JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – From getting a special key to TIAA Bank Field in January to hanging out with players, coaches and owner Shad Khan to everything in between, Jaguars “Super Fan” Tyler Derby has pretty much done it all.
For this year’s NFL Draft, something really cool is happening for Derby.
“During our first pick in the first round, when (NFL Commissioner Roger) Goodell announces our draft pick, I get to be on stage (in Kansas City) with the Jaguars jersey and hand it to him and our new draft pick,” Derby said. “If he’s in attendance there, round one. So, that’ll be pretty cool.”
Pretty cool, to say the least. Derby told News4JAX he flew out from his home near Chicago late Wednesday night for the occasion. Like all Jags fans, Derby can’t wait to see who makes the cut. He already has some ideas.
“If I had to pick, we could probably use maybe a little help with the defensive backs and our secondary, and you can never go wrong with offensive linemen to protect (QB Trevor) Lawrence,” Derby said. “With a guy like him, the cornerstone, to me, you can’t draft enough good linemen. So, those would be my top two positions.”
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Like all Jags fans, Derby acknowledges quite a few years were disappointing. Yet, he feels this past season really cemented the foundation for a winning team moving forward, especially because of Lawrence.
“I probably told someone today that if you’re building a quarterback in a lab, you’d build Trevor Lawrence,” Derby said. “You know, the height, the arm strength and mobility, the toughness. I mean, he checks every box you’d want.”
While Jaguars fans will be at the Jaguars DUUUVAL Draft Party at Daily’s Place, Derby is just excited to be there for the real deal. No matter what, he’s bringing the Jaguars “Super Fan” energy.
“For a very selfish reason, I’m looking forward to it because of the stuff I get to do,” Derby said. “I’m just going to go represent the Jags as best that I can. And watch for me there during the draft, I will definitely be yelling DUUUVAL on stage as loud as I can.”
Derby also told News4JAX on Saturday, during Rounds 4 through 7, he will be announcing one of the Jags’ late-round draft picks on the draft stage.
The NFL Draft starts at 8 p.m. Thursday.