With their final selection in the 2024 NFL draft, at No. 236 overall in the seventh round, Jacksonville targeted Texas Tech edge rusher Myles Cole.
Jaguars Wire analyzes Jacksonville’s selection of Cole below, reviewing his background, college stats, NFL combine results and projected fit in Jacksonville’s defense.
Myles Cole, EDGE, Texas Tech
Background
Cole and Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson have some ties.
From Shreveport (La.) Evangel Christian Academy, Cole played high school football 15 minutes from where Pederson began his post-playing coaching career, Calvary Baptist Academy.
Pederson went 33-7 over four seasons there, leaving in early 2009 to join the Philadephia Eagles as a quality control coach. Cole began high school in 2014.
A consensus two-star recruit, Cole signed with Louisiana-Monroe in the 2018 recruiting class. There, he teamed up with Pederson’s son, current Jaguars tight end Josh Pederson, for three seasons.
After a fourth campaign with the Warhawks, Cole transferred to Texas Tech for the final two years of his college tenure. He was one of three Red Raiders invited to the 2024 NFL combine.
College stats and accolades
via Texas Tech, Louisiana-Monroe and Pro Football Focus
- 88 tackles
- Five sacks
- 12.5 tackles for loss
- One defended pass
- One blocked kick
- 47 quarterback pressures
- 57 defensive stops (tackles that constitute a failed play for the offense)
NFL combine results
via MockDraftable
- 6-foot-6 (92nd percentile among edge rushers since 1999)
- 278 pounds (82nd percentile)
- 36 and 7/8-inch arm length (99th percentile)
- 86 and 1/4-inch wingspan (98th percentile)
- 4.67-second 40-yard dash (79th percentile)
- 1.65-second 10-yard split (41st percentile)
- 35-inch vertical jump (71st percentile)
- 120-inch broad jump (73rd percentile)
Texas Tech pro day results
- 7.73-second three-cone drill (the closest result among edge rushers at the NFL combine since 1999, 7.74 seconds, ranks in the third percentile)
- 4.72-second 20-yard shuttle (closest result, 4.71 seconds, ranks in the sixth percentile)
Projected fit
Cole is a developmental edge rushing prospect with the size and athleticism to potentially occupy an interior role on pass-rush downs.
He struggled to put all of his traits together in college and averaged fewer than a sack per season, but it makes sense that the Jaguars want a bite at the apple that is his physical profile for the EDGE position.
“Size, length, he’s a developmental guy for sure,” Jaguars general manager Trent Baalke said about Cole after the draft. “Kind of got onto him later in the process just with his measurables, they just stood out. At that stage of the draft you’re looking for traits to develop and he’s certainly got some.”
While competing for a roster spot, Cole will likely begin in a depth role behind starting edge rusher Travon Walker, whose size and athletic profile is a 71.6% match with Cole’s, per MockDraftable. He’ll also almost certainly factor into the trenches on special teams.
