Jaguars' Rookie Defender Jones Shines in Upset Win Over Titans

Jacksonville Jaguars rookie cornerback Jarrian Jones had his best game as a pro vs. the Tennessee Titans on Sunday.

Dec 8, 2024; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Titans wide receiver Calvin Ridley (0) makes a catch in front of Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Jarrian Jones (22) during the first half at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images / Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

The Jacksonville Jaguars may have something in one of their top draft picks.

Third-round rookie cornerback Jarrian Jones has put his head down and worked all season long, making big plays in several games and overall improving week over week.

But in Week 14 vs. the Tennessee Titans, Jones put together his best game of his young career so far. Without Jones, there is a strong chance the Jaguars don't even pick up the 10-6 upset win in Nashville over the Jaguars' biggest rival.

Jones finished the game with five tackles, two pass breakups and his first career sack -- a sack which pushed the Titans out of field goal position in a one-score game.

“I thought in Jarrian’s (Jones) case, just played really well down the stretch here in this game and you talked about the couple of pass breakups and that sack was a thing of beauty, how he can bend and get around that edge and get (Titans QB) Will Levis on the ground," Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson said after the win.

"I thought he did a really good job, and he just continues to get better each week. He works extremely hard. So, a lot of good things about Jarrian.”

Jones was one of the Jaguars' most impressive defenders overall during the offseason program and carried this over to training camp, making impact plays throughout his first-career camp. And the consistency quickly followed Jones to the regular season, where he has so far proven he can be a key piece of the long-term future of the secondary.

Without efforts like the ones Jones and others had on Sunday, the Jaguars wouldn't have snapped their five-game losing streak. And in a lost season like this one, it is encouraging performances like this one that can give the Jaguars hope moving forward.

"Obviously in your rookie year, your first couple of games you're feeling it out, you get what I'm saying? Getting used to game speed," Jones said on Sunday.

"I would say after week four or week five, I kind of settle into myself. I figured out how I needed to prepare and adjusted to how I did in college to the NFL. And it just kind of took off from there."

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