Joe Schobert Is the Quiet But Steadying New Voice for the Jaguars' Defense

The middle linebacker is finally getting to meet his new teammates in person and given them something to say about his quiet personality.

Joe Schobert tends to not say much. He’s admittedly quiet, preferring to let his actions speak. Even though Jacksonville Jaguar veterans have only been in the building and on the field together for a couple of weeks now, it’s something that his new teammates (Schobert was signed as a free agent this offseason) have already noticed about the middle linebacker.

“What I like about him though is he’s quiet, you have different leaders who show actions. He’s quiet, he plays his role, he’s very athletic,” explained running back Leonard Fournette.

Even Schobert will admit to the aspect of his personality. On Tuesday while speaking with reporters, asked if he’d mistaken any of his new teammates yet, Schobert replied, “I don't talk that much. I don't have that much of a risk of that.”

In fact, one of the few times Fournette has heard Schobert react was recently in a 2020 training camp practice.

“Yeah, I killed him in practice,” laughed the thousand-yard back.

“I killed him on the wheel route. Ask him what happened on that wheel route. I ran past him and he said ‘ohh.’”

Fournette and Schobert have battled before as opponents, here in 2017. Mandatory Credit: Scott R. Galvin-USA TODAY Sports

For as quiet as Schobert is, he has something to say about that as well.

"I remember Leonard running a wheel route but I don't remember him catching the ball so I'm not really sure what he's talking about. He definitely has some wheels and I was in a disadvantageous situation, but it did not get completed I can tell you that," Schobert said with a laugh on Tuesday. 

As those training camp competitions continue to juice guys for the upcoming season, Fournette will continue to face arguably the Jaguars' biggest free agent acquisition of the offseason. Schobert was selected in the fourth round of the 2016 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns. His 378 tackles in the past four seasons are the fourth-most in the NFL during that span.

“He’s a sideline to sideline guy. He’s very smart, too. He’s definitely a guy I’m going to look out for this upcoming season,” adds Fournette.

Opponents will have to look out for Schobert as well, and the linebacker corps that the Jaguars shuffled to better serve its current roster. Myles Jack served as the middle linebacker last season, finishing with 61 tackles, four passes defended and an interception. But with Schobert now at MIKE, Jack was moved outside, where coaches feel he’ll better utilize his skill set.

The hope is for the tandem to shut down the middle of the field. As the quarterback of the defense, it will also require constant communication between Schobert and Jack. Despite any tendencies for the former to remain quiet, Head Coach Doug Marrone has seen the two develop a chemistry this offseason.

“[It’s] great, no issues. I wouldn’t have even thought of it. They both communicate well together. They both like each other. They both seem to be getting along great, so that’s all pluses. I don’t think my expectation would have been any different than that. I think they are both excited to play together, I really do.”

Schobert calls Jack "a loose character on the field." Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports

While Schobert prefers to stay on the quieter side, Myles Jack is the yin to his yang. But it’s something the Jaguars' newest middle linebacker thinks has helped the duo click quickly and find a balance that should serve them will on the field.

“It's been good. Myles is a great guy, he's a loose character on the field, he likes to enjoy himself and get everybody else pumped up and that's always great having a guy like that next to you in the linebacker room," Schobert said. 

“I think I'll just be a little bit of a steadying voice for him and we communicate very well back and forth with our checks and our talk pre-snap so it's been real good so far. Ever since I've been down here being able to meet him in person talk and actually work through some things, so I can only expect that to just grow as we get further along in the training camp.”

As it does, it should give Joe Schobert and the Jaguars something to talk about.