The Jacksonville Jaguars have made it through their first two weeks of training camp and are preparing for their first of three joint practices. They’ll travel to New Orleans to face off against the Saints in competitive practices prior to the first preseason game.
The work conducted in the joint practice will likely mean the reps are going to players at the top of the roster, which opens up the possibility of reserve players having the spotlight in the preseason games.
There are several players who are jockeying for a spot and will need to take full advantage of the extra experience.
Here are a few breakout candidates for the Jacksonville Jaguars in the preseason:
CJ Williams, wide receiver
The rookie sixth-round pass catcher is having as good of a summer and start to training camp as any young player. CJ Williams has consistently made plays regardless of which personnel group he’s competing with. It’ll be good to see him in live action as he tries to secure his spot on the team.
Josh Cameron, wide receiver
Not to be outdone, fellow rookie wide receiver Josh Cameron has made several eye-opening plays in 11-on-11 drills. He had a snag against top cornerback Buster Brown where he showed late hands reeled in a catch as Brown brought him down to the ground. It’ll also be interesting to see what role he’s given with special teams. He has return abilities, but he could also do well as a protector given his large frame.
Keni-H Lovely, cornerback
Keni-H Lovely has quietly put together a strong summer, making plays against the starting offense in spurts. He’s a player who could earn a practice squad spot if he flashes a bit throughout the preseason. And those players are always one injury away from getting called up. He’s certainly someone to watch as games begin.
Parker Hughes, linebacker
Linebacker is a position that’s been victim to the injury bug as of late. Jack Kiser suffered an injury to his right knee on the opening day of camp and Jared Bartlett was waived by the team after being carted off the field on Aug. 4. The potential is there for rookie Parker Hughes to step up as the team looks for depth behind their starters.
Zach Durfee, defensive end
Prospect X, better known as Zach Durfee, Jacksonville’s seventh-round draft selection who had a feature story on him from ESPN during his draft process. Durfee had a splash play against Jacksonville’s starters where he flew off the edge and had a would-be sack of quarterback Trevor Lawrence. If he can do that in games, he might find an end of roster spot with his name on it.
Caleb Ransaw, safety
After essentially redshirting a season, it’ll be good to see Caleb Ransaw in game action. His versatility will be the thing to watch as the Jaguars align him in different spots in the defensive backfield. He’s also in a position where he’s starter-adjacent currently. Could a strong performance in preseason lead to him eventually overtaking one of the starters?
Wyatt Milum, offensive lineman
Wyatt Milum is a similar case to Ransaw, though he was able to play through his injury a bit during his rookie season. He’s been given the opportunity for reps with Jacksonville’s starters as Patrick Mekari is eased into training camp. Milum’s versatility will be tested throughout the preseason as he gets reps across the offensive line. That includes at right tackle where Anton Harrison’s move to the left side of the line has created a vacancy that needs filling.
Joey Aguilar, quarterback
Quarterback is a position where the Jaguars are essentially set. However, the battle for third team quarterback could be something to watch throughout the preseason. Rookie undrafted free agent Joey Aguilar could take advantage of the extra reps to pull ahead of incumbent Carter Bradley.
Jalen Huskey, safety
This has been a forgetful start to camp for rookie Jalen Huskey. That all changed with the team’s intersquad game. The third-round rookie was all over the field, making several stops and even forcing a fumble that he returned for a score. As more game-like settings come up, watch for the third-round pick to show up more.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: 9 Jaguars who could make the most noise in preseason
Reporting by Juston Lewis, Jacksonville Florida Times-Union / Florida Times-Union
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Juston Lewis, Jacksonville Florida Times-Union | USA TODAY Network
