The Jaguars had back-to-back picks in the seventh round of the NFL Draft on Saturday and used them on big linemen on both sides of the ball.
But the pick on offense brings back a local product.
Cooper Hodges, who helped lead Baker County to its first-ever appearance in a state championship game in 2017, was the 226th selection. The 6-foot-4, 305-pounder was a four-time All-Sun Belt right tackle at Appalachian State but is projecting as a guard in the NFL.
"I'm an I-10 Man," Hodges said. "This is my dream team. I've been watching them for a long time and they're the reason I got into football, knowing there was a [NFL] team 30 minutes away. To play for them, and have family and friends at home games, is a blessing ... a great opportunity. I couldn't be more excited."
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Minutes after picking Hodges, the Jaguars added more depth and beef on the defensive line with the selection of North Carolina 's Raymond Vohasek (6-2, 310), who played only five games last season because of an upper-body injury.
He was ranked as the No. 1 junior college player in the country at DuPage (Ill.), then transferred to Chapel Hill and played four years, with 96 tackles, 17 for losses, 5.5 sacks and a knack for swatting passes at the line of scrimmage, with seven.
Vohasek was an honorable mention All-ACC.
Hodges becomes the third First Coast player on the Jaguars roster, along with linebacker Shaq Quarterman (Oakleaf) and cornerback Darious Williams (Creekside).
Hodges was durable, starting 51 consecutive games for the Mountaineers, with more than 3,500 snaps. He allowed only seven sacks in 1,668 dropback pass snaps.
Hodges played fullback and both lines for the Wildcats, leading them to a 13-2 record as a senior. He was a guard in high school and was switched to right tackle his redshirt freshman year at Appalachian State, a week before the 2019 opening game.
Because of that, he's not overly concerned about making the transition back to guard.
"Eight days before the first game, they didn't have a guy playing [right tackle] well enough," Hodges said. "They threw me out there. I know the basics of guard. It will be a smooth transition. It's still football. It's not like going from baseball to football."
Jaguars general manager Trent Baalke also isn't worried about Hodges moving to a new position, especially after watching him play guard in the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl.
"He's always been a right tackle [but] we feel he can move inside and play the guard position," he said. "We had him in here for one of the 30 visits ... really enjoyed the visit and saw him play guard at the all-star game and felt really good about that film ... just a guy that comes in and competes."
Hodges said he first met a Jaguars scout last spring, then talked to them again during App State's pro day, where he said he put up good numbers.
He had another chance during the Jaguars Local Pro Day but had a stomach bug. He still came to Jacksonville and battled through the drills and tests.
"I was sick, and had to find a way to get there and fight through some adversity," he said. "It's my home town team, my dream team and to get sick right before that ... but I made it there. It was cool."
Hodges said he wasn't nervous because he knew he'd be a third-day pick.
"A lot of people were asking me if I was nervous," he said. "No, but I was anxious. Now I know where I'm at and I'm going to get to work, get my feet on the ground. I got the phone call, it was awesome, the answer to my prayers."
2022: CB Montaric Brown , Arkansas
2020: CB Chris Claybrooks , Memphis
2019: DT Dontavious Russell, Auburn
2018: LB Leon Jacobs, Wisconsin
2018: P Logan Cooke , Mississippi State
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: 2023 NFL draft: Jags go local with OG Cooper Hodges of Appalachian State
