3 Jaguars players not named Nathan Rourke whose stock got a boost vs. the Cowboys

The preseason gives some players a chance to solidify a roster spot and that's precisely what quarterback Nathan Rourke did in the Jacksonville Jaguars' 28-23 win over the Dallas Cowboys in Week 1 of the 2023 NFL Preseason.

Rourke won't be moving ahead of backup C.J. Beathard on the depth chart anytime soon but he should feel good about his chances of sticking around in Jacksonville for the regular season. The Canadian-born passer played two seasons with the B.C. Lions in the CFL before signing with the Jags earlier this year.

Besides showcasing good accuracy and superb pocket awareness, Rourke was able to find his receivers for big gains despite the fact that they struggled to create separation at times He finished the game with a 52.9 percent completion rate for 153 yards with one touchdown and no turnovers.

While those numbers alone would help Rouke's case, it was that one completion where he put on display his escaping skills to find running back Qadree Wilson for a 31-yard catch that caught everyone's attention.

Heck, Patrick Mahomes caught wind of Rourke's ability to escape the pass rush to connect with Wilson. That said, Rourke wasn't the only Jaguars player that rose his stock against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 1 of the preseason. Here are three more who also helped themselves.

No. 3 Jaguars player whose stock went up vs. the Cowboys: Yasir Abdullah, OLB

Outside linebackers Josh Allen and Travon Allen are expected to cause disruption at the line of scrimmage in 2023. However, the Jags don't have much depth behind them and if either one has to miss time, Jacksonville could struggle to get to the quarterback. This is why the lack of depth in their pass rush rotation has been consistently brought up as one of their biggest weaknesses ahead of the regular season.

While outside linebacker K'Lavon Chaisson, a 2020 first-round pick, is running out of chances to live up to his draft billing, rookie Yasir Abdullah could come in and give the pass rush a boost, maybe. Against the Cowboys, Abdullah was consistently around the ball and didn't stop playing until the whistle was blown. His effort paid off as he finished the game with three total tackles and one sack.

Abdullah, a fifth-round pick in this year's draft, still needs to work on expanding his pass-rush repertoire before he can be counted on. But against the Cowboys, he showed he's putting in the work in case his number gets called during the regular season.

No. 2 Jaguars player whose stock went up vs. the Cowboys: Tank Bigsby, RB

Running back Travis Etienne got a light workload against the Cowboys but that was expected. The Clemson Tiger had nothing to prove and the Jags need to limit his playing time as much as possible to ensure he's 100 percent for the opener against the Indianapolis Colts.

Once the coaching staff had seen enough of Etienne, they plugged rookie Tank Bigsby into the lineup. A third-round pick in this year's draft, Bigsby had gotten lots of praise from coaches and teammates in training camp. He showed it was warranted against the Cowboys, toting the rock nine times for 42 yards. Although he looked a bit indecisive at times, he put on display the downhill speed that made him a collegiate star at Auburn.

On the first depth chart the team released, Bigsby was listed as No. 2 behind Etienne, and it's hard to see that changing if he continues to play like that against the Detroit Lions in Week 2 of the preseason.

Sophomore Snop Cooner got the second-most carries among Jaguars running back against the Cowboys with seven. However, he wasn't nearly as effective as Bigsby, mustering a measly, 2.1 yards every time he got the ball.

D'Ernest Johnson, who signed a one-year deal with the Jags in free agency, also made the most of his chances, tallying five carries for 31 yards. However, it was Bigsby the one that stole the show for the Jaguars.

Back when the Jaguars picked Bigsby, it seemed unnecessary as they were stacked at running back. Three months later, the decision looks much better, as the Jags added yet another weapon to an offense already loaded with lots of talent.

No. 1. Jaguars player whose stock went up vs. the Cowboys: Jacob Harris, WR

Nobody would blame you if you didn't know who wide receiver Jacob Harris was before the Jaguars' bout against the Cowboys. A fourth-round pick by the Los Angeles Rams in 2021, he joined the Jaguars this past May. Besides getting a shout-out from head coach Doug Pederson the Western Kentucky product hadn't done anything particularly special to be worth keeping an eye on.

However, Harris made the most of his chances and caught the spotlight when he caught a 42-yard pass that set the Jaguars' second touchdown of the game.

Harris originally played tight end in the NFL but switch to wide receiver last year. Although he may still be going through an adjustment, it looks like changing positions was a wise career move. Now, he needs to keep taking advantage of his opportunities in the next two preseason games.

Having said that, Harris might not make the roster even if he shows out because the Jaguars have a surplus at wide receiver and most likely just one spot for grasp. Calvin Ridley, Christian Kirk, Jamal Agnew, and Zay Jones are pretty much locks. That leaves just one opening for Harris, Parker Washington, Elijah Cooks, Kevin Austin Jr., Seth Williams, Kendrick Pryor, and Tim Jones.

Even if the Jags carried six receivers into the 2023 season, many of them will be a victim of the numbers game. The good news for Harris is that he did what he needed when he got playing time against the Cowboys. If he doesn't ultimately make the cut, it won't be for a lack of effort.

Here are other recent Jaguars stories you might also like: