Jaguars Finalize Personnel Staff; Denard Robinson Joins Scouting Department
The Jacksonville Jaguars have finalized the personnel staff for the 2021 season, the club announced Thursday. The staff of 18 includes four new faces as well as Trent Baalke now serving officially in the General Manager role.
The full staff is as follows:
- General Manager: Trent Baalke
- Senior Personnel Executive: Tom Gamble
- Director of College Scouting: Michael Davis
- Director of Pro Scouting: Regis Eller
- Director of Pro Personnel: DeJuan Polk
- Player Personnel Coordinator: Drew Hughes
- National Scout: Tom McConnaughey
- National Scout: John Stevenson
- College Scout: Casey Belongia
- College Scout: Jason DesJarlais
- College Scout: Jarrod Highberger
- College Scout: Dave McCloughan
- College Scout: Marty Miller
- College Scout: Antonio Robinson
- College Scout: Brian Squeglia
- Pro Scout: Joseph S. Anile IV
- College Scouting Assistant: Denard Robinson
- College Scouting Assistant: Ricky Thomas
The four new staff members are Eller, McConnaughey, Stevenson, and McCloughan.
Following the 2021 NFL Draft—the first for new Head Coach Urban Meyer—the former college coach explained the importance of having a good relationship with the scouting department ahead of next year’s draft.
“Just the experience factor will be different…I didn’t know our — I still don’t know our scouts, that’s going to be important,” Meyer said at the time. “At some point we’re all going to get together, but we didn’t have time. Time was of the essence and the scouts certainly didn’t have time to see me, they were doing their jobs. So that part of it will be completely different, the relationship with the scouting department.”
Former Jaguars running back Denard Robinson joined the staff last season as an offensive quality control coach. A fifth-round pick in 2013, Robinson spent four seasons with the Jaguars (2013-2016), rushing for 1,041 yards and five touchdowns. Robinson then spent time in the Alliance of American Football with the Atlanta Legends before the league disbanded. After his playing days were over, he knew he wanted to stay around the game.
“It has always been something I wanted to do,” Robinson told Jaguar Report at the time. “I always wanted to get into coaching. I knew after I was done playing football I wanted to get into coaching because I wanted to stay around the game. I loved it so much and I feel like I wanted to always pass down the wisdom that I learned from the game, and you know, continue to be around the game.
“There is no sport like football. It is the ultimate sport.”
The former dual-threat Michigan quarterback and converted running back will now work in the personnel department, yet again expanding his portfolio.
"I am going to take it one day at a time. My goal is to be the best person I can be right now and try to focus on what I am doing now," Robinson told Jaguar Report last November of his plan working with the Jaguars.
"I have goals; my goal is to try to move up the ladder. Start being a running back, quarterback coach, whatever. But right now I am just focused on what I am doing right now and continuing to build on that, build what I am doing now and try to be the best guy I can be right now for the Jaguars. Whenever an opportunity comes, hopefully I will be ready.”