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New Jaguars head coach Urban Meyer says he wanted to pick multiple Buckeyes during NFL Draft

Dustin Schutte

By Dustin Schutte

Published:

There is no college football program that Urban Meyer knows better than Ohio State. Coaching a lot of the players in Columbus for at least one season, he also understood what the draft-eligible Buckeyes could bring to the NFL.

In a recent interview with Clay Hall of WSYX in Columbus, Meyer revealed that he actually wanted to bring a number of Buckeyes to Jacksonville. The Jaguars did select tight end Luke Farrell, but there were plenty of others the former Ohio State leader wanted to take during the three-day event.

“We did, we got Luke Farrell,” Meyer said. “I almost got Baron Browning. I was right there. Tried to get Justin Hilliard, tried to get Cooper. I mean, a lot of the guys I wanted.”

Meyer said that he did learn some valuable lessons during the NFL Draft. It’s not always about what you want when coaching in the professional ranks.

“You know what I found out? It’s not want, in the NFL. In recruiting, it’s want — when you want someone, you go recruit ’em. In the NFL, I want you (but) it depends on the value. The NFL is all about value. It’s not just the want.

“If I want him and it’s not exactly what our team needs, then I have a chance of hurting our team — if that makes sense. So a completely different mindset. Coaches are all about the need and the want. Personnel people are all about the value. And so, you’ve got to cooperate the two.”

This will mark Meyer’s first year coaching in the NFL. He’s already learning quite a bit on the job.

Dustin Schutte

Dustin grew up in the heart of Big Ten country and has been in sports media since 2010. He has been covering Big Ten football since 2014. You can follow him on Twitter: @SchutteCFB