JAGUARS GENERAL MANAGER TRENT BAALKE May 1, 2021 (On waiting until the fifth round to pick a tight end) “Again, we had some guys in line. You can’t control the board, the board kind of controls you at times. But we feel very good and fortunate to pick up Luke [Farrell] when we did. Again, filling that room is going to be an ongoing process, just like it is at every room. We’re going to try to make each room as competitive as we can. We feel we made great strides in doing that this weekend, but we’re far from finished.” (On conversations about acquiring a veteran tight end) “It’s ongoing with a lot of things to be honest with you, not just that position but in general. We set out to make this roster as competitive as we possibly could and we’re going to continue to work on that up until camp, and once camp gets going, we’re going to take the next phase. We’re sitting in a sweet position moving forward having the first claiming order as we progress through the rest of the offseason and into the season, so we’re going to use that to our advantage.” (On what stood out about DT Jay Tufele) “Put on the film. He’s a plus two guy all the way, great effort player, has the type of mindset that we’re looking for. Coach [Urban Meyer] was very familiar with him based on the recruiting process coming out. [He’s a] quality guy and quality football player.” (On trading up for DE Jordan Smith) “Well, when you look at the board, again, our board is based on value and at that point in time, he was clearly the highest rated guy on our board, and we just didn’t feel comfortable with what we may possibly get if we weren’t able to get him. So, we just made the decision to move up and be aggressive.” (On Head Coach Urban Meyer using his collegiate recruiting insight) “It helped a lot. When you look at what [Seahawks Head Coach] Coach Carroll was able to do when he first went to Seattle, his understanding of that group of young men that he had heavily been involved with in their recruiting process. I think you get to know them at a different level, especially in the situation we’re currently in with COVID and the inability to get in front of these guys. Having all that previous knowledge of these guys as they came through high school made a huge difference.” (On using that insight in the next few years to come) “We’re going to continue to work on ways to keep that the strength of what we do, having inroads to get information that we need to get, relationships. It’s all a part of the business.” (On sticking to the board throughout the entire draft) “We felt really good about the board. We followed it. We didn’t deviate at all every chance we got in the draft. I think we drafted nine guys at the end of the day total. All nine of those guys when we drafted [them] were the highest rated players on our board at the time we picked them at their respective positions and on the board itself as you look at the board. We look at it two ways: vertically and horizontally. Vertically by position and horizontally trying to compare the value of players across the board. That’s how the board’s set and we try to follow it as closely as we can.” (On WR Jalen Camp’s potential) “What you’re trying to do later in the draft is you’re trying to find guys with upside, guys that for whatever reason may not have gotten the type of notoriety at the position or had the success at the position or whatever else may play a role in that. But you’re looking for height, weight speed, you’re looking for traits, you’re looking for anything you can hang your hat on to develop. [He’s] another guy that’s a great culture fit, has a great work ethic, an excellent mindset, and he has the physical traits to develop and help us not only as a receiver, but hopefully play an important role on special teams if he reaches his potential.” (On WR Jalen Camp’s workout numbers) “For a big man, his vertical, his linear stealth was excellent. His change of direction stuff was very good for a player that size. So, across the board, his numbers stood out, just another big guy with traits that did some nice things at the position and some things that our receivers coach and offensive coordinator feel very strongly they can develop.” (On the collaboration with Head Coach Urban Meyer being seamless) “I think it was, to be honest with you. It’s easy to work with somebody that’s this heavily involved in it. We both have worked extremely hard, as has the staff both on the personnel side and on the coaching side. It’s been a collaborative effort. We’ve spent a lot of time. I think Coach may have eluded, we spent a lot of time in the draft room together, as individuals and as a staff overall. I think Coach said today when he walks out, he’s going to throw a hand grenade in there and blow it up. I told him to wait, we need a little more time. But it was an excellent process. The proof’s always in the pudding. Right now, we have nine football players. We have nine guys we feel strongly about, both as players and as culture fits. Now, the hard work begins. Now we have to get them in here, we have to go to work.” (On possible contention between him and Head Coach Urban Meyer throughout the rounds) “I wish I could tell you we had a fist fight, but no, it was awesome. And again, we were prepared. It wasn’t like we waited until we got on the clock to figure out who we were going to pick. We let the board lay itself out and it did. We trusted the board, Coach trusted it, and that was something him and I talked about leading up to the draft. You go through all these days of working and preparing and getting the board set and then on draft day, to not follow it doesn’t make a lot of sense. So, we did a great job together in sticking with it and again, the proof will be in the pudding when these guys get in here and start to play.” (On the offensive line) “We feel good about the offensive line and where we’re at. We’re currently working on signing a couple of guys potentially once free agency hits at the end of the draft, but we feel very good about the depth, the young guys that we have in the veteran crew. Did we look to address it a little more? We did, but again, the board didn’t say do it, so we didn’t do it.” (On picking up DL Taven Bryan’s fifth year option) “Right now, our whole focus was on getting through the draft. So, once we get done with this, we’ll take a day to breathe and then we’ll put our heads back together and start working on future decisions.” (On acquiring talent through college free agency) “We’d like to sign as many guys as we think can make our 90-man roster as competitive as it can possibly be. So, what the magic number is? I don’t know. That all depends on who’s available and who we can get, so the process is no different. You follow the board. The guys that are still left on the board at the end of the day at the high end, those are the ones go after. If you don’t get them, you keep working your way down the board. So, the board stays true through free agency just as it does through the draft.” (On DE Jordan Smith as a pass rusher) “He can get off the block, he’s 6’5” and change, he has good first step quickness, he can get skinny. His biggest challenge is going to be, because of his linear build, is getting stronger and being able to turn his quickness into power and being able to play with both strength and speed. You need a combination. You’re not going to win with just being a one trick pony in this league.” (On TE Luke Farrell being an upside pick) “I think if you talk to Ohio State staff, they’ll tell you [he was] underutilized. If you look at their tight end core as a whole last year, they have a young man that’s on that team right now that’s going to be one of the top tight ends in the country. His production, when you look at the stats, isn’t great. I think they would say that that’s one thing they’re going to be working on too. But we had a lot of collaboration obviously with Ohio State and their staff and how he was used, and you went to his pro day and you saw things in him on pro day that made you believe there’s some upside as a receiver and he’s not limited to just being a blocking tight end.” (On a timeline for making decisions on additional players) “There won’t be any workout guys that we’re bringing in this year. Will we bring in a couple of guys periodically? Maybe, but once college free agency’s set, then we’re going to be looking closely just at other teams who may be making cuts and that type of stuff. But there won’t be a whole lot of workout guys coming in.” (On bringing in additional players for evaluation workouts) “We going to sit down again [in] a day. Let’s let this thing breathe for a day. Let’s catch our breath and then let’s look early next week on where are we going from here. What did we address? We didn’t we address? What do we still need to do with the roster?” (On DE Jordan Smith saying he was the best pass rusher in the draft) “I didn’t hear that, but I love guys that think that way. Ultimately, that’s what you want. You want guys that believe in themselves, that have a high self-efficacy grade. Those guys that have that feeling and belief, that they truly believe it, they have the best chance to achieve it.” |
JAGUARS DEFENSIVE TACKLE JAY TUFELE
SATURDAY, MAY 1, 2021
(On opting out last season due to COVID-19 and what the last year has been like for him) “Yeah, I mean, just with COVID itself, it’s just been a life-changing experience. Especially in the way it’s affected my family. Just with everyone getting it and then my sister who—it hit her the hardest in a way that you wouldn’t want on anybody. And it was very hard for me to have to go through that and then just having the whole season and just the PAC-12 ending during that time. For me, I took it—just with the people that are close to me, I was ready to come out and to prove myself and everyone that believed in me. But you know, I’m ready to be in this league and I’m ready to just come in and be great.”
(On what today means to him since everything that happened in last year) “Oh today is the most special day in my life. Just the whole, life-changing, it’s everything. From being a little kid and then especially with everything that’s happened it’s just a blessing. It’s a blessing and I’m so grateful, I’m so grateful.”
(On whether Coach Urban Meyer and Ohio State pursued him when he was in high school and now getting to be on his roster) “It’s so crazy that you said that because he was—he told me that he thought he had me, he really had me. And you know, things didn’t happen the way he wanted [it] to happen but at the end of the day we’re back together and we’re family now. And you know, it’s time to go be great and then to just do it together. And I’m so grateful to be under him and part of his team. So, I’m so grateful.”
(On whether he ever second-guessed the decision to opt out) “In all honesty, no. Just because [of] what I was able to do during this time. Just to [have been] able to mentally and physically change and just having all of these people and things that I never was able to have access to or resources. And in all honesty, I am an ultimate competitor and I love to win more than the next guy next to you and I want to win. It was very hard, but at the end of the day, I knew what I was getting into and I knew—I believe what I was doing, and I was able—and I saw the change in myself. And at the end of the day, I don’t regret it and I’m grateful that I was able to go through this process and come out of it a stronger, faster, smarter Jay Tufele and I’m very grateful.”
(On what specific changes he has seen in himself physically and mentally) “Physically, you could say my whole body, in the aspect of just on not being sluggish. And in all honesty, mentally it’s just the game, knowing the game inside and out and the details. And just knowing what I’m doing to—just knowing the maximizing the technique and just the pass-rushing and breaking it down and having that time to do it. You know, football is my life now and I’m so grateful. That’s what I’ve always wanted, [what] I’ve always dreamed of and I’m ready for that. And the change has happened drastically and I’m just so grateful.”
(On where he is for the draft and when he realized he would be pick No. 106) “I am back home in Utah. I realized this morning, when I had a call with Coach Tosh [Lupoi]. And basically, he told me that he believes in me and he wants me—I’m his guy and he’s ready to get to work and he wants me. And for me to have a coach believe in me, to have that, it’s an honor and I’m so grateful. And in all honesty, I just want to say, from the beginning, for Mr. Khan believing in me, to Trent Baalke, our GM and then also, Coach Urban. I mean, it’s such an experience that’s like no other and I’m so grateful. I’m so grateful to be here.”
(On whether he was close with his older sister growing up) “Yeah, we were all like this. All we had was family growing up and we never really had much, but we always had each other. And that’s the thing, [Noreen and I] were just like this [very close].”
(On the age difference between him and his sister, Noreen) “She is, I would say she’s about seven years older than me.”
(On whether his sister Noreen was with him today for the special moment) “Yes, she was. Everybody was here. It was just a blessing, it was a blessing.”
(On the statistics on his NFL Pro Day and how he ran a sub-5 [4.97 in the 40-yard dash]) “Yeah, I mean, I ran. Being able to—yeah, I ran in that number. Within myself, I knew that I’m just really grateful that I was able to do that, and I know I’ve got a lot more.”
(On what teams have been asking him about the opt-out) “They were basically just asking about what I was doing and where I was at and who I was with. And then, at the same time though, they knew the
real-life scenario and what was going on. So, they never really backed—I guess they really—it was bad, it affected me in that way. But in all honesty, they wanted to see how—they just wanted to talk to me, speak to me, talk about football, talk about my life and they just wanted to really get to know me.”
(On whether he was recruited by Jaguars Defensive Line Coach Tosh Lupoi at Alabama) “I actually didn’t have an Alabama offer.”
(On how he sees himself fitting into the Jaguars’ plan for the defensive line) “I mean, I’m just—I know that our coaches, especially with Tosh, you know he’s going to expect me to be that guy and to come in right away and to get right to work. And with that, it’s—we’re going to be just working hard every day. Being the guy I am, just being very explosive, very nasty and bringing my game and bringing that into the Jacksonville Jaguars. And also, with the young talent we’re bringing in with Tyson [Campbell], who I trained with, and [Andre] Cisco, another [guy] who I trained with, just beasts. And I know these guys and I know that they’re ready and what they’re capable of and what we’re going to bring into this organization, in our defense and it’s going to be lights out. And we’re going to be nasty and we’re going to be ready to come on Sunday nights and just show out and be great in that way.”
(On whether he trained with CB Tyson Campbell and S Andre Cisco leading up to the draft) “Yeah, throughout the whole process.”
(On whether they were in California) “Yeah, so, we were at Proactive [Sports Performance] in Santa Ana, because we’re all Athletes First [Sports Agency] guys.”
(On any insight or scouting report on CB Tyson Campbell and S Andre Cisco) “I mean, in all reality, those two are just—they’re very—they keep themselves in what they do, but they are so passionate about what they do. And they’re going to give it their all. Every day, we went to work, and they always showed up, and they were ready and they gave it their all. And especially to see Andre in this process and see how he’s come through it. I mean, it’s a miracle—I mean not a miracle, it’s just, to see someone accelerate that fast. I mean, you know that he cares and that he wants to be great in that way. And Tyson is just great in who he is and I mean these guys—I’m also grateful that we’re back together and that we’re in Jacksonville together.”
JAGUARS DE JORDAN SMITH
May 1, 2021
(On his college career) “I started at Florida. I had one hiccup at Florida my second year there, ended up transferring to Butler, had a good year at Butler, at the community college, ended up getting second team all-conference. I ended up transferring to UAB for two years and I was second-team conference my first year there and I was first-team last year, so I had a pretty good bounce back from my situation at Florida.”
(On when the Jaguars became an option for him) “I feel like the Jags were always in the picture. Even since the Senior Bowl, I feel like their meeting was more trying to really get to know me instead of trying to just nitpick at what I had in the past. They were actually trying to figure out what type of person I was. They told me they loved me as a player, so it was very good from the start. I always had the Jags in my eyes.”
(On what he brings to the game) “First, I feel like I was the best pass rusher in this draft. I’ve shown multiple different moves that I’ve used effectively where other pass rushers have less moves, two or three moves. I have a big arsenal of moves. I use my mind. I use my mental game to help me excel in the game. So, I feel like I bring a lot to the table. I’m a great person. I’m a great teammate, great locker room guy, so I feel like I bring a lot to the table.”
(On his favorite pass rush move) “My favorite pass rush move would probably be ‘stab, swipe’. It was the move that I learned in high school, ‘stab, swipe, rip’. Still to this day, to become a professional, it still works, so that’s one of my favorite moves.”
(On getting the call that he was drafted) “It’s a dream come true, but at the end of the day, I just feel like this is my call for my job, for my career. I am living a dream. Now this dream is reality and that dream is my job, so I have to use this as my occupation. It’s not time for fun, not time for play. This is time for me to build my brand and start my career as an adult.”
(On what he has learned about himself through adversity) “What I learned about myself is I’m very mentally strong. I feel like if that was any other player in this draft to have to go through what I went through, they probably wouldn’t have made it back to this point. I just know I have a great mental [state]. I give everything to God. I keep everything spiritual. I just make sure I do everything I need to to make sure I don’t go back down those roads again, make sure I just go up from here and excel.”
(On where he is for the draft and his reaction to be selected by the Jaguars) “I was home. I’m right here where I was, I’m in my house, and I was excited. Like I told [during the] last question, I kind of had the Jags as one of my front-runners from the jump. So, it wasn’t a surprise to me that the Jags picked me.”
(On the importance of the Senior Bowl) “I feel like the Senior Bowl was a great experience for what I needed to prove. Never playing a down at Florida and having to go to UAB and having an outstanding career, people were asking, ‘Is this something that he can do against anybody?’ I feel like the Senior Bowl was my opportunity to show that I can do what I do against anybody regardless of who’s in front of me, and I felt like I did a great job at that. I had some good reps against first-rounders, top-rounders, a lot of great reps against a lot of great tackles that was there. I felt like I did have a good showing that it doesn’t matter who is in front of me. I’m using my skill, I’m using my mind, and I’m going to do the best I can.”
(On where the Jaguars see him fitting into their defense) “As far as like an outside linebacker, defensive end type of deal.”
(On meeting with Head Coach Urban Meyer prior to the draft) “We had Zoom [calls]. I never met with him in person, but I did have a Zoom [call] with the coaching staff.”
(On where he sees himself fitting in with this young team) “I honestly feel like this is one of the best draft classes of all the teams. They did a great job of picking what they needed: Trevor Lawrence as a quarterback, you have Tyson Campbell as a great corner to go beside CJ Henderson. Also, we have Jay Tufele and me to try to build a dynasty. I feel like Urban Meyer has done this continually in the past, so I feel like it’s an honor for me to be a part of something, another dynasty that he’s about to create.”
(On using his athleticism to be used as an outside linebacker) “I feel like if I [will] be an outside linebacker in that scheme, then I’ll be successful.”
(On adjusting to the attention during his senior year at UAB) “2019 at UAB, I kind of had free run every time I pass rushed. It was one on one; I never really got the double chip. But after I had that breakout season in 2019, I came back to this year, the teams that we were playing against in Conference USA were destined to make sure I didn’t touch the quarterback. I would have double teams, triple teams. I would have running back chips almost every time. Even when I would have a one on one, it would be a quick slant, pitch and catch type of feel with the quarterback. But I mean, I adjusted. I played my game. This year, I did a lot of different stuff in a lot of different areas because my coaching staff knew that that would be the situation. I feel like it was a respect level that Conference USA gave me with the stats, so I feel like that was why there was a decrease in stats from the 2019 to the 2020 year.”
JAGUARS TIGHT END LUKE FARRELL
MAY 1, 2021
(On whether the Jaguars have communicated if he’ll have a similar role in Jacksonville to the role he had at Ohio State) “I haven’t talked with him specifically about it, but I know that Coach Meyer knows what I’m capable of and what my game is. And I know that whatever they ask me to do, I’m going to do it to the best of my ability.”
(On whether it feels like he’s coming home to this team as he’s familiar with Coach Urban Meyer) “It’s definitely really familiar getting that phone call, similar to the phone call I got when I was a sophomore in high school. But yeah, just really surreal that [it’s] coming full circle from there. And especially Coach Meyer, as a Northeast Ohio guy himself, he grew up 15-20 minutes from where I am right now, at home. So yeah, [it’s] just amazing and I couldn’t be happier.”
(On whether he ever joked about not getting more touches at Ohio State) “It was kind of a running joke in the tight end room. We were always vouching for ourselves and prying for more opportunities, whatever opportunities you can give us. But I mean, I knew that I had a lot of value in what my job was and that we had a lot of weapons on that offense. So, I was always confident in my ability in that. But yeah, I mean, you’re always vouching for that and we had a great unit to vouch for that.”
(On what he would say is his strength in his game) “Yeah, I mean, I definitely think I’m one of the best, if not the best, block tight ends coming out of this class. But I think one of my biggest strengths is my versatility and my toughness. I think whatever they’re going to ask me to do, I can do at a high level—and we were asked to do a lot as tight ends at Ohio State and I know I can continue to do that. And then, I think I play the game with a lot of toughness, in every aspect.”
(On when he thought it was a real possibility that he would get drafted to Jacksonville) “I mean, all along, since he got the job, I knew [Coach Urban Meyer] was really familiar with me and obviously, we go way back. But definitely after meeting with Coach [Tyler] Bowen and just the good feeling I had from that and follow-ups, just all of that gave me a good indication that it could very well be a possibility.”
(On how excited he is to see Coach Urban Meyer’s NFL version of the offense he played at Ohio State and what he thinks that will look like) “I think it’s really exciting. I mean, obviously, I’m a little more familiar with it coming in, which is always nice. But yeah, I’m really excited for what that can become with the kind of weapons that we have on this offense now, just from the past couple of days. So yeah, really excited about it and just incredibly honored to be a part of it, really.”
(On his touchdown catch during the Sugar Bowl and whether he even saw that ball) “Oh I mean, he [Justin Fields] put it right where he needed to put it. I just played a little basketball, had a little inbound pass, pinned it on my shoulder. But he definitely made it easy for me there.”
(On what it will be like playing on the same team as QB Trevor Lawrence) “Yeah, I’m sure it will be a little different at first, [having] played opposite over the last couple years, but he’s an incredible talent and such a valuable piece to have on this team. So, I mean, I’m going to be doing whatever I can for him, from day one, make sure he’s protected, he’s got what he needs and everything. So, I’m excited for it.”
(On the recruiting process with Coach Urban Meyer coming out of high school) “It was great. I mean, yeah, I got that phone call in my high school coach’s office from him. And he even said, ‘Do you realize who you’re talking to right now?’ because I was just kind of shocked a little bit. You know, growing up in Ohio, obviously it’s a dream of so many kids growing up. So yeah, he was just like, ‘Do you realize who you’re talking to?’ and it kind of broke the ice from there. But I mean, that was a great experience all the way through my recruiting process, having that hometown connection was big.”
(On what took Coach Urban Meyer so long to offer him a scholarship) “That’s a good question, you’re going to have to ask him that. But I mean, I think he wanted to see me in person, see how I moved, make sure I was the real deal. He does his homework like that.”
(On what he’s learned so far about the Jaguars tight end room) “I know that I could be a valuable piece for the team right away. Which is kind of my mindset—is to earn that trust as quick as I can with Coach [Tyler] Bowen and the new staff and everything, a lot of new. So, just [to] establish myself, earn that trust and that playing time. So yeah, just coming into it with that mindset of I’m going lunch pail every day, giving everything I have.”
(On whether he was aware that the Jaguars recently worked out Tim Tebow for a tight end spot) “Yeah, I definitely would not mind having that guy in my room.”
(On the feeling of getting drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars, knowing Coach Urban Meyer’s direction and plan for the team) “Yeah, [it’s] incredibly surreal. I mean, I was on the phone with [Jaguars Director of Player Assessment) Ryan Stamper who was at Ohio State as well, he’s the one who called me. And then I was like, ‘Oh, is this it? Is this it?’ and then he got Coach Meyer on the phone and he just said, ‘Welcome to Jacksonville.’ And I was just like blown away. Very recently, I wouldn’t have even imagined him being in Jacksonville as a coach there. But yeah, [it’s] just really surreal and like I said, full circle.”
(On confirming that Coach Urban Meyer asked him ‘Do you realize who this is?’ during high school recruitment) “Way back in, it would’ve been like 2013 or 2014, yeah, he was like, ‘Do you realize who you’re talking to?’ It was funny because I was just kind of like a little timid on the phone for that first phone call.”
(On whether he thinks he’ll be a help to this franchise’s culture) “Yeah, I think that’s huge. I mean, culture is a big part of what he does and it’s a big part of what I believe in as well. So, I mean, I’m really familiar with how he goes about his business and I’m really excited to be engulfed in that again and just bring along guys with me.”
