Caleb Ransaw has spent enough time around a barbershop to know it’s more than a place for a trim. It’s a hangout, a debate stage, a community center with clippers humming in the background. And for the Jacksonville Jaguars safety, it might also be the next chapter.
Ransaw said Aug. 9 after practice at the Miller Electric Center that he wants to keep cutting hair once football is over, following the path his father, Justin Ransaw, carved in Harvest, Ala.
"After football, I want to pursue my barbering career," he said Aug. 9 after the Jaguars ' practice at the Miller Electric Center. "That's something I've been doing since I was younger, in high school.
I love the transformation, seeing a haircut. It's just a hobby, fun to do, and it's a talent I was gifted with.
I believe it's art, for sure."
He grew up watching the shop from the outside, seeing local men gather for haircuts and conversation about sports, politics and whatever else was on their minds. Over time, he came to appreciate both the craft and the atmosphere.
Ransaw called the atmosphere of a neighborhood barbershop "a vibe."
"Everybody's in there just talking, getting haircuts, getting fresh like that," he said. "So I'll probably just say building a bond with people in there."
For now, though, the football part is front and center again.
Ransaw is back on the field after missing his entire rookie season with a foot injury suffered in a non-contact drill early in camp. The 2025 third-round pick out of Troy and Tulane is a 200-pound blend of speed and agility, and he’s been turning that profile into a strong training camp.
The year away from games wasn’t wasted. Ransaw said he stayed locked in on meetings, film and the details of the Jaguars’ system while also building relationships with teammates.
"I made the most out of my time," he said. "Just learning the playbook and staying around my teammates and maximizing my opportunity. Football is the sport I love, and I'm excited that I'm back."
That long layoff also sharpened his appreciation for the small stuff that can separate players in the NFL.
"The little things matter for sure," he said. "Just the small keys like that, because the little things end up making big plays. Everything matters in this league and it's more competitive."
Jacksonville has seen plenty of that competition in camp, especially in the secondary. Ransaw is part of a deep defensive back group that has been going toe-to-toe with a strong receiver room, and the back end has already stacked up 10 interceptions in nine practices in 11-on-11 team periods and a mock game.
"We've got some elite wide receivers," he said. "At the end of the day, the ball is the issue. If we get the ball, that's a plus for us."
That battle extends to the depth chart, too. Ransaw is fighting fellow second-year player Rayuan Lane III and rookie Jalen Huskey for the backup safety job behind Antonio Johnson. Their first preseason chance to separate comes Aug. 15 at New Orleans, where Ransaw played for Tulane.
"I think Caleb, Rayuan, Jalen [Huskey], all the young guys, they're all doing a good job battling it out," Jaguars defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile said. "These next few weeks will tell us a lot.
They're all competing really, really hard. So, it's a race to see who progresses the quickest.”
The Jaguars also want Ransaw on the field in a special teams role, where he’s expected to be one of the starting gunners alongside Lane. Special teams coordinator Heath Farwell was direct about what he’s seen so far.
"Caleb has been a fantastic gunner," Farwell said of how the coverage teams have played in camp. "I anticipate him being a starting gunner, right there with Rayuan. Between those two guys, I think we have two of the better gunners in the National Football League.”
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