JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jaguars opened their final day of the NFL draft by going back to the offensive side of the ball early and defense late.
The Jaguars drafted Temple running back Ryquell Armstead and Washington State quarterback Gardner Minshew with their first two picks Saturday and then Auburn defensive tackle Dontavius Russell with their final choice.
Armstead (5-11, 220 pounds) rushed for 1,098 yards and 13 touchdowns as a senior. The Jaguars didn't have a pick in the fourth round, so Armstead was their first selection on the third day of the draft in the fifth round (140th overall).
Minshew was the sixth-round choice at No. 178, giving the quarterback room a rookie to learn behind free agent signee Nick Foles.
RELATED: Jaguars' 5th-round pick Ryquell Armstead
6th-round selection Gardner Minshew
7th-round selection Dontavius Russell
Despite free agent signings at the position, running back was a position of need in the draft. Starter Leonard Fournette is coming off of an injury-plagued second season and the team didn't bring back TJ Yeldon or Carlos Hyde.
Armstead is a bigger back, but he's quick, running a 4.45 40-yard dash. Armstead had 34 career touchdowns for Temple.
Minshew (6-2, 220 pounds) spent his graduate transfer season at Washington State, passing for 4,779 yards and 38 TDs and being named the MVP of the Alamo Bowl. He was at East Carolina for two seasons before that.
At Washington State, Minshew shined. He took Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year honors and led the Cougars to 11 wins for the first time in school history.
Russell (6-3, 319 pounds) started 50 games in his career at Auburn and had 153 tackles and six sacks. The Jaguars dealt their second seventh-round pick to the Seahawks for a 2020 sixth-rounder.