Jags Traded Up With Bucs To Get Justin Blackmon, Who Wasn’t Even On Their Board

Images courtesy of Zimbio, Carrollton PD

On Wednesday ESPN’s Colin Cowherd interviewed former NFL general manager Mark Dominik on his radio show. As the GM of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2009-13, Domnik provided some particularly interesting insight into the scouting process of one of the biggest draft busts of the last several years.

The bust in question being Justin Blackmon, a former superstar wide receiver out of Oklahoma State, who was drafted No. 5 overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2012. In two seasons with the Cowboys, Blackmon combined for over 3,300 yards receiving and 39 touchdowns.

In four seasons with the Jags, Blackmon has played in just 20 of a possible 48 games, having missed the entire 2014 season following multiple arrests for alcohol and drug related offenses. He’s been suspended indefinitely since November 2013, and has done at least two stints in rehab since then.

Blackmon’s troubles started in college, most notably with a DUI arrest in 2010. It was that arrest, as well as “several other minor incidents,” which compelled Dominik to take additional measures in scouting the troubled wideout ahead of the draft.

“We found out there was a bar called the Cricket Inn or the Cricket, which was a popular bar there in Oklahoma State,” said Dominik, who is now an ESPN analyst. “He [the scout] sat there for one week, went in at 3 o’clock every day and stayed until 11 o’clock at night. That was his job, and we checked how many times did Justin Blackmon come in? And he came in too many times and we took him off our board.”

Apparently the Jaguars, whose GM at the time was Gene Smith, investigated Blackmon as well, but it was clearly nothing on par with the actions taken by the Bucs. Or at least it better not have been, because not only did they not take the kid off their board, they traded up with Tampa to select him.

Even though the Buccaneers are hardly a model of consistency and stability, this is the difference between a mediocre franchise and an absolutely wretched franchise. Taking a chance on a talented alcoholic in the second or third round is one thing, but the Jags traded up to get Blackmon in the top five.

This is why they have to give away free beer to fans in Jacksonville. You’d have to be drunk to sit through whatever slop they’re trying to pass off as football each season.