2012 NFL Draft

[duvaldude08]

Consider that, last year, teams in the NFL averaged 4.9 punts per game; doesn't that warrant having someone good at it? I'm not saying that we didn't have other needs, but I'm not freaking out about it. Our offense is going to be better, our defense is going to be better and our special teams will be as well. What's everyone crying about? Would he have been there at round 5? Who knows?

Hacving a great punter has it benefits. giving the opposing offense the worst possiable position puts our defense in a beter position as well. Point blank, the team is going to be better all around. I didnt say elite, but better. All the complaining sometimes really urkes me. But that NFL fans period. Not just Jaguars fans.

[MusicMan]

Last year, the best punter in all of college football was Shawn Powell, a Florida State Seminole. He was
far and away the best, and a Senior to boot. He was an incredible weapon for the 'Noles and you would think our GM would know that.

SO, not only did he waste the pick, he didn't even get the best punter available. If Anger is not a top 3 punter next year then this pick will be seen as a disaster.

I don't think Powell was drafted , so it is possible that we could have signed him as an undrafted free agent.

I could see drafting a placekicker this early in the draft, after all they score tons of points.

[MusicMan]

Here is what I am talking about.

From The Sports Xchange:

Shawn Powell would have been the nations leading punter with a 47.0 yd average, but he does not have enough attempts. Still he has enabled the Seminoles to lead the nation in net punting, 42.0 yd ave.  Powell has dropped 43% of his punts inside the opponents 20 yd line. He changed the game against Florida with booming punts that led to FSU's defense being in great field position to thwart the Gators offense.

Powell had 21 of his 49 punts were greater than 50 yards, including a season high 69 yarder against Oklahoma.
21 of his punts were downed inside the 20 yd line, and 12 were downed inside the 10 yard line. 63% of his punts were not returned."

IN ADDITION HE HANDLED ALL OF THE PLACEKICKS FOR THE FIELD GOAL AND PAT ATTEMPTS. 

I just saw that Buffalo got him in a late round. Next January we can compare.

P.S. Powell had 49 punts last year. A minimum of 50 were required for consideration in the Lou Groza Award, given to the nations best punter.

[duvaldude08]

Fans are going to complain regardless. I was just floating around to different teams websites and the 49er fans are livid that they took AJ jenkins in the first round. And guess what? You have the ones that are crying and screaming at the front office, and others that are not happy with it, but will let the front office do their job. Fans are going to complain period. I hear what your saying, but it is what it is. If anger ends up being medicore its not like the franchise and team will do down in flames. Its really not the end of the world.

[Keith-N-Jax]

Its a done deal time to move on ya think?

[duvaldude08]

Its a done deal time to move on ya think?

Please say that like ten more times please. 

[tufsu1]

I'm assuming Gene Smith expects our punter to be a key player for us next year.  Think about that.  The difference between a mediocre punter and a great one isn't that much.

really?  folks sure seem to have a short memory of the amzing Matt Turk from last year

and having watched Shawn Powell punt for FSU and how often he "flipped the field", I think a really good punter can make a HUGE difference!

[I-10east]

^^^Remember we got rid of Mark Turk for Nick Harris, which I thought did an adequate job; I'm NOT saying that he is Pro Bowl worthy by no means, but he didn't kill the Jags in term of field position like Turk did. Harris (now obviously off the roster) is more of a temporary 'stop gap' punter more than a long term guy, but I could not recall any Jag fans booing any of his punts unlike that unreliable headcase Turk. Maybe others demand that a punt routinely be coffin-corner kicked within the five yard line; Not me, along as it's within the twenty-yard line, that's alright with me; When punt returners aren't downing the ball in the endzone for touchbacks, they nearly always return it back at least to the twenty anyway. That's why I didn't agree with the pick, even if Harris wasn't the man for the job, we could have got a punter in free agency instead of getting one with the #3 pick. Now I know why I disagreed with the pick, I never was a 'best player available' guy, I'm an 'upgrade the weakest skills position/linemen' guy.

I must say this though, I always had a counter-argument for all of the people that wanted Tebow here, but I don't have any concerning this third round pick, because the Jags have needs at other key positions; So I'm like this.. when it comes to anyone whining for Tebow, and I'm like this... when it comes to anyone criticizing the Anger pick. That being said, I'm still hanging in there with Gene in the 'IGWT' club, and I'm not gonna question Gene's moxy anymore. The sky is definitely not falling here in Jags Land, and I'm looking forward to a great season.

 

[civil42806]

I'm assuming Gene Smith expects our punter to be a key player for us next year.  Think about that.  The difference between a mediocre punter and a great one isn't that much.

really?  folks sure seem to have a short memory of the amzing Matt Turk from last year

and having watched Shawn Powell punt for FSU and how often he "flipped the field", I think a really good punter can make a HUGE difference!

Matt turk was not a mediocre punter he was a terrible punter there is a difference

[BridgeTroll]

Not to justify picking a punter with the 70th pick but consider...

With the rookie wage scale in place you are not taking much of a financial risk for "reaches".

With your first 3 picks you are looking for guys who will start on opening day.  Anger will start on day 1.

It is possible that the other 3rd round picks the Jags had targeted... none would have been a starter.


Sigh... my entire argument sounds like... picking a punter in the third round.  (just bad)

[JeffreyS]

Not all accounts Bleacher Report had him listed as third best punter who often out kicks his coverage.

[Tacachale]

^Bleacher Report is written by random fans with no editorial control. It has all the authority and insight of the jacksonville.com comments section.

[Wacca Pilatka]

I, for one, can't wait until Bryan Anger meets the Colts' Pat Angerer.

That confrontation should be explosive.

[mtraininjax]

Quote from: Keith-N-Jax on Yesterday at 03:17:33 PM
Its a done deal time to move on ya think?

Please say that like ten more times please.

Ha ha, good one, if that was the case, all old threads would remain dead and never resurrect themselves.

Fact of the matter is that Smith and Mularkey picked 5 defensive players, one a punter who may get on the field 4-8 times a game, when in fact they could have used that pick for an OT or OG who could have given Gabbert a second or two to throw the ball to the new receivers, putting points on the board and winning games.

PUNTERS do not win NFL games for you. QBs and TDs win games. The thinking at the Jaguars totally misses that point. Smith better hope Anger scores TDs for the team, his butt is riding on this pick, and his defensive picks.

We're going to be hurting at line if we have the same issues as last year, then it won't matter if Jimmy Smith himself is on the field, Gabbert will reacquaint himself with the Everbank field turf.

[copperfiend]

Not all accounts Bleacher Report had him listed as third best punter who often out kicks his coverage.

Bleacher Report is just fan blogs. Not a real source for information.