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Jaguars HC Doug Pederson has been impressed by rookie class, talks Day 1 of minicamp
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- Jaguars HC Doug Pederson has been impressed by rookie class, talks Day 1 of minicamp
Doug Pederson didn't share with the media what he told his team before dismissing most of the veterans ahead of the Jacksonville Jaguars ' three-day mandatory minicamp. Still, his outlook on the team as a whole is positive and headed in the right direction as Phase 3 of the offseason approaches its end.
"I think it was successful from the standpoint of the way these guys worked, the way they came in with the right attitude, a good frame of mind. They worked extremely hard in the weight room to get stronger, which we needed to do as well," Pederson said when asked about his view of the team after Organized Team Activities concluded last week.
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Jacksonville brought in a slew of players, including center Mitch Morse , defensive lineman Arik Armstead , receiver Gabe Davis , cornerback Ronald Darby and safety/nickel Darnell Savage to be part of the team's guard of players with winning experience.
But the leaders on the team that have already been in Jacksonville have taken their games up a notch in that category, too.
More: Jaguars offseason questions: Roundtable answers questions. Who will call plays?
Doug Pederson looks on during a Jacksonville Jaguars game against the Colts. [Bob Self/Florida Times-Union]
"You're seeing the leadership of the team. We've talked about Trevor [Lawrence] and his impact and him taking that next step and what I've seen there and the positivity there. And obviously, guys like Christian Kirk coming back healthy," said Pederson, noting that the team's rookie class and the class from last year have taken steps in the right direction, too.
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Lawrence has spoken extensively about becoming more of a leader as he heads into his fourth season in the league, while Kirk has been a constant in that vein.
"All the pieces are sort of coming together here at the end and just got to carry that right into July and August," Pederson said.
Though it is a "mandatory" minicamp this week, the majority of veterans were not in attendance on Monday, the first day of a three-day affair. Among notable players with more than two years of experience were Gabe Davis , Darnell Savage , Mac Jones , Josh Allen , DaVon Hamilton , Armstead and Roy Robertson-Harris .
In total, 61 members of the roster and two tryouts, receivers Kyric McGowan and Austin Trammell , were in attendance Monday. 30 of the team's veterans were allowed to take an early vacation until training camp starts back up in a month and some change.
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'It's a good group': Brian Thomas Jr., rookie class impresses Doug Pederson
The Jaguars went for LSU wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr., in the first round of the NFL draft.
It won't be until training camp when Jaguars coaches can finally start picking apart each rep a player takes in practice, sliding them up and down the depth chart.
For this time of the year, Jaguars practice sessions are more scripted than ever, running plays to see a look rather than to look at who's running the plays. It's about teaching, learning and growing and as the team continues through minicamp this week, it's more of the same as it has been the last few weeks.
"It's really the same. I mean, call it what you want, minicamp, whatever, it's really an extension of phase three for us and just the development process and continuing that. And really, you are not having a lot of the vets out there. It's a great opportunity, again, for these young players to get the bulk of the work," Pederson said.
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The team's rookie class is headlined by receiver Brian Thomas Jr. He's shown plenty throughout his time with the Jaguars already in terms of his play-making ability, but what he's excelled at is behind the scenes and in the classroom. That's the case for all of the team's nine draft picks this year, what Pederson called a "good group" Monday.
"Their attention to detail in the building, their work ethic in the weight room, how they're competing out on the football field in phase two, phase three, and we've seen a lot of positivity there," said Pederson, when asked about what has impressed him about this year's rookie class. "It's a good group top to bottom so that's why I think it's good for them to get the bulk of the work this week and then take a little break and come back ready to go in July."
While Jaguars veterans use this time of the year wisely, it's far more productive for rookies and younger players. Setting the future of the franchise up for success sooner than later is a good thing. So far, that's what it's been like in Jacksonville this spring, heading into summer.
Demetrius Harvey is the Jacksonville Jaguars reporter for the Florida Times-Union. You can follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @Demetrius82 .
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This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jaguars finish Day 1 of mandatory minicamp, rookies steal the show
