JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- One of the better position battles to watch when the Jacksonville Jaguars begin training camp next month is cornerback.
There are five players competing for the top three spots, including one surprise and a player who is trying to rebound from a disappointing season in 2014.
"That corner spot, it’s good to see we’ve got size, we’ve got length and we’ve got great competition there," coach Gus Bradley said. "It’s going to be a fun position to watch in training camp."
The top three corners right now would be Demetrius McCray (who started 12 games last season), Davon House (a free-agent signee from Green Bay) and nickelback Aaron Colvin. Dwayne Gratz and Jeremy Harris, however, are close behind after having a good stretch of OTAs and minicamp.
It has been an up-and-down two years for Gratz, whom the Jaguars drafted in the third round in 2013. He started 10 games as a rookie, missing five with a high ankle sprain, and started the first four games of 2014 before missing the next game with a concussion. McCray played so well in Gratz’s absence that he remained in the starting lineup and Gratz went to the bench.
He eventually got back into the starting lineup a month later, but only because Alan Ball suffered a season-ending biceps injury.
Then there was his arrest in mid-November for disorderly intoxication and trespassing.
The House signing didn’t look good for Gratz’s future, either, but secondary coach Dwayne Walker said he has been one of the better corners during OTAs and minicamp.
"He’s been real steady," Walker said. "He’s really matured this offseason. He’s made some plays, his bump and run has been very clean, so I’m really happy with his production so far."
Said Bradley: "He’s playing with a lot of confidence right now."
Gratz said he came into the offseason with a different mentality and eager to prove that he deserves to be back in the starting lineup.
"I’m second team and now I’m working to get back up to first team, so just understanding my situation is pushing me hard," Gratz said. "... I understand the situation. I know that we’re getting paid to do our job and if you don’t do it they’ll find someone else to do it in place of you. Just understanding that made me work harder and try to be the best I can be, so now I put myself in a good situation to stay on this team."
Another corner who has done that is Harris, one of the team’s two seventh-round picks in 2013. He missed his rookie season with a back injury and played in only six games, mainly on special teams, last season. He has made a few plays during OTAs and Bradley has noticed.
"I think [I’m] reserving judgment until we see it in training camp, but what I see now has been a great surprise," Bradley said. "He’s playing more consistently, he’s playing with more confidence and I think he was a guy that needed to see the importance of playing special teams. I am hopeful that he’s maturing because he does have the length and the size that we’re looking for. I know he’s had a really, really good offseason so hopefully he’s made gains that way."
Peyton Thompson, Tommie Campbell, Rashaad Reynolds and former Auburn quarterback Nick Marshall are the other corners competing for roster spots, but it’s the battle between the first five that will be one of the more intriguing of training camp.
