Week 1 gave the Jacksonville Jaguars a clear early read on their rookie class, and the biggest winner might already be rookie left guard Emmanuel Pregnon.
Pregnon was the only Jaguars rookie to start in the 34-10 win over the Cleveland Browns, and he looked the part from the jump. He created movement in the run game on double teams and held up well against Cleveland’s interior defensive line in pass protection.
Jaguars coach Liam Coen said Monday that Pregnon “did some really good things in pass pro specifically," adding, "When he was one-on-one in pass protection, he did a phenomenal job of sitting down, anchoring in pass pro. He moved some people at the point of attack, had a couple things at the second level, and a few pulls that got a little bit jacked up but I thought he played really well for his first career start.”
That kind of debut puts Pregnon in a strong spot moving forward. The Jaguars have their future at left guard, and after Week 1, that future looks pretty encouraging.
The same can’t be said for every rookie in the class, at least not yet. Fourth-round defensive end Wesley Williams was a healthy scratch against the Browns, and the Jaguars appear to have Bryan Thomas Jr. ahead of him on the edge depth chart. Thomas was inactive in Week 1 too, but he’s expected to be elevated this week after BJ Green’s injury, which suggests Williams is still fighting uphill.
Fifth-round tight end Tanner Koziol was also inactive, with Jacksonville choosing to roll with three tight ends instead. Quintin Morris handled the No. 3 tight end role instead of Koziol, and his blocking and special teams work have clearly put him in front. That situation does not seem likely to change soon.
Third-round safety Jalen Huskey was the third draft pick to end up as a healthy scratch Sunday. He had a solid camp, but Caleb Ransaw and Rayuan Lane are ahead of him, likely because of their experience in the system and what they bring on special teams.
Not every rookie got left out of the action. Receiver CJ Williams played 10 offensive snaps, though he was not targeted.
Most of that work came once the game was already out of hand, and he still sits behind fellow rookie Josh Cameron. Cameron was already getting snaps in the red zone and in 13 personnel in the first quarter, so Williams looks like an active player who may not see much unless injuries open the door at receiver.
Thomas could still carve out some value after Green’s injury, even with the Jaguars signing former Arizona Cardinals linebacker/edge defender BJ Ojulari on Tuesday. Ojulari may shrink Thomas’ opportunity some, but Thomas should still have a role in Week 2.
Albert Regis also made his first regular-season appearance and did enough to stand out in a small sample. He played 12 snaps in a rotational role, made a tackle, and added a pressure while looking comfortable for a debut. That puts him in a better spot than some of the rookies who either didn’t dress or barely played.
Josh Cameron may have had the loudest rookie performance of the bunch. In his NFL debut, he looked strong as a run blocker, got early work with the starting offense, and made both of his catches for 20 yards and a touchdown against Denzel Ward. He looks like the Jaguars’ No. 4 receiver and a younger, more explosive fit for the Tim Patrick role from last season.
“One bite at a time, man. He shows up, he does everything right every single day," Jaguars wide receiver Jakobi Meyers said this week about Cameron.
"When you’re that consistent throughout camp, camp isn't easy, especially for a younger guy. They get a lot of reps, a lot of situations that they probably aren't used to, but even when he made mistakes, he came back, made it right.
He’s just been making plays consistently and it showed when he got out there.”
Nate Boerkircher also played a major role in the offense, and the Jaguars did not treat him like a player they planned to ease in slowly as the No. 2 tight end. He played just one fewer snap than Brenton Strange and became a focal point of the run game when Jacksonville went to 12 personnel. Boerkircher caught his only target for nine yards and wasn’t thrown to on his other nine routes, but his usage made it clear he mattered in the game plan.
After one week, the rookie pecking order is starting to come into focus. Pregnon is leading the way, Cameron has already flashed big-play ability, Boerkircher has a real role, and the rest of the class is still trying to climb.
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