Joey Aguilar keeps giving the same answer every time he gets a chance: he can play.
The former Tennessee quarterback has been doubted throughout his football journey, and that carried into the NFL Draft, where no team used a late-round pick on him despite his SEC-leading regular-season passing total last year. Instead, Aguilar landed with the Jacksonville Jaguars as an undrafted free agent, and he’s spent this preseason trying to force his way into the conversation.
He did that again on Saturday.
In Jacksonville’s 34-17 loss to the Panthers, Aguilar put together his sharpest preseason showing yet. He went 9-of-10 for 130 yards and a touchdown, averaging 13.0 yards per completion.
That number led the five quarterbacks who took the field, and his passing yardage was the most by any Jaguars quarterback in the game. After two preseason appearances, Aguilar is now 10-of-11 for 173 yards and one touchdown.
His first preseason action was brief but efficient. In last week’s opener, he connected on his only throw for 43 yards. Against Carolina, though, he got a much better chance to show what makes him dangerous, especially when the ball is pushed downfield.
Aguilar has never looked like a quarterback who shrinks from the moment. He’s played through just about every type of football situation already, and that edge shows up when he’s on the field. Where some undrafted rookies might play it safe and try not to mess up, Aguilar keeps attacking, leaning on the deep ball and fitting throws into tight windows.
What comes next is still up in the air, but he has one more preseason game to make his case in Jacksonville as he fights for a roster spot. The upside is obvious, and so is the arm talent. If he keeps that aggression under control, he’ll be in a strong position - just ask VFL Joe Milton.
Aguilar’s college path was anything but straightforward. He spent one season at Tennessee, where he threw for an SEC-best 3,565 yards with 24 touchdowns and 10 interceptions while helping lead the Vols to an 8-5 record. Before that, he played two seasons at Appalachian State and two years at the junior college level.
He originally transferred to UCLA, but after Nico Iamaleava took his place with the Bruins, Aguilar re-entered the portal. He only had spring practice to prepare for his lone season in Knoxville.
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Former Vol Joey Aguilar Is Making A Real NFL Roster Push
Joey Aguilar is keeping himself in the NFL conversation, and Tennessee fans have a familiar name to watch as the preseason winds down. The former Vol quarterback turned in a sharp outing for the Jacksonville Jaguars against the Carolina Panthers, coming on in the second half and showing the kind of poise that can matter when teams are sorting out the back end of a roster.
Aguilar completed 9 of 10 passes for 130 yards and a touchdown, highlighted by a 29-yard scoring strike to rookie wide receiver Trebor Pea. For a quarterback trying to force his way onto the Jaguars' roster, it was the kind of efficient performance that gets attention in a crowded competition, even if the final call still has to be made. [Read more 🡒]
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Faizon Brandon also flashed the running ability that can add another layer to Tennessees offense, but the job still appears unsettled at right tackle. Ory Williams and Jesse Perry remain locked in a competition there, and it is the sort of battle that can quietly shape how smooth everything else looks once the season starts. For now, the Vols have a few encouraging signs and at least one starting-caliber decision still waiting to be made. [Read more 🡒]
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Barnett is now entering his 10th NFL season, which says plenty about how long he has been able to stay in the league since leaving Tennessee. He also brings a championship rsum from Philadelphia, and his arrival in Cleveland gives Vols followers one more familiar name to track as the season unfolds. [Read more 🡒]