money 2023 NFL draft: Jaguars select Oklahoma State defensive lineman Tyler Lacy in fourth round
The Jaguars stayed with defense in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL draft when they selected Oklahoma State lineman Tyler Lacy, nine picks after taking Florida linebacker Ventrell Miller.
Lacy had a heartfelt reaction to his selection, based on a visit he made to Jacksonville on March 30: "I felt like I was home ... this was the place I wanted to be."
Lacy is a 6-foot-4, 279-pounder who is projected to play both defensive tackle and end, similar to the way the Jags have used veteran Dawuane Smoot, who missed the last two games of the season and the playoffs with an Achilles injury.
In four years with the Cowboys, Lacy had 113 tackles and more than a quarter of them were for losses (30), with 11.5 sacks.
He also forced three fumbles, recovered three and defended four passes.
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Lacy played in only nine games as a senior, missing the last four with an ankle injury. He had 3.5 sacks and 8.5 tackles for losses but was still able to play in the Senior Bowl.
He finished his OSU career with the second-most career quarterback hurries with 22 and had the most starts (40) of any active Cowboys' player.
"The Jaguars are a team on the up and up," he said. "They're building new infrastructure, a new [practice] facility ... the defensive coaches grabbed me, showing what they do. It was really welcoming."
Lacy said his strengths were versatility and being physical at the point of attack.
"I don't give up on plays," he said, adding that one Jaguars player he had seen on video and admired especially was tackle Roy Robertson-Harris.
Lacy, who was a three-star player at Sachse (Texas) High School, was a three-time honorable mention Big 12 player and was on the Big 12 All-Academic team.
"I'm really hungry and ready to get to work," he said.
Jaguars' last five years in the fourth round
2023: LB Ventrell Miller, Florida
2022: No pick
2021: DT Jay Tufele, USC
2021: DE Jordan Smith, UAB
2020: LG Ben Bartch, St. John's (Minn).
2020: CB Josiah Scott, Michigan State
2020: LB Shaq Quarterman, Miami
2019: No pick.
2018: OT Will Richardson, N.C. State
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: 2023 NFL draft: Jags select big-play defensive tackle in Tyler Lacy
