Jaguars bring some Louisiana flavor into preseason game with Saints

The Jacksonville Jaguars host the New Orleans Saints Thursday evening to open the preseason. There are a handful of Jaguar players who most Saints fans know.

Leonard Fournette had 1,282 yards as rookie in ’17, along with 13 touchdowns. Chances are we won’t see him play much if at all in a game that doesn’t count.

The St. Augustine High School product amassed 7,619 yards with 88 scores during his illustrious prep career. Tabbed as the top prospect in the country in 2014, he decided to stay home and suit up for the LSU Tigers. He had 3,830 yards and 40 touchdowns during his three seasons in Tigertown.

The fourth overall pick in the ’17 draft by the Jaguars signed a $27 million contract with $18 million guaranteed.

Cam Robinson, who wears jersey No. 74, started as a rookie in 2017. The 22-year old West Monroe High School graduate has not disappointed after a high school All American ride to prominence as the unanimous top tackle prospect nationally in his class.

At Alabama, Robinson was a three-time All-SEC performer, earning the Outland and Jacobs Awards in 2016. He seems destined for numerous Pro Bowls barring injury.

Alexandria’s own D.J. Chark was Jacksonville’s second round pick this year. He has been cited as one of the more impressive newcomers in Jaguars camp with his athleticism and 4.34 sped.

Jacksonville veteran cornerback A.J. Bouye was impressed by Chark’s efforts against Pro Bowl cornerback Jalen Ramsey in practices. “You love to see them matchup because (Chark is) going against the best.” Chark has gotten the best of Ramsey quite a few times already in camp.

Chark snared 66 passes for 1,340 yards and six touchdowns at LSU, making 36 game appearances with 15 starts. In 2017, he became only the 7th player in program history to score a touchdown three different ways – as a runner, receiver and punt returner.

Rookie quarterback Tanner Lee, a sixth rough pick, sits behind starter Blake Bortles and Cody Kessler. The former Jesuit signal caller was 30-8 for the Jays as a starter, throwing for 3,984 yards, 39 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He also won a state title as a sophomore at Jesuit in baseball.

Lee then signed with Tulane and became their starter in ’15, throwing for 1,639 yards, 11 touchdowns and 7 interceptions in 9 contests. He physically took a beating at Tulane. Injuries dogged him with the Green Wave including a separated shoulder, broken index finger and a concussion.

When coach Willie Fritz arrived at Tulane, Lee transferred to play in a more suitable offense for his skills at Nebraska, causing him to sit out the 2016 season. Named starter for the Cornhuskers in ’17, he threw for 3,143 yards, 23 touchdowns and 16 interceptions.

If Jeremy Parnell is not a name you recognize, the Jags’ right tackle has started 51 times in the NFL, 44 of them for Jacksonville. He began his career as a undrafted free agent out of Ole Miss, arriving to the league as a defensive lineman in 2009.

Parnell spent 2009 and part of ’10 on the Saints practice squad, and it was in New Orleans that his career took a key turn with his position change. He eventually landed with the Cowboys in 2011 where he earned a starting role.