In search of offensive line depth, the Jaguars took Missouri offensive tackle Javon Foster with their first of two fourth-round picks on Saturday during the 2024 NFL draft.
Jaguars Wire analyzes Jacksonville’s selection of Foster below, reviewing his background, college stats, NFL combine results, projected fit in Jacksonville’s offense and what he said after being picked.
Javon Foster, OT, Missouri
Background
Javon Foster, the son of former NFL defensive lineman Jerome Foster, grew up playing basketball in Detroit, Mich. but moved toward his father’s game during his junior year of high school. He wasn’t highly-coveted as a recruit, accordingly, but secured a scholarship offer from Missouri in the class of 2018, his lone Southeastern Conference opportunity.
Foster made the most of it. He redshirted as a freshman and appeared in two games the following season, but emerged as a reliable depth and rotational piece as a redshirt sophomore in 2020.
It led to his placement on the Tigers’ first-team offensive line in 2021, a spot he wouldn’t relinquish for three years. Foster accrued over 3,000 total snaps in college, significantly aiding his development and ascension toward an NFL draft selection.
College stats and accolades
via Missouri Tigers and Pro Football Focus
- 50 appearances
- 41 starts (39 at left tackle, two at right tackle)
- 2,939 offensive snaps logged
- 2023 Third-Team All-America (Associated Press)
- 2023 First-Team All-SEC (AP and Coaches)
- 2024 Senior Bowl invitation
- Eight career sacks allowed
- 85.8 out of 100 peak single-season run blocking grade (2023)
NFL combine results
via MockDraftable
- 6-foot-5 and 1/2 inch (46th percentile among offensive tackles at the NFL combine since 1999)
- 313 pounds (49th percentile)
- 34 and 5/8-inch arm length (71st percentile)
- 83 and 3/8 inch wingspan (76th percentile)
- 5.3-second 40-yard dash (42nd percentile)
- 32 and 1/2-inch vertical jump (90th percentile)
- 106-inch broad jump (65th percentile)
Projected fit
Jaguars general manager Trent Baalke said Foster would begin in a swing tackle role with the Jaguars, and that Jacksonville’s coaching staff would determine his best long-term positional fit.
“We view him as [a] swing tackle, a guy that can play left and right. He played primarily on the left side in college obviously, but went to the Senior Bowl and proved he could line up on the right side,” Baalke said on Saturday.
“Really like the size, the length, two-time captain, leader in the SEC, 31-game starter, a lot of things that played into the pick.”
Should Foster progress nicely, he’ll be a candidate to step into the lineup in the event of an injury to starting tackles, Cam Robinson and Anton Harrison. Walker Little, Jacksonville’s 2021 second-round pick and a hybrid tackle/guard, is also experienced in the role.
Robinson and Little are scheduled to become free agents next offseason.
Quotable
“I started off my whole career just playing left tackle. I felt a little bit more comfortable there. I have been training for both tackles, so I feel like I’m getting a lot more comfortable at my right stance and it just really helps me out a lot, being versatile and just able to help the organization however I can.” — offensive tackle Javon Foster on his experience playing left and right tackle in college
