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Jacksonville Jaguars Beach Party: Fans at the Lemon Bar roared when Travis Hunter was picked
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- Jacksonville Jaguars Beach Party: Fans at the Lemon Bar roared when Travis Hunter was picked
ATLANTIC BEACH — On a warm spring night by the Atlantic Ocean, Jacksonville Jaguars fans came to anticipate, debate and finally celebrate their first-round draft pick at the team's "Duuuval Draft Party" at the Lemon Bar and Seahorse Oceanfront Inn on April 24.
Once the draft began, two hours after the doors opened, it was a short night. But it elicited a prolonged celebration.
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When the big screen TVs showed that the Jaguars had made their trade with Cleveland to get the No. 2 overall pick, the crowd began buzzing. When the cameras focused on Colorado wide receiver/cornerback/ Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter, the buzzing got louder and became a low roar.
Then when Jags defensive tackle and NFL Man of the Year Arik Armstead announced that Hunter was indeed the pick, more than 1,300 fans exploded.
"We got the big man," said Jaguars fan Earl Williams of Jacksonville said of Hunter. "We've got that 34-year-old general manager [James Gladstone]. He's playing aggressive. He's not going to be like those old guys we had before. Those old general managers wouldn't have done this. That's what we need right now."
TAKING THE FIELD: Will Jaguars let Travis Hunter play offense and defense? Here's what he said
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"He plays two positions so let's pay him twice," said Muzewte Thomas of Jacksonville. "We're happy. We're very happy."
Jaguars fans snapped up all draft party tickets
Capacity at the Lemon Bar and poolside at the Seahorse Inn is 1,350 and Jaguars officials reported that all of the free tickets had been claimed well before the afternoon began.
The team had all the ingredients for a party: The D-Line was there to bang the drums, a DJ blasted tunes, the Roar of the Jaguars danced and mascot Jaxson De Ville partied as hard as any of the fans.
After all, draft night has been the highlight of the off-season for Jaguars fans. Hope was brimming over like the foam on a cold beer and when Hunter was announced, the fans jumped up and down for joy.
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Brian Thomas Jr. , Can Little recall hearing their names called
Several Jaguars players were on hand, including last year's No. 1 draft pick, wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr.
Thomas proved more than worthy of the pick as he led the team in every important receiving category and made the Pro Bowl Games.
Thomas said he was talking to his father earlier in the day and they relived the night the Jaguars called his name with the 23rd overall selection.
"Last year we were at the hotel getting dressed, getting ready for one of the biggest nights of our lives," said the LSU product. "And this year, we're out here to support the next person to hear his name called. It's a super-exciting night."
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Thomas said if he could advise all of the players who would eventually hear their name as first-round picks from Green Bay, he would advise them to, in a way, slow the game down.
Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr., made the rounds of interviews with media on April 24 on the night of the Jaguars Duuuval Draft Party at the Seahorse Inn and Lemon Bar at Atlantic Beach.
"Take everything in and realize it's a once-in-a-lifetime thing," he said. "Everybody doesn't get to go through this."
Jaguars kicker Cam Little was at the other end of the spectrum last year. It was deep into the third day of the draft and two kickers had already been taken.
But the stress melted away when the Jaguars took him from Arkansas. If it wasn't for Thomas, Little might have been the rookie of the year after he scored 108 points and missed only two field-goal attempts and no conversions.
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"You really don't know where you're going to go as a kicker," Little said. "But I remember my name called, pick No. 212. It was a long afternoon but once you're picked and signed and you're in the building, everyone starts the same."
Both players expressed confidence that the management team of Gladstone, executive vice-president Tony Boselli and coach Liam Coen would make the right moves in the draft.
"They want the best for us," Thomas said. "They want the best so we can go out there and win."
"Everybody's on the same page," Little said. "There's great energy in the building and I love where we're heading."
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Fans engaged in draft debate
Before the pick was in fans at the Lemon Bar enjoyed the music, the view of the Atlantic Ocean, a cool breeze and plenty of libations.
But there was also a healthy amount of debate on which player the Jaguars should select.
"I don't mind a running back but not at No. 1," said Matt Davison of Atlantic Beach. "What I really want them to do is trade back, get more picks and get [LSU offensive tackle] Will Campbell . Let's get the guys who can block before anything."
Davison's wing man for the night, Gabe Jarboe, was in agreement from a strict football sense: draft in the trenches, where the Jags were woeful last year.
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But he was ready if the team made the sexy pick of running back Ashton Jeanty .
"I don't think they should draft him at No. 5 but if they do, I'll buy an Ashton Jeanty jersey," he said.
Cindy Simpson (left) and Bill Perkins display their various allegiances during the Jaguars Duuuval Draft Party at the Seahorse Inn and Lemon Bar at Atlantic Beach on April 24.
Then there was the couple of Cindy Simpson and Bill Perkins of Jacksonville Beach, who combined for a colorful jersey combination: a native of Pennsylvania, Simpson wore Steelers garb from head to toe. Perkins had a two-toned Trevor Lawrence jersey, one half the teal of the Jaguars and the other half Clemson orange, where the Jags quarterback went to college.
Perkins, who said he is also a Dallas Cowboys fan, was adamant.
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"I want Ashton Jeanty ... he will solve a lot of problems," he said. "No one thought the Cowboys had a good offensive line until they drafted Emmitt Smith. All of a sudden, he was making their line look good."
Simpson was sweating the Pittsburgh pick. She wants a quarterback but thinks Colorado's Shedour Sanders, "is a diva."
"We've got enough of those," she said, singling out wide receiver George Pickens . "And I'm glad we got rid of Russell Wilson . He's a diva. Forget about Aaron Rodgers . He's just an old diva. We need a quarterback who's about the team."
Two Jaguars fans with a plan
And how's this for a take?
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Travis McLaurin and Chris West, two friends from Jacksonville had a plan: the Jaguars should trade up to take wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter , then work out a trade to move up and draft Hunter's Colorado teammate, quarterback Shedour Sanders.
"Get rid of Trevor Lawrence and [Travis] Etienne," McLaurin said. "We're paying them too much money for not much production."
Fans begin to crowd the Lemon Bar and Seahorse Inn on April 24 for the Jaguars Duuuval Draft Party.
West wasn't sure the Jaguars had to go that far but he wanted Hunter on the team.
"Let's make something happen," he said.
McLaurin and West got one-half of their dream draft night. And the team's management did indeed make something happen.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jacksonville Jaguars fans exploded when Travis Hunter was selected
