Gene Frenette: Jaguars hope rookie kicker Little has the leg, accuracy to deliver for long time

Can Little come up big for Jaguars?

One of the more compelling battles in Jaguars training camp might be at placekicker, where returning veteran Riley Patterson and promising sixth-round draft pick Cam Little will be in competition.

Undoubtedly, the Jaguars would prefer Little, who has the combination of accuracy and a big leg that NFL teams crave, wins the job.

While a rookie kicker’s performance can be unpredictable, Little loves the environment the Jaguars provide with proven long snapper Ross Matiscik, holder Logan Cooke and Patterson all working close together.

“In offseason training, I learned how to play certain tilts with the ball and my holder in windy conditions,” said Little. “Ross and Logan are amazing at that. I’ve had some good advice with the vets around me. Riley Patterson has been a big help.”

Little, the youngest player on the Jaguars' roster at age 20, never played a football game until his sophomore year in high school because he saw his future as a midfielder in soccer. But his mindset changed a year later as his kicking ability attracted scholarship offers from several schools, including his home state team of Arkansas.

“I loved soccer, but I wanted to play in a big stadium with a lot of fans,” Little said. “I wasn’t going to be able to play at the highest level possible in soccer, and I didn’t want my parents to pay for my school.”

The Jaguars have had a revolving door at kicker since Josh Lambo suffered a hip injury in 2020 that prematurely ended his career.

Little’s big leg allowed him to make four of five field goals from 50-plus yards last season and he converted all four attempts in an overtime win over Florida. He also had 53 touchbacks in 62 kickoffs.

He credits Tampa Bay Buccaneers punter Jake Camarda and Cincinnati Bengals kicker Evan McPherson with helping him through the pre-draft process.

“The consensus from everyone is maintaining confidence after you miss a kick and not letting misses affect you,” said Little. “That’s the best advice [McPherson] gave me.”

If Little can win the job from Patterson, who made the game-winning kick two years ago in the Jaguars’ AFC wild-card win over the Los Angeles Chargers, the hope is he will have a long stay in Jacksonville like Mike Hollis (1995-2001) and Josh Scobee (2004-14).

O’Sullivan not worried about NCAA chances

Despite a down year by Florida baseball and going one-and-out in the SEC tournament, Gators’ coach Kevin O’Sullivan feels strongly that his team won’t be excluded from the NCAA Tournament.

When the team selections are announced Monday, the 16-year UF coach expects his team to be in the 64-team field, believing that playing the toughest schedule in the country will offset a 28-27 overall record and 13-17 mark in SEC play.

“The NCAA wants you to play a challenging schedule and that’s all we do every year,” O’Sullivan said. “We have the hardest schedule in the country.

“I’m not one to politick for my team. All I know is we went 9-9 against the six teams that are going to host [NCAA] regionals and we lost two extra-inning games to Kentucky, the SEC champion. I think we’re getting in.”

Florida has been to the NCAA tournament in every non-COVID year during O’Sullivan’s 16-year tenure. Three separate national projections all have the Gators as a No. 3 seed in the Tallahassee regional hosted by Florida State.

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jaguars drafted rookie kicker Cam Little to come up big in decisive moments