PFF: Jaguars Have a Top-10 Linebacker Unit Entering 2024

Pro Football Focus believes the Jacksonville Jaguars have one of the NFL's top linebacker rooms entering 2024.

Jacksonville Jaguars linebacker Foyesade Oluokun (23) motions to the crowd after a sack on Tennessee Titans quarterback Will Levis (8), not shown, during the first quarter an NFL football matchup Sunday, Nov. 19, 2023 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. The Jacksonville Jaguars defeated the Tennessee Titans 34-14. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] / Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA

With plenty of change along the defensive line and in the secondary, the Jacksonville Jaguars' linebacker room enters 2024 with the most consistency on that side of the ball.

Between starting linebackers Foyesade Oluokun and Devin Lloyd and backup linebacker Chad Muma, the Jaguars have plenty of starting experience in the middle of their defense. Olukun and Lloyd have been staples in the defense for the last two seasons, with Lloyd showing progression in his second year alongside the veteran linebacker.

As a result, the Jaguars' linebacker room came in at No. 7 in Pro Football Focus' ranking of each linebacker unit. This is the highest ranking the Jaguars had in PFF's position group series.

"Devin Lloyd’s improvement from his first season to his second seemed to slip under the radar, but the 27th overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft was the fourth-highest-graded linebacker in the NFL in run defense last year (90.0). Next to him, Foyesade Oluokun ranked 22nd in the NFL with a 75.2 PFF grade and was solid against the run and in coverage."

- Gordon McGuinness, Pro Football Focus

The Jaguars traded up to select Lloyd at No. 27 two years ago; since then, he has proved to be one of the most important pieces of the Jaguars' defense.

In that span, Lloyd has started 30 games in 32 appearances and recorded 242 tackles, 134 solo tackles, two tackles for loss, four fumble recoveries, three interceptions, and 15 pass breakups.

"Since arriving in Jacksonville in 2022, Oluokun leads the NFL in solo tackles (239) and total tackles (357). In 2023, he recorded 173 total tackles (111 solo), eight tackles for loss, six passes defensed, 2.5 sacks, one forced fumble and one interception returned for a touchdown.

Last season, he surpassed 150 total tackles for the third consecutive season, becoming just the sixth player to do so since 2000. He also posted career highs in quarterback hits (10) and fumble recoveries (three) in 2023. In his six seasons, Oluokun has amassed 811 total tackles (506 solo), 32 tackles for loss, 22 passes defensed, 9.5 sacks, six interceptions and six fumble recoveries.

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