The 5 Biggest Surprises From Jaguars' Training Camp So Far: Anton Harrison's Role

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Training camp is always a time for surprises. We all spend so many offseason months trying to picture what a team will look like come Week 1, and then training camp manages to throw a wrench in many plans.

This year's camp has been no different for the Jacksonville Jaguars, who are set to hold a joint practice with the New Orleans Saints on Thursday for their 11th official practice of training camp. A number of situations have played out much differently than we anticipated over the first few weeks of camp, and here are the five biggest.

Anton Harrison Takes Over at LT

Anton Harrison came into camp as the Jaguars' most important offensive lineman (alongside Cole Van Lanen), so it is hardly a surprise that he has been one of the standout performers of the summer so far. But what has been a surprise is to see Harrison take the vast majority of his camp reps at left tackle instead of right tackle, with the last two weeks serving as the longest amount of time Harrison has spent on the left side since getting drafted in the first-round of the 2023 NFL Draft.

Harrison spent the first couple of days of camp at right tackle but has spent most of camp switched to the blindside as the Jaguars wait-and-see with Van Lanen's recovery. It wouldn't make much sense for the Jaguars to devote this much time to Harrison on the left side if he wasn't going to take some serious snaps there this season, a shift from pre-camp expectations that had Walker Little penciled in at left tackle until Van Lanen returned.

Considering Harrison is one of the Jaguars who is next up for a contract extension, he could see his price skyrocket as a result of a potential switch to left tackle. It would be a good thing for Harrison, a college left tackle, to prove in his fourth season, even if we didn't expect it a month ago.

Travis Hunter's Practice Routine

We always expected Travis Hunter to play on both sides of the ball for the Jaguars this season, though I was caught by surprise by two things when it came to Hunter and the first few weeks of camp: how quickly they let it rip with his return, and exactly how he has managed to play both sides. I thought there was a chance the Jaguars would take it slow with Hunter in advance of Week 1, but Hunter has done everything at 100 mph since the first day of camp.

Then there is how he has managed to play on both sides. In last year's camp there would be some days where he played both receiver and cornerback on the same day, but more often than not he spent practices devoted to one side. We have now seen Hunter play both sides of the ball in every practice of camp so far, making it clear where he fits into the Jaguars plans. He is going to make an impact at both wide receiver and cornerback this year, one way or another.

The DL Pecking Order

campoanil — Jacksonville Jaguars Defensive Coordinator Anthony Campanile coaches during the Jacksonville Jaguars seventh day of NFL Training Camp at the Miller Electric Center in Jacksonville, Fla., Thursday August 6, 2026. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union] | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

I came into the summer thinking that the Jaguars' No. 3 defensive tackle would be Ruke Orhorhoro and their No. 3 defensive end would be Danny Striggow. While I believe both players still have a chance to win those roles, it does seem like the pecking order has been a bit different through the first several weeks of camp, with two other players seemingly grabbing the top backup spots in Matt Dickerson and B.J. Green.

Dickerson and Green are returning players who made impacts a year ago, and it seems like both have improved since then. Dickerson is getting legit snaps with the top defense in team drills, while Green was the replacement for Josh Hines-Allen in the mock game a week ago. Green then proceeded to completely wreck the practice for the second-team offense, collecting multiple would-be sacks over the course of the practice.

The Return Game

parke — Jacksonville Jaguars Wide Receiver Parker Washington (11) catches a pass during the Jacksonville Jaguars seventh day of NFL Training Camp at the Miller Electric Center in Jacksonville, Fla., Thursday August 6, 2026. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union] | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

My expectation entering training camp was that the Jaguars would look for different options at both kick and punt returner, since both Bhayshul Tuten and Parker Washington are set to play bigger roles on the offense this year. There is still a chance the Jaguars look to other options like Josh Cameron for either role, but as of right now it sure looks like each player will repeat the duty in 2026, especially Washington.

“I talked to Heath [Associate Head Coach/Special Teams Coordinator Heath Farwell], and he said, ‘shoot, let's go.’ Yeah so, I'm just open to the opportunity, whatever it is," Washington said last week. "Obviously, we'll get some more receiver play, but as I said, I want to come out here and be my best self. If that happens to be on return, shoot. I feel like I've been studying that for a while now. Let's see if we can make some more plays.”

The Jaguars could always change plans depending on the game or the health and state of the roster, but right now I would be surprised if Washington and Tuten are not returners in Week 1. I do not think I would have said that a month ago, but it looks like it is how things are playing out. Perhaps Cameron can make things interesting with live reps in the preseason, however.

Ameer Abdullah

No, I do not expect the Jaguars to carry four running backs on the 53-man roster by the end of training camp. But that does not take away from the fact that Ameer Abdullah has provided several explosive plays for the Jaguars' running back room despite entering the summer as mostly an afterthought.

We expected Jaguars undrafted rookie running back J'Mari Taylor to push for the RB4 role behind Tuten, Chris Rodriguez Jr., and LeQuint Allen, but it has instead been Abdullah who has stepped up to the plate as the top backup behind the Jaguars' leading trio. He has geniunely impressed, and it may earn him a spot on the Jaguars' practice squad as a result.

Add us as a preferred source on Google