3 reasons Devin Lloyd has been overlooked
As a selection of the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 2022 NFL Draft, Devin Lloyd has barely registered a blip on anyone’s radar screen. Until this year.
Ever since he entered the NFL, the former Utah Utes standout has been overlooked.
Not anymore.
Devin Lloyd has announced his arrival among the best of the best the NFL has to offer at linebacker. What better way to do it than to have a 99-yard pick six on Patrick Mahomes:
The former Ute read Pat like a novel. He shuffled to his left about two feet and snared Mahomes pass, helping Utah fans forget about how Pat’s alma mater (Texas Tech) came into Rice-Eccles Stadium and won handily. (Alright, probably not.)
Here are three reasons Devin Lloyd has been overlooked:
3. He isn’t racking up Bobby Wagner numbers
Though it seems absolutely ridiculous to compare a former Ute to a former Utah State Aggie, that is how national media operates. They are subject to recency bias and so what better way to downplay Lloyd’s career than to compare him?
We all are aware that comparison is the root of all evil but like it or not the former Ute is even being compared to his own teammates on the Jags, in addition to Fred Warner who is also a linebacker but isn’t playing the same spot at his position.
For example, the Jags play a 3-3-5, which has been newly installed by their new defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile and is known for being an aggressive scheme.
2. He didn’t get his option picked up in the offseason
Believe it or not, and though Lloyd has been a consummate pro during his four years in Jacksonville, new Jaguars management refused to pick up the option of the former Ute. Per this report from ESPN reporter Michael DiRocco there is yet another issue: Lloyd would be “eligible for a $27.5 franchise tag” but that would be “more than what Trevor Lawrence” earns.
Therein lies the problem; unless Campanile urges management -- now fronted by Jags legend and USC great Tony Boselli -- to fork over the dough and keep the AFC’s leading interception getter (Lloyd has four on the season) on the roster, it is likely that the former Ute becomes a free agent and has his choice of suitors.
Forget cries of “DUUUUUU--VALLLLLLL”; what do you think a team like the Seattle Seahawks that now don’t have the services of Bobby Wagner would do for a ball-hawking linebacker like Devin?
1. He isn’t leading his own team in tackles
Again, recency bias is abundant when national media looks at Devin Lloyd. He only recently started getting media attention after a 99-yard pick six, the longest TD from scrimmage thus far in the NFL. Forget the fact that Lloyd had his fourth interception of the season with that perfect snag of Patrick Mahomes, a stat not even the great Fred Warner nor Bobby Wagner himself can boast of.
And, when you’re fifth on your own team in tackles with 25, will that compel head coach Liam Coen to again act on an impulse, and will he act like an ass and behave like he did after the 49ers game harassing THEIR defensive coordinator Robert Saleh? Or, will Coen let Lloyd walk away and into free agency?
One thing is clear. For the remainder of this season, Lloyd isn’t going anywhere and even if projection weirdos have the former Ute’s tackles capped at 85, they do have him nabbing 14 interceptions which would tie him with and land him in the rarest of rare company with NFL Hall of Famer Dick “Night Train” Lane, who has the league’s all-time single-season INT record. Ah, to dream. «
Overthink This Photo 📸
Yes, we’re friggin back'; did ya miss us? There is wayyyyy too much going on now (like I mentioned on the latest BVU Show). The Jazz, Mammoth (more about them in a moment) AND all four college football teams play later this week. Why, the Jazz start tonight against the Houston Rockets.
And, I’m sure you’ll want to watch this video instead of seeing a photo.
Your Utah Jazz invaded East High School. SQUEE!!!
Not for a rendition of High School Musical, but for a scrimmage. A way to say thanks for hanging in with this team that is bound to look a lot different—perhaps in a few weeks.
Kevin Love is really in the building. And, so are Ace Bailey and Co., highflying with all their acrobatics that some used car salesman with a silver spoon in his mouth could never replicate with 3,000 words of Millenial moron. Newsflash, bro: it’s not over and your cars friggin’ suck. In the immortal words of one K-Love, f*** off.
Back to the program: the Jazz brought back The Minivan (Georges Niang) and are about to hold another “Survivor” series starring any combination of Walker Kessler, Kyle Filipowski, Jusuf Nurkic and Mo Bamba and Oscar Tschiebwe—provided they aren’t traded. I talked about it on the last BVU Show:
Why Is Walker Kessler So Salty?
Oh: Absolutely nobody expected Kessler to be so indifferent at a Jazz presser
With two Ainges in the building on 300 West, it truly is hard to say what way Jazz brass goes; all we know is that they will. «
Please Welcome Your Utah Mammoth
RUMORS » Before Utah’s NHL team officially became the Mammoth (and sparked a C&D lawsuit from a Portland, Oregon-based hockey equipment company called Mammoth) it reportedly wanted to be the Yeti.
But, the Austin, Texas-based giant said nah, yall aint finna take our name or something like that, and so for the first time in state history an attempt to steal something was all for naught.
The first Mammoth logos left something to be desired, honestly—though the U with the horns sticking out were purty dang cool. And so was this facility (located where REI used to be at South Towne and extended into the actual mall):
Fans were left thinking, hmmmm…is this gonna get any better? Actually, yes, with the arrivals of NHL veteran enforcer (and Judd Nelson lookalike) Brandon Tanev and JJ Peterka, the future actually just got VERY bright…even if a certain someone doesn’t wanna be here.
#BullshitOrNot
It’ll be really difficult to defeat the AP voter. Oh, wait; no it will not!
All of you media types should be ashamed of jumping to conclusions before knowing all the facts. Especially you, Nick “Anti-Jazz” Wright. What a friggin tool.
Thanks for reading; be safe and be well. I’ll see ya next time. Listen to Westside Sportzz, our hot new HS sports talk show that only covers SLC’s West side, Friday nights. And, stay tuned for the BVU Show, Sundays. «