Jaguars' Devin Lloyd Named Defensive Rookie of September
The accolades keep pouring in for the Jacksonville Jaguars after a wildly successful September.
One day after quarterback Trevor Lawrence was named the AFC Offensive Player of the Week, the Jaguars saw another key young player earn honors on Thursday as rookie linebacker Devin Lloyd was announced as the NFL's Defensive Rookie of the Month.
Lloyd is the fifth Jaguars defensive rookie to win the award, joining Tony Brackens (December, 1996), Donovin Darius (November, 1998), Clint Ingram (November, 2006) and Rashean Mathis (November, 2003).
"Devin is one of the first people in, last people to leave almost every day, so that’s how he’s been even since the spring," Lawrence said on Wednesday about Lloyd. "This has been going on five months now. Just to see him come in and really have that maturity from day one has been cool."
The Jaguars traded up in the 2022 NFL Draft to select Lloyd with the No. 27 overall pick, adding him in the same round as No. 1 overall pick Travon Walker. And despite missing most of training camp with a hamstring injury, Lloyd has quickly acclimated to the NFL, delivering big plays in each game -- a sack on a two-point-conversion attempt in Week 1, an interception in Week 2 and another interception and several big stops in Week 3.
"Devin is so rangy," Lawrence said/ "I knew since our first go, I think he picked me off twice in just a handful of practices early in spring ball, just so much range, great in zone, can fly, just that type of athlete with ball skills is special."
Lloyd led all rookies with 24 tackles (eight per game) and six passes defensed and was one of two rookies to record two interceptions during the month of September. He was the only player in the NFL to record three passes defensed in two of the first three games of the season.
