3 Jaguars whose stock is soaring following impressive preseason win vs. Chiefs

The Jacksonville Jaguars are flying high after their 26-13 win over the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 1 of the 2024 NFL Preseason. Although it won't count in the standings, they should be pleased with the overall level of execution in all three phases.

Add the fact that they had several encouraging individual performances, and the Jags should be feeling great ahead of their matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 2 of the preseason. This begs the question, who stood out? Which players saw their stock go up in the opener? These three most definitely come to mind.

Mac Jones, quarterback

Head coach Doug Pederson said after the win that he was pleased with how the three quarterbacks played, and why wouldn't he be? Trevor Lawrence was sacked but went 3-of-4 with a touchdown in limited action while C.J. Beathard connected with rookie Brian Thomas Jr. for a 41-yard completion. Mac Jones, for his part, made the most of his debut for the team he rooted for growing up.

Jones, a first-round pick in 2021, completed 81 percent of his throws for 98 yards. Although he took a sack, he also completed throws of 22 and 28 yards to wide receiver Austin Trammell and tight end Josiah Deguara.

The Jags traded for Jones just before the start of free agency. Even though he's coming off an underwhelming two-year stretch, he made the Pro Bowl and led the New England Patriots to the playoffs as a rookie. In Jacksonville, the Alabama standout is competing with Beathard for the backup job behind Lawrence. While the battle is still ongoing, he should be thrilled about his chances after his outing in the opener.

Jalen Jackson, running back

It's hard for undrafted free agents to stand out, especially if they play a position where a team is stacked. Jalen Jackson has managed to pull it off for the Jags. John Shipley of Sports Illustrated has stated several times that the former Villanova Wildcat has managed to make a strong impression in training camp, and it's carried into the preseason.

Late in the opener, Jackson got five carries for 29 yards. Sure, it came against the Chiefs' third and fourth team but what matters is that he was able to get the most out of his opportunities. It's also worth noting that he's taken advantage of fellow rookie Keilan Robinson's absence.

In the end, Jackson has an uphill battle to make the team but performances like the one against Kansas City could serve as the tiebreaker if it comes down to him and Robinson.

Terrell Edmunds, defensive back

After signing with Jacksonville earlier this year, Terrell Edmunds had a relatively quiet training camp but he showed against Kansas City that he can relied on, registering three total tackles. On top of that, he gave up just six yards in coverage and forced a fumble. Not surprisingly, Ben Cooper of Pro Football Focus named the 2018 first-round pick the Jaguars player of the game following the preseason win.

After leaving the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2022, Edmunds has spent time with the Philadelphia Eagles and the Tennessee Titans. If he keeps playing like he did in the opener, he'll solidify his chances of spending the 2023 season in Jacksonville. The fact that safety Andrew Wingard could miss significant time and may or may not be ready for Week 1 of the regular season should boost his chances.

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