Jaguars CB Montaric Brown: Rising Star Deservedly Takes No. 16 Spot

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Entering his fifth NFL season, Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Montaric Brown has already become a massive success story.

A former seventh-round pick, Brown has developed into an every-week starter in recent years. In 2025, he had the best year of his career and earned a three-year, $31.8 million deal this past offseason. Now, Brown's importance and value have landed him at the No. 16 spot in our top-25 rankings of the most important Jaguars.

Why Montaric Brown is So Important

Brown has been one of the most reliable defenders on the Jaguars' roster in recent years, and there is a reason the franchise was so eager to reward him with a big contract this offseason. Brown has long been a favorite of the Jaguars' staffs and front offices since he was drafted in 2022, and he is set to once again step into a starting role in 2026 no matter who the corners opposite of him are.

Travis Hunter will be expected to play a big role on defense this year, which could mean Brown and him forming a dynamic one-two punch at the position. The Jaguars have pointed to the secondary as one area they want to make a leap in, and Brown is an important part of their efforts to make sure that actually happens.

“Yeah, he's always kind of played and practiced with confidence. There are areas in which he can continue to improve, but I think, look, we signed him to a deal, and he comes out and just is him. He's practiced the same way," Jaguars head coach Lam Coen said this week. "He's approached the meetings and practice and games the same way since I've been here the whole time. So, he is consistent, he's a pro. I think we'll see another step from Buster this year in terms of confidence, especially in the red zone.”

Montaric Brown's Strengths and Weaknesses

Brown has proven to be a top-tier cornerback in terms of zone coverage over the years. He has great instincts for route combinations and is able to frequently make plays on the football. Last year, had a team-leading 12 passes defensed along with two interceptions. Brown proved to be a perfect fit in Anthony Campanile's season a year ago thanks to his ability to make plays in vision-based coverage.

Aside from this, Brown has also shown a real edge to his game, making him an effective tackler and run defender. In 2024, he was one of only five players in the NFL with 75-plus tackles, eight-plus passes defensed, six-plus tackles for loss and an interception (CB Byron Murphy, LB Daiyan Henley, S Brian Branch and CB Jarvis Brownlee Jr.) in 2024.

If there is any weakness to Brown's game, it is that he can sometimes struggle against receivers with elite speed. He is able to match-up with receivers of all types, but he does not have the long-speed of some of the other cornerbacks on the Jaguars' roster.

What Happens if the Jaguars Need to replace Montaric Brown

The Jaguars will need Brown to play a significant role on defense, and they would certainly have to answer some questions if they ever lost him due to injury. The Jaguars could have the option of letting Travis Hunter major in cornerback and minor in receiver, but they do luckily have some depth at the cornerback spot.

Jourdan Lewis will be back from his foot injury sooner rather than later, and he can play outside in a pinch. As can veteran Jaguars cornerback Jarrian Jones, who has his own place on this list at No. 25 to kick off the series. Then there is the fact that the Jaguars have had several backup cornerbacks step up.

Christian Braswell and Jabbar Muhammad could be in one of the team's most interesting training camp battles next month, while undrafted cornerbacks Preston Hodge and Devon Marshall have made their own plays at different points of the offseason program. This is a spot the Jaguars have some real talent at, though they would obviously be weakened by losing Brown.

Why We Ranked Montaric Brown Here

The Jaguars will need their secondary to take a big leap in 2026 to reach their potential as a team, and Brown is paramount to that effort. There is an argument that he should have been ranked even higher here considering his starting role and how much the unit will lean on him if Travis Hunter is ever off the field.

Brown has turned into a stellar player for the Jaguars over the years, culminating in his terrific 2025 season. If he can improve even more from that effort, then the Jaguars could have one of the best values of the entire cornerback market on their hands considering the modest price Brown ended up signing for.

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