It took one minicamp practice for a Jaguars rookie to prove he's the real deal

The Jacksonville Jaguars took wide receiver Josh Cameron and CJ Williams with back-to-back picks in the sixth round of the 2026 NFL Draft. While the latter stole the spotlight at Organized Activities, the former had to watch from the sidelines while he nursed a calf injury he suffered earlier in 2026.

However, Cameron is back in the mix, and he's wasted no time making an impression in his offensive debut at mandatory minicamp.

Josh Cameron is off to a great start at Jaguars minicamp

John Shipley of Sports Illustrated shared his notes from Day 1 of mandatory minicamp. He wrote that Josh Cameron was the standout, pointing out that he made a strong impression in his first practice with the offense.

"Josh Cameron had a slow start due to the offseason program as he recovered from an ankle injury he sustained during the draft process," Shipley wrote. "He got onto the field for special teams drills last week, and then on Tuesday made his debut in team drills for the first time. It was quite the debut, too, with Cameron arguably having the best day of any receiver."

Shipley continued, "Cameron caught a touchdown early in team red-zone drills by running away from the coverage underneath and getting yards after the catch, but he did not stop there. Cameron made several impressive sideline catches throughout the course of the day, including a deep catch that was arguably the most impressive play anyone made on Tuesday."

It's worth noting that Cameron, along with tight end Tanner Koziol, was among the Jaguars draft picks in 2026 that weren't considered a reach. He was projected to go in the sixth round, and that's where Jacksonville took him.

For context, James Gladstone caught plenty of heat in the draft because he followed his own board instead of the consensus. Nate Boerkircher was probably the Jags' "biggest reach, as he was originally projected to go late in the third round or early in the fourth but was instead selected at No. 56.

Cameron caught 69 receptions for 872 yards with nine touchdowns in 2025. He garnered interest during the pre-draft process because of his physicality and ability to adjust to throws. Couple that with his low drop rate, and it's easy to see why the Jags used a sixth-round pick on him.

On the other hand, Cameron lasted until the sixth round because he relied on his physical skills to thrive in Baylor's simple offense. Moreover, the former Bear must work on his route running and hone his overall technique. Then again, the fact that he's already making a strong impression at minicamp bodes well for his chances of earning a roster spot next season.

Josh Cameron is suddenly the biggest surprise at Jaguars minicamp

It didn't take long for Josh Cameron to narrow down the gap between him and fellow rookie CJ Williams. That said, both of them are making a strong case to make the team. Three roster spots are virtually earmarked for Brian Thomas Jr., Parker Washington, and Jakobi Meyers.

You could also count Travis Hunter, but because he'll tentatively play defense full-time next season, he'll probably be listed as a corner. That will, in turn, give the Jags flexibility to keep both Williams and Cameron come cutdown day.

Of course, it's been only one practice, so Cameron will need to build off of it and keep making plays in training camp. On top of that, he'll need to fend off veterans Tim Jones and Austin Tramell.

If he pulls it off, Josh Cameron will not only make the roster but also carve out a niche on offense.

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