)
Washington State quarterback Gardner Minshew passes against Washington during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Friday, Nov. 23, 2018, in Pullman, Wash. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)
Washington State quarterback Gardner Minshew II (16) throws a pass during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Eastern Washington in Pullman, Wash., Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018. (AP Photo/Young Kwak)
East Carolina quarterback Gardner Minshew warms up before an NCAA college football game against Memphis Saturday, Nov. 25, 2017, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
Washington State quarterback Gardner Minshew II (16) looks to pass during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Utah in Pullman, Wash., Saturday, Sept. 29, 2018. (AP Photo/Young Kwak)
Washington State quarterback Gardner Minshew II, throws in the first half against Stanford during an NCAA college football game on Saturday, Oct. 27, 2018, in Stanford, Calif. (AP Photo/Don Feria)
