Jaguars: Full Position Breakdown and Depth-Chart Analysis at Tight End

Depth and competition have become new features of the Jacksonville Jaguars. Over the past couple of seasons, depth was seen as a luxury and not a common characteristic of any position. However, the Jaguars have always had OK depth at tight end.

But even tight end has been improved, most notably by the addition of former Denver Bronco Julius Thomas. And while Thomas is an upgrade, there are still other notable players on the depth chart as well.

Marcedes Lewis is a proven veteran who's prepared to take on a new role. Clay Harbor and Nic Jacobs have shown skill as blockers and receivers. And two rookies, Ben Koyack and Connor Hamlett, are also in the running for a tight end spot.

Considering there are relatively apparent tiers dividing these players, we'll start with the two most prominent tight ends: Thomas and Lewis.

New offensive coordinator Greg Olson is preparing the offense for a lot of changes, the most notable being more two-tight end sets, according to the Florida Times-Union's Ryan O'Halloran. It sounds like a fantastic and sensible move just by glancing at the depth chart.

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For Thomas and Lewis, they will be the primary components of the majority of these situations. Lewis will be a more traditional tight end who'll line up on the line and block more often than receive, and Thomas will be a more modern tight end, one who can move around and will focus on receiving.

Lewis has shown in the past (remember the 10 touchdowns in 2010?) that he's not just an option at receiver, but possibly one of the best receiving options still. However, Lewis has improved as a blocker over the years, and that's what he'll bring to most plays.

And while Thomas isn't a tremendous blocker, he can distract and pull defenders away from the play and allow both the running game and the passing game breath if he's not the one receiving.

Thomas will be graded on how his receiving stats look—especially on how many touchdowns he gets, considering he's caught 12 touchdowns in each of the past two seasons. But Thomas has an immeasurable value of being a tactical strength other teams always have to account for.

Watch these highlights from Thomas' unforgettable breakout 2013 season below:

Behind Lewis and Thomas, the next tier consists of Harbor and Jacobs. Harbor is entering his sixth year, and Jacobs is entering his second.

Harbor has slowly become a fan favorite because of his ability to do just about anything as a tight end and making the most of his on-field opportunities. He's not a tremendous athlete or even anything incredibly special technically, but he does put in the work and performs at a consistent level.

As for Jacobs, he's more of a pure blocking tight end and also has been a consistent player on special teams. He had two receptions in his rookie year, and one was for a touchdown just a few days after the Jags signed him from the New Orleans Saints' practice squad. You can watch that here.

Jacobs can be an important member of the team. But he'll need to show continued ability to block, and he needed to impress Olson in OTAs. He also needs to continue to improve in training camp.

In the final tier, there is Koyack, the 2015 NFL draft seventh-round selection, and Hamlett, an undrafted free agent.

Koyack was a solid run-blocker and receiver at Notre Dame, and he has the best chance of the two to make the final roster. Hamlett is an all-around decent tight end, but he hasn't turned any heads in the media this offseason.

There will be a maximum of four TEs on roster unless someone like Jacobs can prove he also offers something unique on special teams. If not, it will be Lewis, Thomas, Harbor and Koyack.

The competition and depth at TE are astounding. Each veteran has shown he can offer something special, and each rookie has shown promise. While it'll be sad to see one or two solid tight ends leave, those left will be major contributors to the Jaguars in 2015.

Who is your favorite TE on roster? Answer the poll, and comment below!

All stats were provided by ESPN.com unless otherwise stated.

Evan Reier is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report covering the Jacksonville Jaguars. Follow Evan on Twitter at @evanreier.