Jaguars Name 7 Captains For 2021, Including Trevor Lawrence
The Jacksonville Jaguars have named their captains ahead of the first season in the Urban Meyer era, with Meyer announcing the seven selections -- each of whom was voted on by the locker room -- to the media on Wednesday.
- C Brandon Linder
- LB Myles Jack
- WR Marvin Jones Jr.
- DE/OLB Josh Allen
- CB Shaquill Griffin
- FS Rayshawn Jenkins
- QB Trevor Lawrence
"I love the way the NFL does this," Meyer said on Wednesday.
"I know some people do two or three, I just, I always -- the players voted on it. And there was a little bit of a separation, there were two other guys that were right there. But I have always liked a lot of captains."
The most notable selection is Trevor Lawrence, this year's No. 1 overall selection. The rookie quarterback earned the third-most votes, according to Meyer, a sign of the respect the young signal-caller has already earned in Jacksonville's locker room.
"I mean he’s an engaging kid, he’s an upbeat kid, he’s that way. All our guys love him," Jaguars offensive line coach Geroge Warhop said last week. "He talks to them all, he engages them all. I’ve been most impressed with how he’s come in and really just related to everybody. There’s zero issue with him in terms of starting the relationship or even taking time to meet with [Tyler] Shatley or meet with [Brandon] Linder [and ask] ‘As a center, how you looking at this? How are you going to go about that?’ and those guys being on the same page. He’s a really good young pro. He has a tremendous personality and he’s already engaging these guys at a fairly high level.”
The top vote-getter for the Jaguars' captain race? Linebacker Myles Jack, who is entering his third-consecutive season as a captain. Jack is set to be among the core pieces to Meyer's rebuild in Jacksonville, with the sixth-year linebacker entrenched directly in the middle of the Jaguars' rebuilt defense.
"He has been that way since we got here. He's always had a very good reputation, but he has exceeded that with us so far," Meyer said about Jack on Wednesday.
"Coach [Charlie] Strong and him are extremely close. We are seeing a side to him that we pulled out of him, I hope. We always say you have to lead yourself before you lead others. He is stronger than he has ever been, his body is right, so he is in a good place."
With his vote to captain on Wednesday, Brandon Linder has reached a historic milestone and become the first-ever gold star captain in Jaguars' franchise history. Players are given gold captain patches when they have been captains for longer than four seasons, and 2021 will mark Linder's fifth season as a captain.
2021 is the first season Shaquill Griffin and Rayshawn Jenkins have been captains in their careers, while it will be the third for Marvin Jones Jr. It is Josh Allen's second season after he was voted as a captain by the Jaguars' 2020 locker room.
The Jaguars will open the 2021 season Sunday at Houston, kicking off against the Texans at 1 p.m.
