Marqise Lee was one of the true wild cards of the first round of the NFL draft, and as it turned out, his card fell out of the deck. The USC wide receiver wasn't picked Thursday and was still on the board when the second round began Friday night.
Lee, praised for his speed and deep-threat ability before a knee injury last October, was finally picked by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the second round, the seventh pick of the night. He gives quarterback Blake Bortles, the third overall pick taken Thursday, an immediate target.
LIVE : SN's Draft tracker | Jaguars shake up first round, pick Bortles | Lee scouting report
Seeing the likes of Kelvin Benjamin (28th to Carolina), the last of the five first-round wide receivers, taken ahead of Lee was a mild upset. The concerns that might have pushed Lee down the board included his size (6 feet, tiny compared to Benjamin and Mike Evans) and his knee woes. Reports are that whatever he may have lost in speed and acceleration, he gained in route-running and reading coverages. He also appeared to suffer from the multiple coaching changes at USC last season.
Still, his 2012 season gives a glimpse of Lee's potential — 14 touchdown catches, 118 receptions, 1,721 yards receiving and, going into last season, Heisman Trophy candidacy. Of the remaining prospects in a loaded receiver class, Lee entered Friday at the top of most rankings.