The Jacksonville Jaguars’ rookie class took another step forward in Week 3, and the early returns are starting to separate the contributors from the rest of the pack.
Some of the young players are still waiting for their first real crack at game action, but a handful have already carved out roles that matter. Through three weeks, the group has given the Jaguars useful snaps at offensive line, tight end, receiver, and on special teams, with Emmanuel Pregnon and Josh Cameron standing out at the top of the board.
Pregnon remains the clear No. 1 rookie so far, and it’s not hard to see why. Against Milton Williams and Christian Barmore, he didn’t give up a single pressure on more than 30 pass-blocking snaps.
He also flashed again as a run blocker at left guard, continuing a start that has gone well beyond expectations. The only player who has really given him trouble through three games is All-Pro defensive tackle Zach Allen.
Josh Cameron has worked his way into the No. 2 spot by making his mark in every phase. He is tied for the team lead with two receiving touchdowns, has been a strong run blocker, contributes as a tackler on special teams, and has also been the Jaguars’ best kick returner. That kind of versatility has made him one of the most useful rookies on the roster.
“A lot of prep goes into it throughout the week. Big thing for me is getting into a routine, getting into a habit and trying to take some of those stressors off of myself.
And once you get into that flow of doing the same thing over and over again, not a lot of new stuff can kind of throw you off your balance," Cameron said Monday. "So that's just been my main thing, staying focused.
And then whenever I'm worrying about special teams, all my focus is there. When I'm worrying about offense, my focus is there.
I don't try to do everything all at once. I try to segment things, just make it as easy as possible for me.
And that's been going good. I'm just going to continue to do that.”
Nate Boerkircher has also stayed important, even if the stat line doesn’t jump off the page. He’s been on the field more than all but one other tight end from this draft class, and his blocking has helped keep him in the mix. The receiving production has been light, though, with just one catch for nine yards through three games, and Cameron’s two touchdowns have pushed him ahead of Boerkircher in the pecking order.
Bryan Thomas Jr. made the most of extra chances at defensive end against a Patriots team that was forced into a pass-heavy script. He turned that into a split-sack with DaVon Hamilton near the goal line in the third quarter, showing the burst and bend that have made him an intriguing addition to the pass-rush room. There’s room for him to build on that outing.
Albert Regis missed Sunday with an elbow injury, but the expectation is that he would have been active if healthy. Jaguars head coach Liam Coen sounded optimistic about Regis’ chances for Week 4.
“I would think ready to go this week, I would think. We'll have to look at what it looks like in practice this week," Coen said, "I got to see what it looks like on Wednesday.
It wasn't something that should be out, more than this past game. We were kind of being smart with him this week.
He probably could've gone. I'll get a better idea Wednesday what he looks like at practice.”
Tanner Koziol finally got on the field Sunday, logging three snaps as the team’s fourth tight end. He did not play any special teams snaps in the win over the Patriots, which suggests his role will likely depend on the game plan more than anything else. When the Jaguars lean heavily on multiple-tight-end looks, he has a path to being active.
At the other end of the list, some rookies are still waiting for a meaningful opening. Wesley Williams has not played a snap and appears headed for a red-shirt year, even though that was the expectation.
With BJ Green dealing with injuries and Williams still not active on game day, undrafted rookie Bryan Thomas Jr. has already jumped him. That leaves Williams at No. 9 by default.
Jalen Huskey also has yet to see the field, but his situation looks different. The Jaguars have been rolling with Eric Murray, Antonio Johnson and Caleb Ransaw at safety, while Rayuan Lane has become one of the team’s most valuable special teams pieces. Unless injuries change the picture, Huskey’s path to snaps looks blocked for now.
CJ Williams was a healthy scratch for the second straight week, and that puts him behind Parker Washington, Jakobi Meyers, Brian Thomas Jr., Josh Cameron and Travis Hunter in the wide receiver pecking order. If injuries hit or the Jaguars eventually decide to move Thomas, there may be a path later in the season. For now, it looks like a red-shirt year for a receiver who had turned heads during the offseason.
In Other News...
Brian Thomas Jr. Slump Just Created An Uncomfortable Jaguars Question
Brian Thomas Jr. has been part of the Jaguars long-term plan since arriving as a former first-round pick, but his recent production dip has invited outside curiosity in a way the team probably would rather avoid. NFL analyst Kristopher Knox recently floated the Steelers as a club that could benefit from adding Thomas to its passing game, a reminder that even young receivers with upside can become the subject of trade chatter when the numbers stop matching the pedigree.
For Jacksonville, the situation is less about any immediate intention to move him and more about how quickly a slump can turn into an uncomfortable question. The Jaguars have shown no interest in trading Thomas right now, but if his form keeps slipping, the conversation could get louder, especially with Pittsburgh already active at receiver this season after adding Michael Pittman Jr. and drafting Germie Bernard. [Read more 🡒]
Jaguars Suddenly Have A Secondary Concern Before Bengals Showdown
A week after trying to settle into the rhythm of the season, Jacksonville suddenly has a secondary question hanging over its preparation for Cincinnati. The Jaguars Week 4 injury report shows three of their five cornerbacks were either injured or limited in practice, a reminder that a position group built on depth can get thin in a hurry when the practice report starts piling up.
Jarrian Jones was a full participant despite a hip issue, while Christian Braswell worked on a limited basis with a knee injury and Montaric Brown was also limited because of a hamstring problem. Jacksonville also had several other names on the report, including LeQuint Allen, DaVon Hamilton, Jakobi Meyers, Albert Regis and Cole Van Lanen, leaving the team with some moving parts to monitor as the Bengals game approaches and the coaching staff continues to sort out availability. [Read more 🡒]
Jaguars Suddenly Have Something Big To Prove In The Top 10
The Jaguars have spent the early part of the 2026 season forcing their way into the conversation, and a decisive win over the New England Patriots only helped sharpen the case. Across several national outlets, Jacksonville keeps landing inside the top 10, even if the exact spot changes from list to list, which says plenty about how the team is being viewed right now. The overall picture is clear enough: this is no longer a club getting a polite nod for being improved, but one drawing real attention for how it has started.
What makes the ranking debate interesting is that the Jaguars are being measured against teams with different recent results and different kinds of strengths, which can make every move up or down feel meaningful. For Jacksonville, the bigger issue is not whether it belongs in the top 10, but whether it can stay there once the league starts presenting a harder test week after week. The respect is building quickly, and so is the expectation that comes with it. [Read more 🡒]