JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Entering the 2024 season, Jacksonville Jaguars fans were a bit unsure of how the defense would look as the team added defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen, Arik Armstead, Ronald Darby, and Darnell Savage on defense.
Travon Walker and Antonio Johnson were coming off of promising seasons as well. There was a lot of reason for excitement on the defensive side of the ball.
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Unfortunately, fast forward to the end of the season and much of that excitement would end in disappointment. The Jaguars’ defense, seemingly, ranked dead last in more categories than not.
Walker added another 10-sack season to his catalog, but aside from him, the others mentioned above, failed to impress.
That said, there was one rookie who stole the show and would put forth the Jaguars’ most impressive season within the secondary -- Jarrian Jones. The third-round selection helped lead Florida State to an undefeated 2023 season and carried that success into the NFL. Size aside, there was a lot to like about Jones.
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The Jaguars got off to an ugly start, falling to 1-5, despite a promising offseason. The secondary especially was struggling as Antonio Johnson and Ronald Darby weren’t living up to expectations and Tyson Campbell suffered a hamstring injury.
In steps, Jones racked up 40 tackles, eight passes defensed, two sacks and one interception during his rookie campaign. Impressive for sure, but what else can be learned about his performance?
Well, the former Seminole was one of just five cornerbacks to not allow a single touchdown in coverage, among the league’s top-75 cornerbacks. The other four would be the Bucs’ Jamel Dean, Niners’ Deommodore Lenoir, Ravens’ Nate Wiggins, and fellow rookie and Super Bowl Champion Cooper De Jean.
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Jones was also exceptional in man coverage. The Jaguars ran man coverage more than almost any other team and it played to Jones’ strengths. According to Pro Football Focus, Jones allowed a passer rating of just 62.2 in man coverage, seventh best among the 75 qualifying cornerbacks. Not too shabby, rook!
His 26% forced incompletion % and target % in man coverage ranked among the league’s best as well, sixth and seventh respectively. Pro Football Focus also graded Jones as the fifth-best run defender at the position. While his zone work wasn’t as noteworthy, the Jaguars can’t help but be excited about Jones.
There’s likely a lot of turnover to be had in the secondary as Andre Cisco hits free agency and the Jaguars likely gear up for a cornerback selection high in the NFL Draft. That’s likely two new starters yet again, however, the Jaguars can sleep well knowing Jones has the nickel on lockdown.
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