With the second overall pick in the 2013 NFL draft, the Jacksonville Jaguars selected Texas A&M Aggies offensive tackle Luke Joeckel. Joeckel is the top-rated player in the draft rankings from SB Nation's Dan Kadar.
2013 NFL Draft results: Luke Joeckel selected by Jaguars with 2nd pick
Joeckel joins the Jaguars as general manager David Caldwell’s first pick for the franchise.
Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Good Bull Hunting on Luke Joeckel
Johnny Manziel might have gotten the press and accolades and Heisman Trophy last season, but it was Luke Joeckel and the A&M line that gave Johnny Football time to work his magic. Joeckel has been a starter at left tackle for the Aggies since the moment he stepped foot in College Station, and his three seasons anchoring one of the best offensive fronts in football have made him one of the most coveted players in the Draft. Joeckel, 21, was the starting left tackle for the Aggies in all 13 games as a true freshman and developed into a consensus All-American by 2012. After blocking for Heisman Trophy-winner Johnny Manziel during his junior season, he elected to forgo his senior year and enter the 2013 NFL Draft, where he was projected by many as the best player in the class.
The Jaguars surrendered 50 total sacks in 2012, the third-highest total in the league. Joeckel is widely considered the best offensive tackle, if not best overall prospect, in the year’s draft.
He will hopefully make quarterback Blaine Gabbert's job a little bit easier, and could be the foundational lineman that Jacksonville needs to begin improving their offense as a whole.
In a prospect profile on SB Nation, the following were listed as positives for Joeckel:
-- Joeckel has the technique to play at the next level right now. Many young offensive and defensive linemen come into the league with adjustments needed to their footwork. The team that drafts Joeckel doesn’t need to worry about making those normal fixes.
-- His best asset is the ability to control pass-rushers. Joeckel is a mountain of a man at 6’6” and 310 pounds with long arms, helping him to neutralize top talent on the other side. Joeckel is also quite strong and can handle the bull-rush, something that isn’t easy for taller players with a higher center of gravity.
-- For his size, Joeckel has the incredible ability to get out in space. Joeckel isn’t a great run-blocker in a phone booth, but once he pulls and gets out to the second level, he’s a force.
Joeckel was the winner of the 2012 Outland Trophy, which recognizes the nation’s best lineman. In 2012, the Aggies finished the year with an 11-2 record and a victory in the Cotton Bowl. The Texas A&M offense finished with the fourth-most points scored in the nation as Manziel was sacked a total of 22 times.
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