Training camp is about to put three members of the Jaguars’ 2023 draft class under the microscope.
That group was a huge one for Jacksonville. The Jaguars made a franchise-record 13 picks in the 2023 NFL Draft, using that haul to bolster a roster that had gone 9-8 and won the AFC South the year before. A few years later, seven of those selections are still around: right tackle Anton Harrison, tight end Brenton Strange, linebacker Ventrell Miller, linebacker Yasir Abdullah, safety Antonio Johnson, wide receiver Parker Washington, and cornerback Christian Braswell.
Some of those names already have their footing. Strange has landed his big pay-day from the Jaguars, Harrison had his fifth-year option picked up, Washington looks like the next extension candidate, and Johnson is coming off a breakout season. The bigger questions now sit with the other holdovers as camp approaches.
No one on that list has more riding on this summer than Ventrell Miller, even if he also feels like one of the safest bets to make the 53-man roster. He’s a lock for the Jaguars’ roster and the favorite to replace Devin Lloyd next to Foyesade Oluokun, but he still has to win that job over Branson Combs and Parker Hughes first.
Miller has played in more games than anyone else from this group, with 32 appearances, and he’s done it despite missing his entire rookie season because of injuries. He started nine games in 2024 when the Jaguars were dealing with linebacker injuries all year, then started two more last year while Lloyd missed a few games.
“Ventrell's done I think a really good job to this point. There's a bunch of guys battling it out in that room right now. But Ventrell did a good job for us last year and played a bunch for us," Jaguars defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile said during the offseason program in June.
"He's a really physical guy. I think one of the things that he brings to our defense is a physicality in the run game and having been around and had a few guys like that in the past, I think we’ve got a really good feel for how he fits in, how to use him and really try to play to his strengths within the defense.”
Miller’s range of outcomes is pretty straightforward: he could win the starting job, use a contract year to set up a breakout, or he could miss out on the role and spend another season as a backup. The likeliest middle ground is a Week 1 start, even if he may not be a major part of the Jaguars’ long-term plans beyond 2026.
Yasir Abdullah is in a different kind of fight. The former fifth-round pick has been a steady special teams contributor, but this time he has to hold off 2025 Day 3 pick Jalen McLeod to keep his spot secure. Abdullah has the edge in experience and on special teams, but he may need to show more than that to stay high enough on the depth chart.
The Jaguars have been intrigued by McLeod’s pass-rushing ability, which stood out in college and fits a need for Jacksonville’s depth moving forward. That doesn’t automatically close the door on Abdullah, though. If anything, it raises the stakes for him to produce something more on defense.
So far, Abdullah hasn’t done much with his limited pass-rush chances in the NFL, logging zero sacks and two quarterback hits on 110 pass-rush snaps since being drafted. But his college résumé was strong: he finished his Louisville career eighth in school history with 23.5 sacks and led the ACC with 9.5 sacks in 2022.
If he can unlock even a little of that pass-rush juice, he can make this a real competition. If not, McLeod looks like the more likely answer, and Abdullah could be the odd man out when the roster is set after camp.
Christian Braswell has already found a way to stick around. The sixth-round pick from the Jaguars’ 2023 class has played under three different defensive staffs and earned trust from each one because of his consistency, his ability to work inside and outside, and what he brings on special teams.
Braswell was a training camp standout last year and quickly moved into the most important role he has held so far, with mostly positive results. But this summer may be tougher. He’s expected to battle offseason riser Jabbar Muhammad, who came into the 2026 offseason program with little buzz after spending last year on the practice squad and then surged through OTAs and minicamp.
Muhammad was the biggest riser on the roster thanks to what he did on the practice field, and that makes this a true competition. If Braswell loses out, he may need the Jaguars to keep six cornerbacks to stay on the roster. Otherwise, the practice squad could be his next stop.
In Other News...
Jaguars Offensive Line Battle Could Force A Surprise Before Camp
The Jaguars offensive line picture is mostly set heading into training camp, but there is still enough movement around the edges to make the group worth watching. With minimal offseason change up front, the projection points to a unit built around its established pieces, while a third-round rookie and a few depth options give the team some flexibility if the numbers get tight.
What makes the situation interesting is how many linemen Jacksonville may decide to carry once camp sorting begins. The team is expected to keep about 10 blockers, which is a little heavier than the usual approach, and that leaves a couple of familiar names in a tricky spot as the Jaguars weigh roster security against versatility and possible trade value. [Read more 🡒]
Jaguars May Be Counting On 2 Unproven Defensive Answers At Camp
Training camp will offer the first real look at whether Jacksonville has enough internal answers to keep its defense on track after a key offseason departure. One of the names worth watching is Ventrell Miller, who has steadily improved since entering the league and drew attention last summer with an impressive camp of his own. With a bigger role now in front of him, he looks like the kind of player who could turn a depth-chart opportunity into something more meaningful for the Jaguars.
The other intriguing piece is Ruke Orhorhoro, whose fit inside could matter quickly if Jacksonville wants more disruption up the middle. The Jaguars did not get enough consistent interior pressure late last season, so any help there would be welcome, and Orhorhoro arrives with a track record that suggests there may be more pass-rush juice to tap. The question is whether camp will confirm that promise or leave Jacksonville still searching for answers once the real games begin. [Read more 🡒]