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Jaguars get their franchise quarterback, move up for Gabbert

Insight Bowl - Missouri v Iowa

TEMPE, AZ - DECEMBER 28: Quarterback Blaine Gabbert #11 of the Missouri Tigers celebrates after scoring a 7 yard rushing touchdown against the Iowa Hawkeyes during the third quarter of the Insight Bowl at Sun Devil Stadium on December 28, 2010 in Tempe, Arizona. The Hawkeyes defeated the Tigers 27-24. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

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Jaguars fans finally have some true competition for David Garrard, just like they wanted.

Jacksonville traded up six spots from 16 to 10 with Washington, giving the Redskins a second round pick for the right to move up and draft Missouri’s Blaine Gabbert.

“I had no preconceived notions about where I would get drafted,” Gabbert told NFL Network’s Deion Sanders.

It’s pretty remarkable that quarterback-hungry teams like Buffalo, Arizona, San Francisco, Tennessee, and Washington all decided to pass on Gabbert. It lends credence to the notion that Gabbert was a bit of a draftnik creation, a guy who “looked” like a top-five pick but didn’t quite excite teams enough.

He’ll excite the Jaguars fanbase plenty. Mobile with a strong arm, Gabbert will have a steep learning curve in the NFL coming from a spread offense. That won’t make Garrard’s leash any longer as the Jaguars starter.

Gabbert is a two game losing streak away from being the most popular man in town.