Back in 2004, the NFL Draft was winding down. As with most fanatics, my head was swimming with new information, musing about who got whom, and what it all meant. By the time it got down to the compensatory picks in the seventh round, draft overload had set in.
Unknown to me, and the rest of the football world, there was gold to be mined form the undrafted players still on the board. At the 48th pick in the seventh round, the 249th pick overall, the Jaguars called out for Bobby McCray. No one took notice.
The guys in the Jacksonville front office really earned their pay on this one. Out of 24 defensive ends taken in that year's draft, he was the 23rd, but played more like a first rounder. I have no clue as to why they let him go. The Saints offer was not that great.
In his first four years with the Jaguars, he put up solid numbers. It seems to me that 22 sacks, 72 solo tackles, with seven forced fumbles is outstanding for a guy picked 249th overall.
I remember the first time I saw Bobby in a Saints uniform. It was training camp. My mother pointed him out to me asking, "who's that 93 guy? He's a step faster than the rest." Mom has a good eye. She lost the other one in a bar fight, but that's another story.
Gregg Williams is coming in as the Saints' new defensive coordinator. I think McCray will benefit the most from the change. The Saints should move him around more on passing downs, and while his pass rushing skills are what everyone notices, his ability to drop back in coverage allows zone blitzes to be more effective. Plus his run defense has been better than advertised.
If any Jags fans has more info on why the front office let him get away, I would like to hear about it, but as a Saints fan I would personally like to thank whoever is responsible.
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