The Jacksonville Jaguars aren't necessarily in desperate need of change. It's only Week 7, and they sit at 4-3, having beaten good times like the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers. What they're doing is working.
Kind of. Most of the time.
Yet it seems from this view that when the Jaguars' defense doesn't force three or more turnovers in a game, the rest of the team can't pick up the slack. And three turnovers per game is unsustainable. So they might not be in dire need of shaking things up, but change should come anyway. With this in mind, here are three rookies that the team's brass needs to give a chance to prove themselves.
Jaguars player No. 1: Safety Rayuan Lane III
Current safety Andrew Wingard just isn't cutting it. He got torched deep in two consecutive games by two tight ends—one of which listed as a fourth-stringer. That's unacceptable from a starting safety. Sure, the Jaguars planned to start rookie Caleb Ransaw before his season-ending injury in training camp. With that no longer an option, it's time to turn to another rookie.
Jaguars safety Rayuan Lane III has been a mainstay on special teams. He's played consistently well when given the opportunity, even earning himself a game ball. While I don't think general manager James "Draft all the safeties" Gladstone had starting Lane on defense in mind when he drafted him in the seventh round, I think it's about time to let the man cook.
Rayuan Lane's ST tackles https://t.co/s867N5xLFR pic.twitter.com/pHjHAXyne0
— John Shipley (@_John_Shipley) October 7, 2025
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Jaguars player No. 2: Offensive lineman Wyatt Milum
The Jaguars' offensive line has struggled mightily the last few weeks, allowing 14 sacks through two games. It's been a rough go, and their subpar performance has been a huge reason for the two consecutive losses. While I'm not suggesting rookie Wyatt Milum is the answer, it certainly doesn't seem like he can make things any worse.
Milum played 43 games at tackle during his college career with West Virginia, earning himself the All-Big 12 Conference First Team and NCAA Consensus First Team All-American awards his senior year. He didn't allow a single sack in his final two years of college, and he only allowed a sack in two games prior to that. Let the man play, and see if he can bolster a suddenly struggling offensive line.
Jaguars player No. 3: Running back Bhayshul Tuten
I'm not suggesting we bench running back Travis Etienne Jr. Far from it; let No. 1 do his thing. What I am suggesting is that, with the Jaguars receiving woes, you give Etienne more opportunities to catch the ball by sticking rookie running back Bhayshul Tuten in the backfield. Tuten may lack some of the explosiveness of Etienne—he only averages 4.1 yards per carry on 32 carries—but he runs with physicality and grit.
With a bit more playing time and a few more opportunities, he has the potential to keep the run game going at a decent clip. This would free Etienne up to be another receiving threat, adding a weapon to an area that seems to be sorely lacking.
Final thoughts
The season is still young, and the Jaguars are 4-3—not yet time to panic. However, before they plummet any more in the standings, it might be time to give a few rookies a bigger load. There's no better time than now, with the bye week providing ample time to spin them up and a lackluster Las Vegas Raiders team waiting in Week 9.