Jaguars DB Antonio Johnson: Secondary's Newest Leader Lands at No. 8 Spot

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- 2026 could be a special year for a number of Jacksonville Jaguars veterans, including fourth-year safety Antonio Johnson.

After a breakout season a year ago in which he tied for the team lead in interceptions with five, Johnson has transformed into a full-time player and a veteran leader in the Jaguars' secondary -- exact reasons why he enters our top-25 rankings of the most important Jaguars at No. 8.

Why Antonio Johnson is So Important

Starting nine games last year as the Jaguars dealt with injuries at safety, Johnson proved to be a bonafide playermaker in a secondary that badly needed one to step in. His career-high five interceptions were tied for the most on the team and second most in the league, and he led all Jaguars DBs with 2.0 sacks while recording 52 tackles (34 solo), including two for loss, and nine passes defensed.

In short, Johnson was everywhere for the Jaguars a year ago. He stepped up in a big way when the Jaguars released Darnell Savage and then when Eric Murray dealt with injuries, thriving first in the Jaguars' three-safety looks and then ultimately in the starting lineup. Johnson wore multiple hats in Anthony Campanile's defense a year ago, and he has now progressed and matured enough to the point where he is one of the leaders of the Jaguars' young safety room.

"You see him helping the young guys, helping Jalen [S Jalen Huskey] and other guys in the room. He's been a really good communicator. Done a good job in the meetings, but the cool thing about him is he's had a lot on his plate maybe more than even some other guys because Antonio plays both safety positions, nickel, dime, he does a lot," Jaguars defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile said earlier this month.

"So, when you do that, it's hard. It's hard to learn all that stuff, but in the end, the silver lining is you know the defenses good or better than anybody. I think he's at the point now where he can coach a lot of the techniques that we're asking the guys to play, which is cool.”

Antonio Johnson's Strengths and Weaknesses

Johnson did a little bit of everything for the Jaguars last season. His ball skills stood out week after week, which was the leading reason why he was a takeaway machine for the Jaguars and Campanile. Johnson had the ability to play the ball in the air and beat receivers at the catch point, while also flashing some play-making ability with the ball in his hands as a returner. Johnson is also a strong middle of the field defender who knows how to read quarterbacks and route concepts to give himself a chance to make plays.

There are not truly a ton of holes within Johnson's game. He is a bigger safety so man coverage can be and up-and-down adventure at times, but he has a balanced skill-set that gives him the ability to make plays in a variety of ways. Consistency was his biggest issue before the 2025 season, but he seems to have ditched that last season.

What Happens if the Jaguars Need to Replace Antonio Johnson

If the Jaguars have to replace Antonio Johnson for any reason due to injuries in 2026, they do have options. The Jaguars have spent top-100 picks on the safety position in back-to-back seasons with Caleb Ransaw and Jalen Huskey, and each young safety has the skill-set to jump into the lineup and play multiple roles like Johnson has been able to. The Jaguars also have second-year safety Rayuan Lane, who impressed as a rookie last year.

That is not to say the Jaguars would not badly miss Johnson if he was ever off the field. He is expected to be more than just a starter this season -- he is expected to help lead the entire secondary now that he is one of the elder statesmen in the room. He has embraced that role, and it is yet another reason why he is set to be so important to the Jaguars' cause entering the 2026 season.

Why We Ranked Antonio Johnson Here

Few players have more at stake this year than Johnson considering he is entering a contract year with a chance to cash-in with a massive deal if all goes according to plan. Johnson has met the Jaguars' challenges before, and all signs indicate that his maturity on the field as a player and off the field as a leader can only help the Jaguars this season.

"He has embraced it, he really has. One of the one of the conversations that we had early on in the spring, me and him was just making sure that he understood, hey, the dynamics of the room are a little bit different than where it was at this point last year, and he was in full lockstep, saw it, understood it, and he's really embraced a new, expanded role, just in the meeting room," Jaguars defensive backs coach Anthony Perkins said last week.

"Obviously on the field it is what it is, but for him to embrace more of a true leadership role, where obviously 'I got to handle of my business, I got to make sure I'm right, I'm good', which he's done a tremendous job of, but then being able to bring some of the younger guys along, take them under his wing, and help show them, 'hey, this is what I see, this is why I see it, this is how I see it, this is what's helped me.' I think he's really done a great job of stepping into that role."

Johnson was a key playmaker for the Jaguars a year ago, and that should not be expected to change entering his fourth season. The Jaguars are set to ask even more out of him than they did a year ago, and there is no reason to think that Johnson will not be up to the challenge placed in front of him.

Add us as a preferred source on Google