While Travis Hunter showed his playmaking potential at the midpoint of 2025, a knee injury brougth his rookie season to an abrupt end. Now in Year 2, the former Heisman Trophy winner is under pressure to deliver. However, he isn't the only sophomore the Jacksonville Jaguars need to show out. Safety Caleb Ransaw must also come through.
Back at Tulane, Ransaw played cornerback both inside and outside. However, the Jags switched him to safety because of his skill set. The former Green Way was making a strong impression at his new position before a leg injury ended his first NFL campaign.
Like Hunter, Ransaw was expected to have a big role as a rookie and maybe even start. Now, he's part of a crowded safety room where he'll need to compete for playing time.
Caleb Ransaw must make a strong impression at Jaguars training camp
Caleb Ransaw stood out during the offseason program because of his athleticism. He'll need to take advantage of it once the pads go on in training camp. That said, the Harvest, Alabama native will have his work cut out for him.
Eric Murray held one of the starting spots last year, and he'll tentatively keep it next season. Similarly, Antonio Johnson began the season as the No. 3 but saw an uptick in playing time once Darnell Savage was traded. Johnson went on to have a banner season, registering a career-best five interceptions and nine passes defensed. He should also be at the top of the depth chart come Week 1.
It's also worth noting that Andrew Wingard was one of the starting safeties last year, but Johnson got more playing time as the year progressed. On top of that, Dewey is no longer in the mix, as he bolted for the Arizona Cardinals in free agency.
That means that Ransaw could compete with Murray for one of the starting spots but could also start the season as the No. 3 safety. He would still get ample playing time and could move ahead of Murray on the depth chart if he makes the most out of his playing time.
On the other hand, Ransaw will also need to fend off fellow sophomore Rayuan Lane III and rookie Jalen Huskey.
Caleb Ransaw will need to outshine Jalen Huskey at Jaguars training camp
The Jaguars are high on Caleb Ransaw, but he must prove that he'll be able to pick up where he left off before his leg injury. The trouble is that both Jalen Huskey and Rayuan Lane will be competing for defensive snaps.
Here's where Ransaw's tackling prowess could give him an edge. However, he'll also need to thrive in coverage and show big-play capability. On the other hand, Huskey is a ballhawk but isn't a great tackler. Lane, for his part, fared well when he was thrust into action but needs to keep progressing to have a role beyond special teams.
In the end, Caleb Ransaw will have a golden opportunity to either seize a starting job or a prominent role on defense. If he isn't able to earn either one, the noise will begin to grow and won't die down until he proves he's the player the Jaguars envisioned when they made him a third-round pick in 2026.
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