Why the Jaguars Traded Up For Ole Miss RB Snoop Conner

Why did the Jaguars make an aggressive move up the board for Ole Miss running back Snoop Conner in the fifth round?

The Jacksonville Jaguars knew they wanted to leave the 2022 NFL Draft with a running back, and they did just that with the selection of Ole Miss running back Snoop Conner at No. 154 overall. 

But what made Conner stand out to the Jaguars and why did his skill set dictate a trade up the board from head coach Doug Pederson and general manager Trent Baalke. 

"He’s got really good size and quickness. It’s not so much the long speed as it is the one cut guy. He is really good out of the backfield as well and has good hands," Pederson set following the draft on Saturday. 

"He can be used first, second and third down because of his size. Again, just a back than give us that depth that we look for and give us that competition. Just his special teams value as well and at this point in the draft, special teams becomes a little bit more of a factor and he is capable of doing that.”

The Jaguars were set to pick at No. 157 and, according to Baalke, were going to select Conner at that pick. But with the Jaguars not having picked yet on Day 3, Baalke and the Jaguars got a call from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who they also traded with on Day 1 when they traded back into the first round for Devin Lloyd.

Tampa offered the Jaguars picks for No. 157, which would result in the Jaguars swapping that pick and a seventh-round pick (No. 235) for a 2023 fourth-round pick. 

The Jaguars wanted Conner, though, and made sure they packaged a pair of sixth-round picks (No. 188 and No. 198) to move up to No. 154 to secure him. And with that, the Jaguars gave up No. 157, got Conner, gained a future pick, and dealt three late Day 3 picks.

“If you followed that scenario, we were picking at 157 and Tampa Bay had called us about trading and we were going to use that pick to take Snoop," Baalke said. "When we had that on the table Tampa to come up, we packaged two sixes to move ahead of that pick so that we could make the pick of the running back that we wanted and next pick up the fourth for next year, so that’s kind of how that unfolded.”

Conner played in a rotational role at Ole Miss, appearing in 35 games but starting two over the last three years. He rushed 304 times for 1,580 yards (5.2 yards per carry) and 26 touchdowns, along with 32 catches for 225 yards.

But the Jaguars were in need of a balanced running back who could step in and compete right away. Running back Travis Etienne and running back James Robinson both had season-ending injuries last year, making Conner's role all the more important.

"I think for Snoop [Conner], it’s just a matter of him coming in and competing. It gives us another opportunity to look at him and fit into that room and really compete and see where he’s at," Pederson said.  

"It does depend on where James [Robinson] is obviously going into training camp and into the regular season and obviously Travis [Etienne Jr.] as well. But this gives up depth at that position, gives us a little competition there and we’re excited to get him here and get him going. I don’t think he’s just strictly a short yardage back. I don’t think that with him at all.”

Etienne said at the start of offseason workouts he was at nearly full-strength again, while Robinson suffered his torn Achilles injury much later in the year and isn't expected to be back at the same timeline. And until Robinson returns, the importance of Conner is paramount.

"Just he’s doing well. He’s on track and he’s obviously getting his treatment and rehab and everything, conditioning, that he’s supposed to be doing now," Pederson said about Robinson. "He’s been around his teammates the last three weeks which has been good, so we just keep him plugging and hopefully soon he’ll be back out there.”