Assessing Jacksonville Jaguars WR Ace Sanders' Chances of Earning a Roster Spot

Ace Sanders has the potential to be electrifying and devastating to NFL defenses, and while his first two years with the Jacksonville Jaguars aren't excellent representations of that, he's ready to prove he belongs at this level now.

The former University of South Carolina man has had a rocky first two years in the NFL, but his recent performances in OTAs have shown growth and maturity. He's refusing to fade into free agency or even into the depth of the team, and that's much-appreciated.

Here are Sanders' career stats coming up to this offseason:

Year	Games Played	Receiving Yards	Receptions	Touchdowns	Returns	Return Yards
2013	15	484	51	1	25	140
2014	12	55	6	0	32	227

The progress the team has made as a whole has some people curious about exactly how much he can offer, but Sanders can be a valuable asset to the Jaguars. He's a solid receiver for his size (5'7", 178 lbs), and his versatility extends to him being a decent ball-carrier and an excellent returner.

However, his versatility and his explosive style of play have taken a backseat, and he only has himself to blame. Violating the NFL's substance-abuse policy and getting suspended for the first four games took him out of the picture for the Jaguars offense last season.

He had a good but not great rookie season in 2013, but 2014 was a near-absent year for Sanders. Six receptions for 55 yards in 12 games were not what Sanders had in mind for 2014.

And that must've upset him something fierce because he has been lighting up OTAs, and it's almost like he's a different player. Recent praise from head coach Gus Bradley and wide receivers coach Jerry Sullivan solidified this. 

Jeff Haynes/Associated Press/Associated Press

According to Jaguars.com's John Oehser, Sullivan said, "It looks like he’s got himself in good condition. He’s playing very fast and his consistency level is where you would hope it would be." That comment is both surprising and relieving, but you can't take it as a final judgment of Sanders.

Guys like Sanders can excel in no-pad practices, and that's where the incredible athletes shine. Sanders' quick movement and sharp moves look even better when pads aren't restricting him, but that's no guarantee he's bounced back or even worthy of a roster spot.

His performance is reassuring nonetheless. It's not often that you see a player come back and excel from the beginning of OTAs. It's obvious that he's been working hard and does value his place on this team.

Sanders is going to have a lot of competition in the coming weeks against both the receivers and the returners, and he'll need to impress in both areas to solidify a roster spot.

The appeal of Sanders is what he can do, not necessarily what he will do. As seen in the video below, he can turn a basic punt return into an unbelievable highlight, but he hasn't done that yet in the NFL.

At his core, it seems like Sanders is a good person and that his mistake and suspension are all the misconduct you can expect from him. His character is not going to put him out of a job at this point, though his play might.

But if Sanders can continue his momentum and carry his improved performances into practices with pads, then there is no way he doesn't have a job. He offers too much as an all-around player.

But if he slips up or can't keep up with his competition, he could easily find himself out of a job before the season starts. His battle isn't necessarily against anyone else; it's just reproving himself. That makes his situation one of the most interesting on the team.

Do you think Sanders can lock a spot on the final roster? Or will another option replace him? Answer in the poll, and comment your thoughts below!

All stats courtesy of ESPN.com unless otherwise stated. Predraft information courtesy of NFLDraftScout.com and NFL.com.

Evan Reier is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report covering the Jacksonville Jaguars.