Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Odds are that the Jacksonville Jaguars are going to leave the NFL Draft with a quarterback, but the question is which guy they are targeting.
Talk seems to have died down around them selecting a quarterback with the second pick, which means that they will likely pass on Geno Smith. However, the Jaguars are in a prime position to draft a quarterback with the first pick of the second round. If new Jaguars general manager Dave Caldwell has his way, that quarterback may be Matt Barkley according to a report from Jason LaCanfora of CBSSports.com.
The Jaguars are not the only team who has their eyes on Barkley, so it is unknown whether or not he actually makes it out of the first round on Thursday night. I find it hard to see Caldwell giving up any picks to move back into the first round if that is what it takes to get Barkley. If another team jumps the Jaguars to get Barkley I would not be too upset, however.
I have not been impressed with what I have seen from Barkley, especially in his senior season at USC in which he performed poorly in some big games. He also lacks ideal arm strength, which may limit his effectiveness against NFL defenses. What Barkley does have, however, is a ton of experience as a four-year starter in college. He also spent a fair amount of time in college playing under center, which is rare in this era of the spread offense.
If the Jaguars draft a quarterback in the first two rounds of the draft, there will be a legitimate expectation that he will be able to win the starting job immediately. With that being said, I do not believe Barkley will prove to be any sort of upgrade over what the Jaguars already have at the position.
