With the Jacksonville Jaguars season all but over, the Jaguars can look at three future stars to watch against the Tennessee Titans that could shape the organization in 2025 and beyond.
Jaguars vs Titans: Three Future Stars
Following another Jaguars loss, coming off a brutal loss where Trevor Lawrence was the victim of a dirty hit from Azeez Al-Shaair, the Jaguars came up just short of an improbable comeback, and are officially out of playoff contention. Now that the playoffs are out of reach, the Jaguars can see what they have in some of their young talent on both sides of the ball. Between rookies and second-year breakout players, these three young and upcoming players can make a difference.
An Emerging Rookie Corner
The Jaguars’ defensive backfield has had issues all season, but one of the highlights in such a muddied defensive backfield has been the rookie corner, Jarrian Jones. Jones has been handling the Jaguars slot cornerback position and is very solid for the Jaguars. According to Pro Football Focus, Jones has not allowed a touchdown in his 277 coverage snaps. He is also second on the Jaguars with three pass breakups and had a highlight-reel interception against the Green Bay Packers.
Jones also had a huge moment in the Houston Texans game. After the dirty hit on Lawrence, both teams stormed the field in a brawl. Jones defended his quarterback and was heavily involved in the scuffle. Al-Shaair was suspended for three games following the hit, while Jones wasn’t suspended for his retaliation despite being ejected.
While his play on the field has been encouraging, his defense of Lawrence will only endear him to his teammates and fans. Jones has been one of the Jaguars’ most encouraging young defenders, and if he can sure up his tackling, he could be a huge difference-maker for the future. Jones is an emerging rookie, and between his defense on and off the field, he is setting up to be a huge piece of the Jaguars’ defense going forward and is one of the most important players to watch against the Titans.
A Rookie Breakout Continues
Another member of the Jaguars rookie class, Brian Thomas Jr. has been one of the best wide receivers in the NFL. Among rookie wide receivers, Thomas has been one of the best in the league. In 12 games, Thomas has 765 receiving yards and six touchdowns on 46 receptions. Only Ladd McConkey has more receiving yards among rookies, and only Marvin Harrison Jr. has more receiving touchdowns among rookies.
Thomas has had one of the most complete seasons among rookies, and with the NFL season coming down to the final five weeks, he has a chance to lead all rookie receivers in yards and touchdowns. While the offensive rookie of the year race might be exclusive to Bo Nix, Jayden Daniels, and Brock Bowers, Thomas could make some noise down the stretch of the season.
He will get the chance with Mac Jones throwing him the ball against the Titans in week 14. For the majority of the season, the Titans’ defense has been very solid. However, the Titans are dealing with a plethora of injuries all across their defense, including their number one cornerback L’Jarius Sneed. With Sneed out, the Jaguars rookie wide receiver has a good matchup to continue his breakout rookie campaign.
While the season has devolved into disappointment, the Jaguars first-round selection has proven to be one of the top receivers in the NFL, both among rookies and veterans. His future is incredibly bright, and against some tough defensive units down the stretch, the Jaguars rookie will be front and center as this Jaguars team closes out the 2024 season.
Another Receiver Taking Strides Forward
For the Jaguars, one of the most intriguing players offensively has been second-year wide receiver Parker Washington. He was seldom used in the first half of the season, but with injuries to Gabriel Davis and Christian Kirk, Washington will see a lot more involvement in the passing offense. He saw a lot of his production on the year come against the Texans in week 13, where he had 103 yards and a touchdown on six receptions.
Washington will continue to see usage against a Titans team that is three and nine and coming off an embarrassing loss to the Washington Commanders. His role will be to pair with Thomas and Evan Engram as the main pass catchers for Jones. Coming off his best game as a pro, Washington could build off momentum and continue his path toward becoming a full-time offensive starter.
Another area where Washington could make an impact would be in the return game. In a game against the New England Patriots earlier in week seven, Washington returned a kickoff for a touchdown. In a matchup against the Titans, a team with one of the worst special teams units in the NFL, the Jaguars should strongly consider using Washington in the return game. His involvement there has subsided with his increased usage on offense, but in a matchup against one of the worst special teams units in the NFL, Washington should be used where he can make the biggest impact.
Outlook On An Important, Meaningless Game
Both teams are out of the playoff hunt and are just waiting for the season to come to a close. But, both the Jaguars and Titans still have a lot of self-scouting to do with their young players. Jarrian Jones, Parker Washington, and Brian Thomas Jr. are the most important players to keep an eye on against the Titans.
That’s not all, as both teams should be more than okay with losing the final games of the season to improve their draft position. Just like how Patriots fans should be okay with losing games in the final weeks of the 2024 NFL season, the Jaguars should also be looking to continue losing. Having a high draft selection could make the difference in getting a top player in the 2025 NFL draft, and losing games, especially against teams in competition for those top selections, is important.
A loss to the Titans would help guarantee the Jaguars get a higher selection than them, which can directly lead to future success. But, a loss can still happen while the Jaguars’ young players prove their worth. For the Patriots, Drake Maye has played well despite the Patriots’ losses, and Thomas and Jones could do the same for the Jaguars. It would be a win-win, as the Jaguars’ future stars look great, while the Jaguars’ draft selection improves.
Main Image: Corey Perrine – Imagn Images
