Jacksonville Scoops Up Jamal Miles

With plenty of needs at the receiver position, the Jacksonville Jaguars scooped up Jamal Miles as an undrafted free agent after the draft. As the Jaguars build around Blaine Gabbert, it will be interesting to see if they have plans to make Miles a part of their offense.

College Career: After starring as a running back in high school, Miles made his name as a wide receiver and as an electrifying return man at the college level.

Though Miles did not see the field often during his first two seasons, he made sure to make his presence felt when he did get a chance. By the end of his sophomore campaign, it became apparent that his return abilities were downright sensational.

In his junior season, Miles became a star because of his mesmerizing abilities to make plays in the open field. Miles returned two kickoffs and one punt for a touchdown in 2011 and also made an impact in the receiving game.

That season, Miles racked up 60 receptions for 361 yards, while also playing a role in the ground game. Miles ran for 237 yards as a junior and his 10 total touchdowns provided a major spark for the Arizona State offense.

Though he had a frustrating senior season, Miles still managed to make a difference by reeling in 37 catches for 373 yards. Ultimately, his junior season was his best, and that's the form the Jaguars hope he takes this offseason.

Skill Set: Miles' 40-yard dash time might be a tenth of a second slower than that of Rashad Ross, but it's hard to argue that Ross was the more explosive player during their time at Arizona State.

Miles has one of the fastest first steps in the game, and he'll need to hone that skill in order to play the slot receiver position in the NFL. When he has the ball, Miles is one of the most elusive weapons a team can have, but he needs to work on his route running to become an effective presence.

With incredible speed, it's no surprise that Miles top skill is eluding defenders. As a kick and punt returner, Miles has a knack for making people miss and he also demonstrated great patience on his returns at Arizona State.

Though Miles projects as more of a return specialist, he has to work on his consistency in the receiving game to provide enough value to stick with the Jaguars through camp.

Why He Fits: Aside from Justin Blackmon and Cecil Shorts, Jacksonville has glaring issues at the receiver position. Last season, tight end Marcedes Lewis was the only other Jaguar to surpass 300 yards receiving and that simply won't cut it in the NFL.

With that being said, receiver depth isn't likely to be the primary reason the Jaguars signed Miles. Though Rashad Jennings and Jalen Parmele both had respectable return numbers last season, Jacksonville never returned a kickoff more than 38 yards.

If the blocking is in place, Jamal Miles has the chance to go the distance every time he touches the football. Giving Miles a shot to return kicks in camp is a no-brainer for Jacksonville, and it will be his special teams value that makes him an asset on an NFL roster.