OW

If you take a peek at the Jacksonville Jaguars roster listed on their website, you'll find all the usual positions. QB, WR, CB, RB, DT, even an LS. You'll also find an OW. I've never seen an OW on a football roster. I've never even heard of an OW on a football roster. Denard Robinson played quarterback at Michigan. The Jaguars drafted him in the fifth round of the 2013 NFL Draft as a receiver. He spent a decent amount of the offseason practices with the running backs. He's returned some kicks too. He's done a bit of everything on the offensive side of the ball except play on the line. The Jacksonville Jaguars have decided that Denard Robinson is their offensive weapon, OW. There's always room on a roster for football players that can make something happen with the ball in their hands. Even if they don't have one position to call their own.

Robinson is nicknamed Sholelace due to his odd practice of playing football with his shoes untied. I've wondered if that would continue with the NFL's uniform police prowling around the games. Robinson was a big play waiting to happen while at Michigan. He was the first player in NCAA history to pass for 2,500 yards and run for 1,500 yards in the same season. His passing was erratic at times but his running and passing together was electric. His NFL-level skills were obvious but he really had no set position for the NFL. If he was a little taller and his passes a little straighter, he'd likely follow in the wake of dual threat quarterbacks like Colin Kaepernick, Robert Griffin III, Cam Newton, and Russell Wilson. The Jaguars picked Robinson as a receiver. Once they got him in camp, they decided not to label him as anything other than what he is, an offensive weapon. OW. I think that's a brilliant decision. Some have compared Robinson to Kordell Stewart and Antwan Randle-El because of his quarterback-playing college days. I prefer a comparison to Percy Harvin. While Harvin is still a little unrefined as a receiver, he's certainly more refined than Robinson simply because he's played the position. Both are players that you want to have the ball in their hands. You don't know what's going to happen but you want to be there to see it. Just find a way to get the ball in their hands. Hand-offs, bubble screens, slants, direct snaps. Anything.

I like football players whose skills aren't limited to one position. Players that can line up anywhere in the formation. More importantly, players that can be effective from anywhere in the formation. Football players like Percy Harvin and Randall Cobb put an incredible amount of pressure on a defense. Not only do defenses have to worry about stopping them they have to worry about finding them before the snap. The St. Louis Rams, Minnesota Vikings, and Jacksonville Jaguars are hoping that recent draft picks Tavon Austin, Codarrelle Patterson, and Denard Robinson are going to put similar pressure on opposing defenses. They are simply offensive weapons. OW.