The leadership of the Jacksonville Jaguars may not be at their full capacity during the NFL Draft on Thursday, as their chief football strategy officer was affected by a “Meltzerdriver” during the All Elite Wrestling (AEW) show in Jacksonville on Wednesday.
Tony Khan, the son of Jaguars owner Shad and owner of AEW, experienced his first encounter with scripted wrestling, with assistance from Jack Perry, the son of late 90210 actor Luke Perry, who had recently returned from a suspension.
The scene involved Nick Jackson, one of the “Young Bucks,” jumping off the top rope and onto a seemingly unconscious Tony, who appeared to be knocked out by the impact.
The AEW show culminated in a dramatic scene where Shad, the owner of both Fulham and the Jaguars, rushed into the ring to attend to his allegedly injured son. Wrestling enthusiasts are curious to see if Tony will be wearing a neck brace or absent from the team’s draft room during Thursday’s NFL Draft.
This marks Tony’s first significant involvement in the wrestling ring. However, regardless of its authenticity, the piledriver incident coincides with the team’s preparations for the 17th pick in the upcoming NFL Draft.
Specifically, Tony is expected to play a crucial role in providing support for quarterback Trevor Lawrence on Thursday, potentially through the addition of a wide receiver.In their three-decade history, the Jaguars have chosen nine wide receivers in the first three rounds of the NFL draft, with only DJ Chark and Allen Robinson achieving 1,000-yard seasons, and Marqise Lee being the sole player to secure a second contract with Jacksonville.
The Jaguars aim to break this streak of underperformance in 2024. General manager Trent Baalke and coach Doug Pederson are anticipated to address this issue during the upcoming NFL draft, with the team holding five of the first 116 picks, three of which are slated for the initial two nights of the draft.Cornerback stands out as the team’s primary requirement following the release of starter Darious Williams and the decision not to re-sign nickelback Tre Herndon. Additionally, starting cornerback Tyson Campbell is entering the final year of his rookie contract.
Baalke addressed the cornerback position by signing Ronald Darby to a two-year, $8.5 million contract in free agency.
However, Darby is not seen as a long-term solution for new defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen. With the 17th overall pick, Alabama’s Terrion Arnold or Toledo’s Quinyon Mitchell would be suitable choices.
However, the Jaguars might also consider selecting a receiver with the 17th pick. After losing Calvin Ridley to rival Tennessee in free agency and with Zay Jones entering the final year of his contract, drafting a receiver early seems likely.Baalke secured Buffalo’s Gabe Davis on a three-year, $39 million deal last month, but Davis is viewed as an upgrade for Jones rather than a replacement for Ridley. LSU’s Brian Thomas Jr.
and Xavier Worthy of Texas are potential options at 17.The Jaguars hope to find a successful receiver after missing on R. Jay Soward in 2000 and struggling to draft well at the position since then. Their early round receiver draft history includes Reggie Williams (2004), Matt Jones (2005), Mike Sims-Walker (2007), Justin Blackmon (2012), Allen Robinson (2014), and Lee (2014).
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