Every Key Rookie to Watch During Jaguars Training Camp

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The Jacksonville Jaguars have a fresh crop of rookies who are set to report to the Miller Electric Center within the next few days for their first official training camps.

If last season was any indication, the Jaguars will surely need their young guns eventually throughout the 2026 season, and now is when they can start to build that trust and confidence. But who are the key rookies to really keep an eye on when camp begins next week? We break it all down below.

TEs Nate Boerkircher and Tanner Koziol

There are different reasons to wanting to see what Nate Boerkircher and Tanner Koziol can do in their first offseason with the Jaguars, but the overall theme remains the same for both: they are the Jaguars' change in the tight end room, and it will be their development that ultimately determines how effective the Jaguars are with multiple tight ends.

The Jaguars dealt with tight end depth issues a year ago that led to them playing with a high rate of 6 offensive lineman packages to compensate. The Jaguars were woefully unproductive on these plays, though, which demanded the additions of Boerkircher and Koziol in April's draft.

According to Next Gen Stats, "The Jaguars used jumbo personnel (6+ OL) on 14.6% of snaps after their Week 8 bye, the fifth-highest rate in the NFL during that span.
While using jumbo groupings on over 15% of plays in each of the first four games following their bye (Weeks 9-12), they have used such personnel less as of late, dropping to 7.2% in Weeks 13-18. Over the full season, they averaged 3.1 yards per play and a 36.5% success rate out of jumbo, both of which rank as the second-lowest marks among the 17 offenses that logged at least 25 jumbo personnel snaps."

Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Nate Boerkircher (87) catches a pass during rookie minicamp at the Miller Electric Center, Saturday, May 9, 2026 in Jacksonville, Fla. Today was the second of a three day camp concluding Sunday. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

In short, the Jaguars were forced to stick with 11 personnel pretty much weekly. It didn't hurt them too much a year ago, but improving the tight end room and the ability to play in 12 and 13 formations could give the Jaguars a schematic edge that they did not have a year ago.

As for the rookies themselves, Boerkircher was the Jaguars' top pick in April but he had a fairly quiet offseason program. Seeing him when pads come on will be one of the biggest storylines of training camp, while Tanner Koziol was a big-play machine during the offseason program. It is easy to see Koziol emerging as a fan-favorite over camp.

WR/KR Josh Cameron

Josh Cameron was someone we mocked to the Jaguars quite a bit before the 2026 NFL Draft, so when they traded up in the sixth-round to select the Baylor product it looked like the perfect pairing. Cameron has size, strong hands, yards after the catch ability, he can block in the running game and, of course, he is a dynamic returner for a team that needs some return depth.

Jaguars special teams coordinator Heath Farwell seems especially excited to see Cameron in the kick return game, and he should get plenty of reps in that regard over the course of camp and the preseason. Add in the big-play skill-set he has at wide receiver, and he is one to watch.

WR CJ Williams

cj weillliam — Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver CJ Williams (18) catches a pass during rookie minicamp at the Miller Electric Center, Saturday, May 9, 2026 in Jacksonville, Fla. Today was the second of a three day camp concluding Sunday. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

It would not shock me in the slightest to see CJ Williams emerge from training camp as one of the biggest risers on the Jaguars' roster. He became the go-to target for each of the Jaguars' backup passers during the offseason program, and he has simply shown the ability to do the two most important things a receiver can do: catch the ball and get open.

Training camp will be Williams' best chance to get reps during the year considering the state of the Jaguars' wide receiver room. With a strong camp, though, Williams could play himself into a future role on the offense.

DE Zach Durfee & DE Bryan Thomas Jr.

Another one of my picks for sleeper of training camp is seventh-round rookie defensive end Zach Durfee. The Washington pass-rusher displayed legit traits off the edge over the course of the offseason, and he tested during the draft process like a top-level athlete. If he can translate that into strong reps during training camp, he will give himself a legit chance to make the team.

As for Bryan Thomas Jr., he has the size, strength, and colledge propduction the Jaguars have honed in on in the past. If there is going to be a surprise in the defensive end room, I believe it would one way or another be him.

RB J'Mari Taylor

One of the most interesting sleepers on the Jaguars' roster is undrafted free agent running back J'Mari Taylor. The Virginia product had some exciting glimpses during the offseason program, showing some real explosiveness and long-speed that stood out amongst the rest of the Jaguars' running back room. He also has some special teams value, and it is easy to see a scenario where he beats out DeeJay Dallas and Ameer Abdullah for a spot as the No. 4 running back.

Taylor's big hurdle when it comes to making the 53-man roster, however, is the unlikelihood that the Jaguars carry four running backs. But training camp should still be the time to shine for the Jaguars' rookie running back, especially once the preseason games begin and he is able to get plenty of in-game reps.

QB Joey Aguilar

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Joey Aguilar (17) passes during rookie minicamp at the Miller Electric Center, Saturday, May 9, 2026 in Jacksonville, Fla. Today was the second of a three day camp concluding Sunday. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The Jaguars' QB3 position was interesting going into the offseason. There has never been anything to suggest the Jaguars were looking for a change from Nick Mullens when it came to the No. 2 quarterback spot, but the Jaguars did seem to poke around a good bit on Day 3 prospects when it came to the pre-draft process. But the Jaguars' 10 picks came and went without a quarterback being drafted, and the Jaguars' addition to the quarterback room instead became undrafted quarterback Joey Aguilar.

For Aguilar to land a spot on the Jaguars' depth chart, he is going to have to beat out Carter Bradley for the No. 3 quarterback role, which will be a practice squad spot. Bradley has the edge on him in terms of overall experience and time spent in the Jaguars' scheme, but Aguilar has a live arm and at least brings some interesting traits to what should be a battle throughout the preseason and training camp.

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