Training camp rarely hands out real answers this early, but Jacksonville has already gotten a few encouraging signs from its rookie class. Through the first seven days at the Miller Electric Center, several first-year Jaguars have managed to stand out in a crowded field, and not just with isolated flashes.
The biggest surprise so far has been sixth-round wideout Josh Cameron. The former Baylor walk-on came into the league with a reputation for taking the long road, and he’s carried that same edge into camp.
He hasn’t just made one play and faded into the background. He’s kept showing up, day after day, with reliable hands, sharp routes and the ability to separate against NFL defensive backs.
His diving catch during an early team period turned heads right away, but the follow-up has mattered just as much. With Brian Thomas Jr., Jakobi Meyers, Travis Hunter and Parker Washington ahead of him, Cameron’s path is steep.
Still, he’s making every rep count, and he’s been the rookie generating the most genuine buzz so far.
Fellow sixth-round receiver CJ Williams has taken a different route, but he’s also made a strong early case. Williams isn’t winning the spotlight with highlight-reel grabs.
Instead, he’s building trust through steady work, clean route running and dependable catches when called upon. In a receiver room this competitive, that kind of consistency can matter plenty.
It may not travel fast on social media, but coaches notice it.
Another rookie earning more and more attention is third-round guard Emmanuel Pregnon. Offensive linemen don’t usually get the loudest camp reviews, but Pregnon has been thrown into valuable work because of injuries forcing the Jaguars to shuffle the line.
That has given him a chance to line up with experienced blockers and show what he can do across the interior. He’s also gotten a taste of the league’s welcome-to-the-NFL moments, including a rep where veteran defensive tackle Arik Armstead powered through him to disrupt a run.
For Pregnon, those snaps are part of the job. Development up front often comes from tough reps, and Jacksonville seems eager to give him plenty of them.
Tanner Koziol has gone about his business without much noise, but the fifth-round tight end has also put together an encouraging start. The former Houston standout brings value as both a receiver and a blocker, and early camp work has shown that flexibility.
He’s been used in a variety of personnel groupings as the Jaguars sort out how best to deploy him. He isn’t being asked to step in as a starter right away, but the team clearly sees enough in him to keep widening his role as camp continues.
Then there’s Devon Marshall, the undrafted cornerback out of NC State who is quickly making himself hard to ignore. In a crowded cornerback room, Marshall has earned chances to compete and has stayed in the conversation around Jacksonville’s most interesting young defenders.
He hasn’t delivered a defining interception or a viral moment yet, but simply hanging around that mix as an undrafted rookie says plenty. The Jaguars have rewarded players like that before, and Marshall’s challenge now is to keep stacking good practices and turn preseason opportunities into something bigger when roster decisions come due.
In Other News...
Jaguars Camp Is Starting To Reveal Two Important Offensive Answers
The Jaguars shorter practice Thursday offered a little more clarity on an offense that has been sorting through plenty of moving parts in camp. Trevor Lawrence was sharper with his accuracy, which is the sort of encouraging sign Jacksonville wants to see as the quarterback settles into the offense, while Chris Rodriguez Jr. continued to make his case in short-yardage work. The coaching staff also kept mixing and matching along the offensive line, especially on the right side, where jobs are still being sorted out.
Ventrell Miller added a defensive highlight by forcing and recovering a fumble, but the more interesting takeaway for Jacksonville may be how the offense is starting to answer a few important questions. Camp has a way of turning competition into clues, and the Jaguars are still balancing line combinations with the need for a reliable power option near the goal line. For now, Thursday felt like one of those practices where the shape of the offense is coming into focus, even if the final picture is not there yet. [Read more 🡒]
Jaguars Camp Battles Are Already Turning Up Tough Roster Decisions
After the first week of training camp practices, the Jaguars are already staring at some uncomfortable roster math. A cluster of familiar names has surfaced on the bubble at several spots, from running back Abdullah and receivers Austin Trammell and Tim Jones to tight ends Quintin Morris and Hunter Long, along with offensive lineman Chuma Edoga, defensive lineman Matt Dickerson and cornerbacks Preston Hodge and Devon Marshall.
The pressure is no lighter on defense, where Jalen McLeod, Yasir Abdullah and Parker Hughes are all in the mix at linebacker, and the staff still has room to sort out how it wants to trim the depth chart. Jacksonville has more practices and preseason games left to sort through those calls, but early camp has already made clear that a few of these competitions could come down to the wire. [Read more 🡒]
Parker Washington Is Forcing A Big Jaguars Decision This Season
Parker Washington has spent three seasons quietly building his case in Jacksonville, and this fall he has turned into one of the more important pieces on the field. His production has climbed every year, and in a receiver room that has seen plenty of shuffling, he has become a steady presence for Trevor Lawrence while the Jaguars go through their practice work with players like Anton Harrison and Zach Durfee in the mix.
Washington also knows what kind of market the position has become, even if he says his focus stays on playing well. For the Jaguars, that creates an obvious next question as the season moves along: whether this late rise is enough to make him part of the long-term plan, or whether they will be forced to make a tougher call once the year is over. [Read more 🡒]