When the Jacksonville Jaguars managed to re-sign Montaric Brown just before free agency, cornerback was no longer a pressing need. Couple that with the fact that two-way star Travis Hunter will tentatively play defense next season, and the Jags chose to prioritize other needs in the 2026 NFL Draft. But in the aftermath, they wasted no time signing North Carolina State's Devon Marshall as an undrafted free agent.
The former Wolfpack may face an uphill battle to make the initial 53-man roster, but he's definitely got a chance. In fact, a couple analysts think he's got a legitimate shot.
Devon Marshall has a chance to make the Jaguars 53-man roster
After the NFL Draft ended, the Jaguars rushed to sign 18 undrafted rookies. Many of them won't be able to stick around next season, but a few of them could end up making enough of an impression to ultimately earn a roster spot. One of them could be Devon Marshall.
A three-star prospect out of high school, Marshall has superb recognition skills and excels at making plays, leading the ACC with 15 pass deflections last year. Couple that with the fact that he has the flexibility to play inside or outside, and he could turn out to be a great addition to the Jacksonville secondary.
John Shipley of Sports Illustrated says he likes Marshall's chances if they keep six cornerbacks. Similarly, Ryan Fowler of Fansided says he's his favorite undrafted free agent that landed in Duval.
Of course, there's a reason he went undrafted. He isn't particularly fast and lacks the burst to recover if he loses leverage. Having said that, he has the tools to potentially make an impression in the offseason program.
On the other hand, he's not the only undrafted corner competing for a roster spot, as he'll face competition from former Colorado standout Preston Hodge.
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Why the Jaguars could keep Devon Marshall on the 53-man roster
It's hard to tell just how many cornerbacks the Jaguars will carry next season. Montaric Brown, Jarrian Jones, and Jourdan Lewis should all make the cut, barring something unexpected. That's three. You can add Travis Hunter to the mix, but he gives Jacksonville a little bit of flexibility, as they can list him as a receiver. But even if the team's brass designates the former Heisman Trophy winner as a corner, that's only four.
Christian Braswell may be the favorite to earn the fifth spot, but he shouldn't rest on his laurels. Both Preston Hodge and Devin Marshall could end up pushing Braswell, and if the Jags want to keep six cornerbacks, both Hodge and Marshall will see their odds of making the team go up substantially.
Nearly every year, there's an undrafted rookie who manages to sneak his way onto the initial 53-man roster — or two, like Danny Striggow and B.J. Green II last year. Maybe Marshall is the one who pulls it off in 2026.
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