Which UDFA Has the Best Chance to Make the Jaguars' 2023 Roster?

With a deep roster returning, the Jaguars are a tough spot for any UDFA -- so which one has stood out to us so far?

The Jacksonville Jaguars have had quite the success run in undrafted free agency over the last 10 seasons. 

While the Jaguars have not always been as lucky in the draft or on Sundays, undrafted free agency has been an area the Jaguars have thrived in recent years. This has included gems such as Allen Hurns, Corey Grant, Tyler Shatley, Tre Herndon, Jarrod Wilson, and even Mike Hilton. 

What about from this year's group of undrafted free agents, though? Who has stood out thus far this offseason and who might have the best chance to crack the opening-day 53?

That is where the FanNation group comes in. 

It’s not unusual to see at least one or two undrafted rookies stick on every team’s final 53-man roster. With minicamps having transpired across the NFL, it’s a good time to look at which UDFA rookies have the best chance of surviving the final cutdown this year.

To that end, FanNation publishers have identified one prime candidate for the teams they cover.

For the Jaguars, we had to pick between the 10 following signings: 

• Notre Dame DL Jayson Ademilola
• Missouri LB D.J. Coleman
• San Jose State WR Elijah Cooks
• BYU CB Kaleb Hayes
• Colorado State LB Dequan Jackson
• UCL OL Samuel Jackson
• LSU WR Jaray Jenkins
• Nebraska WR Oliver Martin
• Cincinnati TE Leonard Taylor
• UCF CB Divaad Wilson

So, who was our pick? 

Anyone who has read our notebooks from each day of open offseason practice is unlikely to be surprised to see that the answer is San Jose State wide receiver Elijah Cooks.

The former Nevada transfer faces an uphill battle to make the 53-man roster considering the Jaguars are returning four receivers from a year ago and have also added Calvin Ridley and sixth-round rookie Parker Washington. But Cooks was clearly the best undrafted free agent on the field for the Jaguars’ at last week’s minicamp, and he already is the biggest receiver on the entire roster at 6’4”. If he can make noise in training camp, he will be a tough cut. 

Cooks has simply played at a different level than any other undrafted rookie, though others such as Divaad Wilson and Oliver Martin have made plays in their own rights. But for now, Cooks is the top dog and has a chance to legitimately challenge for a place on the roster as long as his play continues into training camp. 

It will be hard for any undrafted free agent to make the Jaguars' roster considering the sheer amount of players from a year ago who the Jaguars are returning. Add 13 draft picks to the equation, and this could be the rare year where the Jaguars don't have an undrafted free agent rookie make the roster.

But if one does, Cooks seems like a good bet to be that player.

"But once you get these guys on the team, we don't set any boundaries. We don't set any limits," Jaguars general manager Trent Baalke said after the draft. 

"Whether you're the first guy on the roster or the 90th guy on the roster, you come in and compete. If you earn the spot you're going to earn the spot. I think Coach would say the same thing."