JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jacksonville Jaguars rookies have reported for their first day of training camp ahead of the new season at the new training facility.
Out of the 13 draft picks for the Jags, there are a few locals.
DeQuan Jackson, a rookie linebacker, is a Riverside High School graduate and Jacksonville native. He told News4JAX that playing for the Jags is a full-circle moment for him because he used to play Pop Warner football for the Jaguars.
Another local connection is fourth-round pick Florida Gators linebacker Ventrell Miller. He had 23.5 tackles for loss and 240 tackles in his career and is the 13th Gators player drafted all-time by the Jaguars. That’s the most from a single college.
There’s also wide receiver Parker Washington, who joined the Jaguars from Penn State. Over his three seasons with the team, he caught 146 passes for 1,920 yards and 12 touchdowns. He’s the fourth Penn State player selected by the Jags in the draft.
Rookie running back Tank Bigsby said he’s worn the No. 4 jersey throughout his football career and calls it his lucky number.
Then, there’s first-round offensive tackle Anton Harrison, who some say has the potential to be a Week 1 starter. He was the No. 27 overall pick and played for Oklahoma. He fills an important hole with Cam Robinson starting the season on a suspension.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony for the $120 million Miller Electric Center was on Tuesday, which was also Jags owner Shad Khan’s 73rd birthday.
The new two-story facility is 125,000 square feet and took 18 months to complete.
It’s equipped with locker rooms, training and medical facilities, office space and a draft room. It also features two full-size grass practice fields and one indoor field, along with shaded public viewing stands, concession areas and a team store.
The rookies have lots of training to get through before the Jags take on the Cowboys in the first preseason game on Aug. 12.