JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- As a high school athlete in 2012, Jaguars starting middle linebacker Myles Jack was recruited to UCLA by three future NFL players. This week in Minnesota, Jack shared the practice field with two of those Bruins standouts.
While they weren't specifically facing each other during 11-on-11 drills at the Vikings' team facility, the Jaguars linebacker and his college teammates, Anthony Barr and Eric Kendricks, were on opposite sides for the first time since Jack lined up as a running back during practice in 2013 as a true freshman. Jack eventually became a full-time linebacker at UCLA but by that time Barr was already making plays in the NFL.
Barr, Kendricks and Jordan Zumwalt - a 2014 sixth-round pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers - hosted Jack on his college recruiting visit to UCLA. Jack ended up becoming the fourth of the four linebackers to make it to the NFL in 2016.
"It's kind of crazy because just going through college with those guys and then Anthony goes [to Minnesota] and then EK goes [to the Vikings as well]," Jack said on Tuesday before the road trip. "They go to the same team and I go to my own team, now we're kind of linking up so it's definitely cool to get us all in the NFL, just kind of as a lineage for UCLA. [I'm] proud of that, definitely."
Jack learned a lot from Kendricks and Barr during their time together as Bruins. Jack, as a two-way player, easily related to Barr who also played on offense during his college career. Barr would go on to be the highest-drafted member of the UCLA linebacker quartet in 2014, as he was selected by Minnesota with the ninth overall pick in the first round.
"He just kind of took me under his wing," Jack said regarding his relationship with Barr. "He was kind of like that older brother - him and Eric - both of them. They definitely looked out for me on numerous situations. They just let me know I was talented [and to] just stay out of trouble, stay focused and everything will add up."
Jack spent two seasons with Kendricks at UCLA before the elder linebacker was selected by the Vikings during the second round of the 2015 NFL Draft. Kendricks is now the Vikings' starting middle linebacker and Jack still studies his college teammate's film as the Jaguars defender adapts to playing the position himself.
"You see your older brother doing something, so you're kind of like the younger brother wanting to do the same thing," Jack said. "Definitely with those guys, Eric just got paid, Anthony has been to the Pro Bowl I think [for] two or three years, so that's definitely a standard I'd like to live up to."
Jack wants to show his "older brothers" that he has grown since their time together in college. Now at the center of the Jaguars' defense, Jack hopes to stand out during his team's clash with the Vikings on Saturday at U.S. Bank Stadium.
"Kind of show them that I can hang and everything and just handle my business," Jack said of his goals for the UCLA linebacker reunion.
The Jaguars and the Vikings both made it to their respective conference championship games in January. Both teams ended up losing their opportunities to make it to the Super Bowl but still have strong rosters heading into a new season.
Jack believes the joint practices and preseason matchup will make both sides better, as both teams have tons of talent.
"If you look at it, either of us or we both could have been in the Super Bowl last year," Jack said regarding the exhibition matchup. "To get a chance to go up against some really stiff competition like that, I think it's very beneficial heading into the season. That'll kind of be our standard and give those defenses a chance to show who is really number one."
The Jaguars face the Vikings on Saturday at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minnesota at 1 p.m. EST.
Follow Mike Kaye on Twitter: @Mike_E_Kaye.