Jaguars roster: 3 realistic expectations for CB Tyson Campbell in 2021

The Jacksonville Jaguars’ cornerbacks couldn’t stop opposing quarterbacks from moving the ball last year. Thus, they spent the offseason revamping their secondary. Besides re-signing Sidney Jones and Tre Herndon, they signed Shaquill Griffin in free agency. Moreover, they used the second pick in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft on Tyson Campbell, one of the top cornerback prospects in the class.

The Jags’ secondary could be a strength this year thanks to all the additions they make. Cornerback C.J. Henderson should get his starting job back after missing the second half of the 2020 season and Griffin should play opposite of him. Herndon may man the slot and if any of them go down, Jones can take their place without missing a beat. That leaves Campbell as the number five corner on the depth chart.

For Campbell to join the defense’s starting lineup, he would have an outstanding training camp or his fellow cornerbacks would have to miss time with injuries. The latter scenario may be the most likely of the two. Henderson, Jones, and D.J. Hayden, who is no longer with the team, went down last year. In fact, that’s one of the reasons why the Jaguars bolstered their cornerback room this offseason.

Jones and Herndon are set to become free agents after this season. For the time being, Campbell can watch and learn from the veterans while he waits for his opportunity to take the field.

Here are three realistic expectations for Jaguars rookie Tyson Campbell.

1. Tyson Campbell will start three or five games in 2021 – Teams can’t prevent injuries but they can prepare for them. While the Jaguars would surely want all their cornerbacks to stay healthy all year long, that may be a tall order. Also, the NFL added one more game to the regular season, so not all players will be able to withstand the extra matchup.

The Jaguars will have Campbell waiting in the wings and once he joins the starting lineup. The coaching staff will want to give him a closer look, so he won’t go back to the bench right away and will start a few games.

2. The Georgia product will snag one interception – While it looks like a low total, the lack of playing time won’t afford Campbell many opportunities to make plays. Keep in mind that he wasn’t a ballhawk at Georgia and logged just one interception throughout his collegiate career, so one interception is reasonable.

3. Tyson Campbell won’t have a big impact in 2021 – The Jaguars don’t need to start Campbell right out of the gate. This will limit the impact he will have on the field this upcoming season. Nevertheless, he should still be able to display some of the skills that made him a second-round selection. The former Bulldog will finish the year with 25 total tackles, five passes defensed, one interception, and one forced fumble. All these numbers will go up in 2022 when he becomes a key cog in the Jaguars’ secondary.