Jacksonville Jaguars have two underrated gems on DL
The Jacksonville Jaguars made two big-name veteran additions to the defensive line, as head coach Gus Bradley brought in two reliable players he used to coach on the Seattle Seahawks. Defensive ends Red Bryant and Chris Clemons were expected to make big impacts on the Jaguars defense, as Bryant had established himself as one of the league’s best run defenders during his time with the Seahawks, while Clemons was a solid outlet of pressure. Interestingly enough, neither player has been able to make a desired impact on the Jaguars defense, but the Jags have still received terrific play from two defensive linemen. More specifically, these two players know how to terrorize quarterbacks, and they look like nice building blocks.
Sen’Derrick Marks was given a five-year, $19.5 million contract in free agency in 2013, as David Caldwell and Bradley coaxed him away from the division rival Tennessee Titans. In his first year with the Jaguars, Marks was undisciplined as a run defender, but he showed off his explosiveness as a pass rusher with four sacks. Marks has always shown the potential to be a disruptive playmaker, and his eight passes defended, two forced fumbles, and three fumble recoveries certainly went well with his career-high in sacks.
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After another year in the Jaguars offseason program, Marks has improved even more, and he’s become a much more balanced defensive tackle. He already has 27 tackles and 4.5 sacks, and the increased number of tackles is especially impressive, as he recorded just 33 tackles last season. It’s one indicator that his run defense has improved greatly, as he’s no longer a true liability in that regard.
Still, it’s clear that Marks earns his keep off of his pass rushing prowess, and he’s earned heavy praise from analysts this season for his All-Pro-caliber interior pass rushing. While his run defense is relatively mediocre (again, that’s a major improvement from where he was at earlier in this career), his pass rushing is among the best in the NFL. According to the Pro Football Focus, Marks has the ninth-best Pass Rushing Productivity in the league among all defensive tackles, and that speaks volumes about his consistency when pinning his ears back and going after the QB.
The counting stats are just as impressive, as he has notched ten quarterback hits through nine games, putting him on pace for around 17 or 18 QB hits this season. How good are those ten QB hits? The only DT with more is Tennessee Titans Jurrell Casey, who now plays in a hybrid 3-4 front, which gives him an advantage as a pass rusher. Marks is tied for second with Tampa Bay Buccaneers big money superstar Gerald McCoy, and you can argue that he has almost as little help around him as McCoy. There’s no doubt that McCoy and Casey are better players and have well-established credentials at this point, but the fact that Marks is right up there with them tells you something; he’s becoming an elite pass rushing DT, which is a designation he will earn if he can keep it up. Oh, and St. Louis Rams rookie Aaron Donald is the only DT with as many tackles for loss (nine) as Marks, who continues to make big plays at a high pace.
Marks has one other highly impressive player on the defensive line helping him out, and this man came out of nowhere to become a high-impact pass rusher on the interior. Jaguars defensive lineman Ryan Davis was a UDFA out of Bethune-Cookman in 2012, and the Jaguars have been rewarded handsomely for sticking with their project. The 25-year-old has exploded here in his third season, and the offseason reports that the Jaguars liked him have certainly manifested themselves. Davis can rush the passer from the inside or outside, and his incredibly versatility makes it difficult to account for him. It also makes it difficult to state whether or not he’s a DT or DE, because while he is listed as a DE, he’s also rushed the passer as a DT plenty of times.
I know there are still some people who aren’t giving Marks enough credit, but Davis is getting even less props. He isn’t as dominant as Marks, but his efficiency really stands out. Despite only playing 154 snaps, per the Pro Football Focus, Davis has ten QB hits. That’s even more impressive when you consider two things. First of all, he’s tied with Cameron Wake and Michael Bennett, and, secondly, he has way less snaps than those guys. I know I already mentioned that, but I can’t emphasize it enough.
Davis is also making a high impact in run defense, as he’s second in PFF’s Run Stop% and tied for third with Henry Melton in Pass Rushing Productivity. As far as rate stats go, Davis has been one of the league’s best defensive linemen this season, though it would be unwise to state that he’s been better than Marks, because playing more snaps increases a player’s value. It’s also easier to be more efficient when given less snaps. That said, this doesn’t downplay what Davis has done, and he might be one of the best players in the NFL that you’ve never heard of. I always cringe when people say, “Antonio Brown is underrated,” because that’s bull. Everyone knows he leads the league in receiving yards and receptions and is a top-five WR in the NFL today. But Ryan Davis? Sen’Derrick Marks? How many people know who they are? How many people watch their consistency? How many people watched Davis tear apart the Miami Dolphins interior offensive line (especially Daryn Colledge) to the tune of two sacks?
Red Bryant and Chris Clemons were supposed to be the stars of the Jaguars defensive line as the DEs in Bradley’s defense, but his two best players have been on the inside (and outside, too, in Davis’s case), and they have both put quarterbacks on notice throughout the season. Keep a close eye on both players, because Marks deserves Pro Bowl consideration, while Davis deserves some form of credit for his intense play in limited snaps.