JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — The Jacksonville Jaguars have selected Connecticut cornerback Dwayne Gratz in the third round of the NFL draft.
The Jaguars chose Gratz with the 64th overall selection, adding the 5-foot-11 defender to coach Gus Bradley’s press-coverage scheme.
Gratz was a three-year starter at UConn. He started 39 games, finishing with 189 tackles, 30 pass breakups and eight interceptions.
He will compete for a starting job on a rebuilding team that parted ways with its top three cornerbacks from last season — Derek Cox, Aaron Ross and Rashean Mathis. The Jaguars wanted to revamp the position with aggressive, pressing cornerbacks who often get left in one-on-one coverage.
Jacksonville chose Gratz over former LSU star Tyrann Mathieu, saying they had “Honey Badger” slated for a later round.
