The Jaguars’ rookie class has already started to sort itself out, and three days into training camp, a few names are separating from the pack.
Some of the movement is subtle. Some of it is tied to opportunity. And in a few cases, the early returns are matching exactly what was expected before camp even opened.
At tight end, Nate Boerkircher still looks like the team’s No. 2 option. He has shared more reps with Tanner Koziol than anticipated, but nothing from the first three practices has really changed the view that Boerkircher owns that spot going in.
Koziol, though, has been one of the more interesting developments so far. The Jaguars have put a lot on his plate early, and he has answered with production, including a highlight catch on Thursday and a touchdown on Friday.
Even so, it is still too early to know what his role will look like until the pads come on and the blocking work starts.
On the offensive line, Emmanuel Pregnon appears to be settling into the backup role at left guard behind Ezra Cleveland. He was never viewed as a serious contender for the starting job heading into camp, and nothing in these first few days has changed that. There is upside there, but the picture right now is pretty clear.
A similar story is playing out in the defensive front. Albert Regis still looks set for the No. 2 nose tackle role, and the Jaguars have generally looked good when he has been on the field, especially against the run.
Wesley Williams and Zach Durfee have both flashed, but neither feels like a true riser yet because of how strong the veteran and second-year depth has been around them. Williams appears headed for the third team with Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker in front of him, while Durfee is still going to have to battle for snaps behind Danny Striggow and B.J.
Green. Both of those veterans have already made some big plays in camp, and they look like the top options behind the starters for now.
In the secondary, Jalen Huskey has been one of the more noticeable rookies because of his range in coverage. He has nearly come away with a few big plays, and it feels like a breakout moment is coming sooner or later. Still, he remains behind the Jaguars’ four veterans at safety and will likely need time before he can carve out a real role.
The biggest rise so far may belong to Parker Hughes, and that is tied at least partly to Jack Kiser’s injury earlier this week. With the linebacker room thinned out, Hughes has moved into the top backup spot at middle linebacker behind Foyesade Oluokun, a job he did not have when camp started. He has also made plays in coverage, which matters in this scheme.
Among the receivers, Josh Cameron has made an immediate impression. The sixth-round pick was already flashing once he got healthy during the offseason program, and that carried right into camp.
He has been dangerous downfield and has also drawn multiple defensive pass interference calls over the first three days. Liam Coen was clear about why that matters.
“That's a huge thing about the PIs. Like I remember, you look at some of these outside receivers specifically, the physical ones.
I mean, when you can draw PIs, I mean, that's an explosive pass. That's what that is," Liam Coen said after practice on Friday.
"So, I mean, guys get paid off of those things. Like if they have like eight DPIs, I mean, that just adds to it, right?
And that, and we look at it the same way. He's so strong.
I mean, 223 pounds or whatever he is, 225 pounds, wants to do some of the dirty work and, wants to block. He takes pride in that.
I think the quarterbacks have trusted him so far to be able to kind of put the ball up, whether it's, hey, let him go try to get it a little bit, or man, let's try to go put it up back shoulder and let him go be physical and use his skillset."
CJ Williams has also kept building momentum. He is not going to crack the starting lineup anytime soon with Brian Thomas Jr., Jakobi Meyers, and Parjer Washington ahead of him, but he has stood out at every step since being drafted. At this point, it is hard to imagine a scenario where he is not one of the Jaguars’ top six receivers, and the team seems confident he can step in and make plays if called upon.
In Other News...
Liam Coen Just Said What Jaguars Fans Feel About The Hype
Liam Coen is hearing what plenty of Jaguars fans have felt for a while: even after a division-winning 2025 season, Jacksonville still tends to sit behind the flashier national storylines. The Jaguars coach recently pointed out the gap in media attention compared with Bears quarterback Caleb Williams, a reminder that success in Jacksonville does not always come with the same kind of spotlight that follows other teams and star players.
Ben Johnson answered back from Chicago, saying Williams is used to dealing with the attention and expressing confidence that his team will stay driven. It is the kind of late-summer crossfire that comes with two clubs coming off seasons that changed expectations, with the Jaguars on top of their division and the Bears also exceeding what many thought they could do, even if the bigger conversation still seems to be happening around them. [Read more 🡒]
Josh Hines-Allen Just Got Major Validation From A Jaguars Standard Setter
Josh Hines-Allen spent the offseason working with a bigger individual goal in mind, and the Jaguars edge rusher just got a little extra affirmation from one of the franchises modern standard setters. Hines-Allen said former teammate Calais Campbell reached out with an encouraging message, a reminder that the veteran presence he once lined up beside in Jacksonville still has an eye on what Hines-Allen is building. Coming off a season in which he finished with 8.0 sacks and ranked among the leagues best in quarterback pressures, Hines-Allen has been talking openly about sharpening his game and pushing himself higher.
For a Jaguars defense that has leaned on Hines-Allens consistency, that kind of validation matters. Campbells message carries weight because it comes from a player who helped define what accountability and production look like in Jacksonville, and Hines-Allen now wants to carry that standard even further. His offseason focus has been on improving his skill set, not just preserving what already works, and the next step is obvious: turning that pressure volume into the kind of sack total that matches his ambition. [Read more 🡒]