Lehigh's Rackley goes to Jacksonville in third round

FROM KEITH GROLLER

When asked about the positives of Will Rackley earlier on Friday, Lehigh University offensive line coach Brett Sawyer said: “He’s never been late for anything in his life. I mean never. No matter how trivial, Will was always on time.”

So, why would the NFL Draft be any different?

Rackley was right on time on Friday night, if not ahead of schedule, when he was taken by the Jacksonville Jaguars as the 12th pick in the third round and the 76th pick overall.

Rackley is the first Lehigh player drafted since defensive Rich Owens went to the Washington Redskins in the fifth round of the 1995 draft as the 152nd selection overall. He’s also Lehigh’s highest draft choice since quarterback Kim McQuilken, an Allen High graduate, went to the Atlanta Falcons in the third round and as the 69th choice overall in 1974.

Sawyer said Rackley and his family was at Radio City Hall in New York for the first round of the draft on Thursday, but everybody flew home to the Atlanta to be with more family and friends on Friday.

Rackley, listed at 6-foot-4 and 307 pounds, was an all-Patriot League and All-American left tackle with Lehigh, but will move to guard in the NFL.

Among his assignments with the Jags will be to protect new quarterback Blaine Gabbert, the Missouri star who the team traded with Washington to move up six spots and take at No. 10 in Thursday’s first round.

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