Foyesade Oluokun keeps finding ways to put his stamp on Jaguars games, and Week 4 was another reminder of how central he is to everything Jacksonville does on defense.
The latest example came in the Jaguars’ 22-17 win at Cincinnati, when Oluokun delivered seven tackles, an interception and a forced fumble. That fourth-quarter pick was one of the biggest plays of Jacksonville’s season so far, and it earned him AFC Defensive Player of the Week honors for Week 4. It also fit the pattern that has defined his career: steady production, timely impact and no drop-off.
Now in his fifth season with the Jaguars, Oluokun has stayed every bit as important as he was when he arrived in 2022. He’s played 88% of the team’s snaps this season, and the workload hasn’t slowed him down. If anything, he’s making even more of the defense run through him.
“He's had a really good season so far," Jaguars defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile said on Thursday. "He might be, at that position, just one of the smartest guys I've ever been around ...
He really is like having a coach on the field. He knows everything."
That kind of praise lines up with what Oluokun is doing on the field. Jacksonville’s defense is tied first in interceptions with six, second in points allowed at 53 and run defense at 74.3, and tied second in takeaways with eight in 2026. Oluokun is helping drive all of it while also bringing along Ventrell Miller, a first-time full-time starter at the other linebacker spot.
"He's on it before he walks in the building in terms of what's going in new. He's totally prepared for that," Campanile said.
"And the thing about that is a lot of times you have guys who are smart, they can process the whole thing, but maybe they don't have that element of violence when they play. And he gets so much out of his body in that regard.
Like, he plays violent as hell. And he's still able to keep that kind of controlled rage about him and be a great communicator.
Even some of our communication as he's the green dot, he's done a great job with.”
The production has been loud, but the deeper numbers show how much work Oluokun is shouldering. According to NextGenStats, the Jaguars have allowed just 3.3 yards per carry on designed runs this season, second-fewest in the NFL. That’s happening despite Jacksonville using a light box on 46.8% of those carries, the fourth-highest rate, and contacting ball carriers at or behind the line of scrimmage on only 36.7% of them, eighth-lowest.
Oluokun is making that setup work. He’s absorbing the burden in the middle of the defense and still producing at a high level week after week.
His interception against the Bengals was his 10th career pick, and with that play he became the fourth active NFL player with 10+ sacks, 10+ interceptions and 10+ forced fumbles, joining S Harrison Smith, LB Fred Warner and LB T.J. Watt. His two interceptions in 2026 are tied for the third most in the NFL this season.
He’s also one of only two linebackers in the league with two interceptions through the first month, alongside former Jaguars linebacker Devin Lloyd. By total coverage EPA, Oluokun has been the most valuable pass-defender at linebacker in football.
For Jacksonville, that’s the bigger story. The plays keep coming, the numbers keep stacking up, and Oluokun keeps setting the pace.
In Other News...
Former Jaguars Pick Just Landed Back In The AFC South
The Texans dipped into the open market for some familiar AFC South help, adding linebacker Chad Muma, defensive back Jaden Davis and running back Deuce Vaughn to the practice squad as they work through injuries and depth concerns heading into their next game. For Jacksonville readers, Muma stands out as the former Jaguars draft pick now back in the division, a reminder of how quickly personnel can shuffle around this league this time of year.
Houston also is making a notable change on the sideline, with coach DeMeco Ryans saying he is resuming defensive play-calling duties. Between the roster moves and the shift in responsibility, the Texans are clearly trying to steady things on both sides of the ball, and Mumas addition gives them another experienced piece to sort through as they patch together their depth. [Read more 🡒]
Jaguars Get A Very Different Eagles Test In London
The Eagles arrive in London for Week 5 looking a lot different than the version the Jaguars saw on the schedule earlier in the year. Philadelphia has had meaningful roster turnover, with Lane Johnson retired and Cam Jurgens now in Baltimore, and that reshuffling has put extra pressure on a group that already has to adjust on the fly. For Jacksonville, it adds a layer of intrigue to a trip that was always going to test preparation and adaptability.
Willie Lampkin is expected to see more work as the Eagles sort through those changes up front, and the Jaguars will be watching closely to see how the matchup develops in a neutral-site setting. Trevor Lawrence and the offense have their own reasons to be encouraged entering the game, but this one feels less like a familiar NFC heavyweight showing up and more like a moving target the Jaguars will have to identify quickly. [Read more 🡒]
Trevor Lawrence Gets A Huge Chance To Flip Jaguars-Eagles Script
Trevor Lawrence has given the Jaguars enough reason to believe this matchup can look different from the usual script when Philadelphia comes to town in Week 5. Jacksonvilles quarterback has played well this season, and the teams run defense has been one of the steadier parts of the operation, giving the Jaguars a chance to lean into the kind of complementary football that travels well against a contender.
Philadelphia brings its own issues into the game, including injuries and some turnover up front on the offensive line, which could make life a little less comfortable than usual for the Eagles. From Jacksonvilles perspective, that opens the door for the defense to keep doing its job and for Lawrence to have one of those games that changes how a matchup feels before it is over. [Read more 🡒]