5 Non-Starters Who Have Impressed at Jaguars Training Camp Thus Far

With the Jaguars in the full swing of training camp, who along the second and third-team units has impressed so far?

With the Jacksonville Jaguars continuing to march through training camp, we have finally been able to get a feel for how the team and its players are beginning to shape up. And while the stars of the team like DJ Chark, Josh Allen and Gardner Minshew will always be the main focus, it is the depth of the team that is also deserving of attention.

In a year like 2020, a team's depth is absolutely paramount. You never know when a starter may go down or when more players are needed at a specific position group, so standouts from the reserve units are more key this year than in many past years. 

So among Jacksonville's likely bench players, who has impressed in this year's camp so far? We list some of the most notable names, with each player making several plays throughout the course of camp.

Devine Ozigbo 

With Ryquell Armstead not on the practice field until Thursday due to being placed on the Reserve/COVID-19 list, second-year running back Devine Ozigbo has gotten plenty of chances to show what he can do. Ozigbo was one of the preseason stars of the 2019 season after he impressed with the New Orleans Saints reserve offense, and so far in camp he has shown more of the same playmaking ability. 

On running plays and drills, Ozigbo is hitting the hole hard and showing a lot of power to go along with his explosion. He hasn't shied away from contact at any point, and has even had a few bruising reps vs. linebackers in which you can say he dealt the punishment. As a pass-catcher, Ozigbo has been consistent in terms of his route running and ball security out of the backfield, even scoring on a checkdown during red zone drills on Friday. It remains to be seen just how many touches Ozigbo will get in an offense with Leonard Fournette in it, but so far he has been one of the highlights of the position.  

Collin Johnson

Jacksonville's wide receiver group has maybe been the most impressive unit on the team throughout all of training camp, and one reason for that in recent practices has been the strong play of rookie receiver Collin Johnson. Johnson has four veterans and second-rounder Laviska Shenault to compete for snaps with, but the No. 165 overall pick in April's draft has flashed big-play ability and a valuable skill set for the Jaguars whenever he has been given a chance. 

Johnson has, of course, used his 6-foot-6 frame to make a few highlight-reel catches. He had one terrific one-handed catch in a contested situation vs. Luq Barcoo on Friday, and he has routinely been on the receiving end of some big back shoulder throws. But what has maybe been most impressive has been Johnson's route running -- he moves in and out of his breaks much better than you would expect for a 220-pound, 6-foot-6 receiver, and he has been routinely getting open against veteran and rookie cornerbacks alike. He is going to make it tough on the Jaguars if they do not want to keep six receivers. 

Josiah Scott

While Josiah Scott doesn't get reps with the starters due to the presence of D.J. Hayden, he has been a player who has still made an impact in both team and one-on-one drills throughout training camp. The undersized but feisty corner has been a nuisance for a number of receivers throughout camp thanks to his physicality and ability to stick in a receiver's hip pocket throughout the route. Even when he has been beat in recent days, it seems like he was still in a perfect position to make a play against the receiver. 

Scott was able to intercept Mike Glennon off of a deflected pass on Thursday, the same day he had a number of impressive reps in one-on-ones. On Friday, Scott was able to nearly intercept Josh Dobbs after undercutting a Dede Westbrook route and breaking up the pass. Who knows if Scott can get on the field in 2020, but he looks like he belongs as of now. 

Keelan Cole

You could make an argument that Keelan Cole has been one of the three best receivers at Jaguars camp this fall -- he has impressed that much. He struggled to get on the field for reps last season, playing just 370 snaps (34%), but he still impressed in limited snaps. So far this year, it seems as if Cole is carrying over his encouraging play from 2019, which calls into question just how big of a role he could play this year. 

Cole has plenty of experience, playing in all 48 regular season games since signing with the Jaguars as an undrafted free agent in 2017, but a lack of consistency has hurt him in the past. In this year's camp, though, Cole has been the epitome of consistency. He is getting open vs. a variety of cornerbacks, catching downfield bombs from Gardner Minshew and has shown extremely reliable hands over the middle and near the sideline. He has truly taken a next step in what has been so far a smaller sample size, and he remains a player to monitor moving forward. 

Josh Jones

One of Jacksonville's fiercest training camp battles might be at the backup safety spots, in part because of how much Josh Jones has stood out in practice. Jones, a former second-round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft by the Green Bay Packers (No. 61 overall) quietly signed with the Jaguars this offseason, and he so far has looked like one of the most impressive defensive backups on the team, showing off the potential that made him a second-round pick just a few years ago.

Jones has been a force against the run, even if the Jaguars are not tackling to the ground. He has flown downhill with missile-like speed, getting some impressive run fits to stop plays in the box, including one run stop on Thursday that drew claps from his teammates and defensive coordinator Todd Wash. In coverage, it is clear Jones has a lot to offer in terms of range and athleticism. He may have been overlooked this offseason, but he is making a serious case to make the final roster.