Brenton Strange’s rookie season with the Jacksonville Jaguars has been pretty quiet.
The 2023 second-round pick has only five receptions for 35 yards and a touchdown. According to Pro Football Focus, Strange has been a run blocker on 59.7 percent of his offensive snaps and a pass blocker on another 10.8 percent.
While the Jaguars undoubtedly hope bigger things are ahead for Strange, they’re doing just fine at the position with Evan Engram in the lineup. On Sunday, Engram became the eighth tight end in NFL history to record a 100-reception season.
It’d be nice for the Jaguars if Engram’s work ethic and growth rubs off on the rookie tight end.
“The difference between college and the NFL for me has really just been the time management,” Strange said this week on Jags Report Live. “The structure is a little bit more different than college, so coming in and watching how [Engram] works and how he prepares for practice. The things he does before practice and after practice to get his body right. That’s been the most impressive thing is how he prepares each week and it shows.
“Its been awesome to just come in and learn from a guy of that caliber and learn from the things he does. I found myself in a similar situation at Penn State. When I came in there was another top guy, Pat Freiermuth, who was doing that and I got to learn from him and take some things from his guy. So I’m really appreciate of [Engram] and not only [Engram], Luke [Farrell] and the coaches too.”
Engram’s preparation isn’t hard to see. The veteran tight end is always the first Jaguars player on the field for pre-game warmups where he does a lengthy routine that involves catching tennis balls
Evan Engram pre-game using small balls and strobe light glasses to sharpen his craft. pic.twitter.com/XFHWC8WhQ6
— SpreadOffense.com (@SpreadOffense) January 7, 2023
Engram’s 104 receptions this year are third most in a single season in Jaguars history behind only 116- and 112-catch seasons recorded by Jimmy Smith in 1999 and 2001, respectively.
