JAGUARS FAMILY NIGHT PRACTICE: 5 THINGS TO WATCH FOR

Friday night the Jaguars take the field at EverBank for the first time in 2017. Here's what to watch for.

By Jordan de Lugo
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1. Blake Bortles - The Jaguars success this season will largely ride on the right arm of Blake Bortles. Bortles has been mostly good so far in camp, but when he's been bad, he's been REALLY bad. For Bortles what happens tonight has little to do with what will happen come September 10th when the Jaguars take on the Texans. However, fan confidence in the 25 year old QB is shaky at best. Every good practice for him will serve as a building block for not only the confidence of the fans, but also the confidence of BB5.

2. Injuries - The sad truth of the matter is that far too many players get injured before the season even starts. The Jaguars have already lost undrafted rookie RB I'Tavius Mathers and the team's long time starting long snapper Carson Tinker. If the Jaguars can avoid any major injuries to players that have a real chance to make the 53 man roster then tonight will be a success.

3. Dante Fowler - Dante Fowler has been the recipient of much scorn from the fan base as of late, and rightfully so. Since joining the Jaguars in 2015 he's made more head lines off the field than on it. He has however been somewhat impressive in training camp. He hasn't been the most consistent player on the defensive side of the ball for the Jaguars, but he has flashed in team drills in nearly every practice. A good night tonight against the presumed starting left tackle Cam Robinson would do a lot for the young pass rushers confidence moving forward.

4. Leonard Fournette - The Jaguars rookie RB from LSU is the real deal. If you haven't had the opportunity to watch him in training camp to this point then you've really missed out. This kid is different. It's hard to even compare him to his backfield mates Chris Ivory and TJ Yeldon. He's fluid, he's fast, he's strong, he shows amazing patience, and has remarkable vision. One of the best ways to quantify his impact so far is this: When Fournette is on the field the offensive line has looked decent, when he's not on the field they've looked below average at best. In the passing game he's proven able and willing to catch the ball out of the backfield or pickup a pass rusher as a blocker. Keep your eyes on 27 tonight and all season long. 

5. Tempo and Accountability - Thus far in training camp tempo and accountability have been major themes. The tempo has been nothing short of blistering so far in camp. Doug Marrone has orchestrated some impressive practice sessions. This team has gotten more work done in the first week of training camp than Gus Bradley team's would have done half way through the entire camp. They've worked on a TON of situational drills and covered seemingly every detail so far. From Cam Robinson being forced to take a lap to Dawuane Smoot dropping to the ground to do pushups after he jumped early on one play - It's clear that a higher level of accountability has been a key theme.


What are you looking for in tonight's practice session? Let us know in the comments!