The 10 Most Important Jaguars for 2021, No. 5: Shaquill Griffin

The corner unit for the Jacksonville Jaguars has possessed talent and flair and promises for years. But they needed a nucleus to help bring it all together. Can offseason free agent signing Shaquill Griffin be that guy?

The 2021 offseason completely revamped the Jacksonville Jaguars. The maligned franchise had every aspect of its organization inspected, weighed, measured and often found wanting. A new head coach and fresh set of standards were the first steps. Then through the draft, free agency and ultimatums to current players, the staff put together what is essentially a brand new roster.

After a season in which the Jags finished 1-15 (an unenviable feat but one that beget Trevor Lawrence), the club really has nowhere to go but up in the first season featuring 17 regular-season games.

Head Coach Urban Meyer and players have said consistently this offseason that they’re working to win now. As admirable and understandable as that goal is, the reality is, this team is in a massive rebuilding process. When in the midst of a rebuilding process, every single piece counts and it’s ok to take time making sure each is perfect to do the job. This is especially true when rebuilding a team. Each player contributing will be of the utmost importance; but some will have the onus put on them more than others.

As we move closer to the 2021 schedule, we take a look at the 10 most important Jaguars for the coming season.

No. 10: Jamal Agnew

No. 9: Joe Schobert

No. 8: Tyson Campbell and Tre Herndon

No. 7: Travis Etienne

No. 6: Rayshawn Jenkins 

No. 5: Shaquill Griffin

If there is one unit the Jaguars have put repeated, intense focus on in recent years, it is arguably the corner unit. Previous regimes drafted not one but two players at the position with a Top 10 pick in the span of five years. And over the course of the last two years, the unit has received significant attention in free agency.

Despite all of that, it still lacked what coaches would consider an Alpha leader. It was Jalen Ramsey, before he begged, pleaded, and bartered to be traded to the Los Angeles Rams. It could still be CJ Henderson, albeit he will be a quiet version of said Alpha. Last year’s free-agent acquisition Sidney Jones has the talent and innate skills to become “the guy” but injuries have held him back from the opportunity.

The Jaguars needed someone proven, someone with experience and results, someone with personality to take control of a unit that typically requires eccentric players and the humbleness to bring it all together.

Meyer and new defensive coordinator Joe Cullen believe they have found that guy in Shaquill Griffin. And if they’re right, he will become one of the most important players for the Jaguars this season.

Griffin is a Florida native, who spent four years at UCF before being drafted in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft by the Seattle Seahawks. As a rookie, he learned behind the “Legion Of Boom,” made up of some of the greatest defensive players of the time. When he signed with the Jags this offseason, he brought a deep understanding of the position and what it takes to be successful.

“Everybody is making improvements. And I feel like as a leader, the only thing I want to do is everything that I was taught, the people that put their arms around me going into my rookie year, I love that feeling,” explained Griffin during mini-camp. “So that’s the part I’m trying to give to this team. Whatever I know, what I continue to learn, I’m going to continue to preach it.”

As Cullen makes adjustments to the defense for the Jaguars, the corner unit will be expected to showcase speed, tenacity and precision coverage in order to keep up with the now deep receiver units across the AFC South. Doing so will require preparation, which Griffin has already shown himself capable of leading.

“He’s got a leadership personality, every day [he has] worked his tail off and [he’s] very talented, obviously, I couldn’t be [happier],” bragged Urban Meyer.

Added Griffin, “The main thing I would tell young guys is everything I do in this league is about the details. The little things of being early or running two yards past the sideline when you’re jogging off. It’s the little things that [are] going to carry us somewhere that some people may not even believe in yet. So, I’m trying to get them to understand that there’s no stop period, we’re still building that chemistry. The reason why it’s so close now, is because we all came, we all accept each other with open arms, there’s no judgment, everybody wants to see everybody be great and do great.

“So, when you have a room like that, that’s so accepting, it’s easy to say, ‘Oh yeah, that’s my brother. Oh yeah, I’ll do anything for him. Oh yeah, you’re going to be in that pose or you need to make this play, okay I got you, or I see something happen, stay back, trust me.’ That’s the type of relationship we’ve got to build. 

"And it starts not just in this facility, but outside of here. So, I know when coach asks me where I’ll be, I’ll be between Jacksonville and Atlanta training. Call me, I’ll get you up here, you can stay with me, it doesn’t matter. We’ll put you in a room somewhere. You want me to come down? I’ll come down. It’s a nice little drive, no problem. But [those are] the little details that are going to start now, that are going to help us get to where we want to go.”

For some of the Jags units, there needed to be an influx of talent and experience. Our list of Most Important Players have reflected those needs. With the corner unit, Jacksonville hasn’t lacked capable defensive backs. What they’ve lacked is someone to watch, emulate and lean on; someone to learn from, collaborate with and on whom they could depend for leadership. That’s present now with Shaquill Griffin. As such, the Jacksonville Jaguars corner unit should be able to live up to their sky-high potential.