4 emerging alphas on the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2023

The Jacksonville Jaguars have improved considerably since the end of the 2021 season and the national media is starting to take notice. Led by head coach Doug Pederson, the Jags won the AFC South title and made the playoffs just one year after finishing in the cellar of the league.

One big reason for Jacksonville's quick ascension to the upper echelon of teams in the NFL is that they've put together a sturdy nucleus with a healthy dose of both young and veteran talent. And among those players, there are a handful that are having a huge impact on and off the field. In particular, these four are emerging as alphas ahead of the 2023 season.

No. 4 emerging alpha on the Jaguars roster for 2023: Foyesade Oluokun, LB

Linebacker was one of the Jaguars' biggest needs last year and the front office did a great job of addressing it. Besides signing Foyesade Oluokun in free agency, they drafted Devin Lloyd and Chad Muma in the first and third rounds, respectively. Although both Lloyd and Muma had growing pains, Oluokun had an immediate impact. He was named team captain and led the league in total tackles with 184.

Looking back, the team's brass surely isn't having buyer's remorse after giving Oluokun a three-year deal worth $45 million last year. Keep in mind that off-linebackers aren't as highly coveted as they were 30 years ago, and only the truly great ones get the spotlight in today's NFL. However, Oluokun managed to shine in his first year in Jacksonville and was everything the top brass expected.

Ahead of the 2023 season, Oluokun is getting recognition. Just recently, he was second in Pro Football Focus' IDP linebacker ranking. Similarly, he was named the most improved player on the Jags' roster after a stellar 2022 campaign.

The fact that he finished above vested veterans such as Dre Greenwald or Bobby Wagner — Roquan Smith got the top spot — shows he's no longer flying under the radar.

If the Jags begin a losing streak next season, Oluokun is the veteran presence that will keep his teammates level-headed and will help them get back on track.

No. 3 emerging alpha on the Jaguars roster for 2023: Calvin Ridley, WR

How huge was the addition of Calvin Ridley to the Jaguars' offense? Huge, and that's not hyperbole. Even though he hasn't played a snap for the Jags, he's already turning heads and it's only June. Right off the bat, the former Alabama standout has made his presence felt in offseason workouts and that's worth noting because it's hard to stand out in non-contact practices but Ridley has managed to do just that.

In retrospect, the Jaguars deserve lots of credit for acquiring Ridley last year. After all, he was serving an indefinite suspension for betting on football games. On top of that, he was coming off a down season, mustering just 31 catches for 281 yards and two touchdowns, a significant drop from the 90 catches for 1,374 yards with nine scores he had in 2020.

Then again, Ridley was playing with a broken foot and was dealing with lots of off-field stuff. In hindsight, stepping away from football might have been the best decision he could have made, even if then made the mistake of making bets.

Now fully healthy and ready to reclaim his spot as one of the top receivers in today's games, Ridley has set the tone in practices. As fellow wide receiver Christian Kirk recently noted, they're feeding off each other and they're pushing each other to become better.

By the end of the year, nobody should be surprised if he's indeed among the top 5 wideouts in the league. While winning championships is a team effort, Ridley is the kind of difference-makers that can tip the scale and deliver when they're needed the most.

No. 2 emerging alpha on the Jaguars roster for 2023: Andre Cisco, S

What can be said about Andre Cisco that hasn't been said? The former Syracuse Orangeman has recently been getting lots of love. Why did it take so long? There are many reasons and it would have been great if he had gotten his dues a bit earlier but he's at last getting the spotlight.

Back in college, Cisco earned a reputation as a ballhawk after registering a jaw-dropping 13 interceptions and 14 passes defended in just 24 games. Unfortunately, he suffered a couple of injuries that hurt his stock ahead of the 2021 draft.

First, he had to miss time after suffering a lower-body injury in 2019. He then tore his ACL in 2020. During the draft process, Cisco got the dubious injury-prone label. The Jaguars thought Cisco's playmaking potential outweighed his injury risk and used a third-round pick on him.

Cisco spent most of his rookie season on the sidelines but he shined once he was given a chance, logging 15 total tackles and one forced fumble in three starts. The Queens, New York native joined the starting lineup last year and became a key cog in the secondary, recording 73 total tackles, three picks, and three batted passes.

Heading into the 2023 season, he's become more vocal and has seemingly bulked up. On top of that, Bucky Brooks of NFL Media and Gordon McGuinness of Pro Football Focus both included the third-year safety on their list of breakout players.

No. 1 emerging alpha on the Jaguars roster for 2023: Trevor Lawrence, QB

Do quarterbacks sometimes get more praise than they deserve? Do they get too much blame at times for losing close games? You bet, but nobody will deny that they're the position that has the biggest impact on the outcome of a matchup. That's why clubs will spare no expenses to acquire one. Fortunately for the Jaguars, they stumbled onto the long-term answer at the position when they drafted Trevor Lawrence first overall in 2021.

Arguably the best quarterback prospect to come out of the collegiate ranks since Andrew Luck in 2012, Lawrence had an underwhelming rookie season but that was due to factors beyond his control. Besides not having enough weapons at his disposal, Urban Meyer's lack of a plan to develop him put him in a tough spot.

Realizing that they needed to build around their franchise quarterback, the Jaguars hired Doug Pederson to help fix Lawrence and other players that had to deal with Meyer's impotence throughout his short stint at the helm.

Even though Pederson had a proven track record, he likely got the coaching gig in Jacksonville for his history of putting his quarterbacks in a position to succeed. One year after being hired, it's fair to say that the man known as Pug Dederson did a great job with the young passer.

Heading into the 2023 season, Lawrence has a better grasp of Pederson's offense and he's got a tight command of the offense, often exchanging ideas with the coaching staff. During a recent exchange with the local media, offensive coordinator Press Taylor praised Lawrence for taking control of the offense and getting involved in the team's preparation. As Pederson, noted, Lawrence can carry the team on his back, and that's precisely what you want your quarterback to do.