The Jacksonville Jaguars canceled the last OTA practice and excused most veterans from participating in mandatory minicamp because they were pleased with the progress they made in the offseason. This opened the door for a handful of players to make a positive impression.
Although some players managed to take advantage, there are a handful that saw their stock drop ahead of training camp, including the next four.
No. 4 Jaguars faller ahead of training camp: Tevaughn Campbell, CB
The Jaguars have done a good job of replenishing their cornerback room over the last few months. After using a pair of draft picks on Gregory Junior and Montaric Brown last year, they selected Christian Braswell in Round 6 this past April. On top of that, the coaching staff has given reps in the slot to fifth-round pick Antonio Johnson.
Due to the amount of youth the Jags have at cornerback, veteran Tevaugh Campbell might have a hard time making the 53-man roster next season. A Canada native, Campbell played in the CFL for four years before getting a shot in the NFL.
Campbell signed a reserve contract with the New York Jets in 2019 and joined the Los Angeles Chargers later that year. He was waived in 2022 and spent time with the Las Vegas Raiders before getting scooped by the Jags.
Campbell ended up playing just 31 snaps for the Jags last year. While he provides veteran depth at cornerback, Johnson and Braswell offer more upside.
No. 3 Jaguars faller ahead of training camp: Gerrit Prince, TE
The Jaguars have had a hard time finding continuity at tight end since Marcedes Lewis left in 2018 and had to throw several darts before landing Evan Engram last year. And while Engram brought stability at the position, the front office had to restock it after letting Chris Manhertz and Dan Arnold walk in free agency.
To fill the void left by Manhertz's and Arnold's respective departures, the Jags took Brenton Strange in Round 2 of this year's draft and later signed Sammis Reyes. With Evan Engram firmly entrenched at the top of the depth chart and Luke Farrell most likely getting a spot, Prince might become a victim of the numbers game in training camp.
Prince displayed playmaking skills for UAB in 2021, hauling in 36 receptions for 699 yards with 10 touchdowns for UAB and the Jaguars took a flyer of him despite the fact that he needed to bulk up and improve as a pass blocker. The former Blazer wasn't able to make the 53-man roster last year but spent the regular season in the practice squad, where he had the chance to work on his craft.
The Jaguars carried four tight ends into the 2022 season, so there might be two open spots in training camp. By virtue of being an early-round pick, Strange will most likely get one, so Prince and Reyes will have to compete for the remaining one. Working against Prince is that Reyes is one of the most athletically gifted tight-end prospects ever, so he's facing an uphill battle to make the team.
No. 2 Jaguars faller ahead of training camp: Blake Hance, OL
The upside of making 13 picks in the 2023 NFL Draft is that the Jaguars were able to bolster the depth at most position groups. The downside is that there are several returning players that might have trouble surviving roster cutdown day after training camp. One of them is veteran Blake Hance, who's entering Year 2 of his second stint with the Black and Teal.
After going undrafted in 2019, Hance spent time with the Buffalo Bills and the Washington Commanders before joining the Jaguars' practice squad later that year. He was waived the following offseason and promptly claimed by the New York Jets, where he spent the 2020 season. The former Northwestern Wildcat then signed with the Cleveland Browns in 2021 and went on to make eight starts last year.
The Browns released Hance before the start of the 2022 season. He then spent nearly two months with the San Francisco 49ers before returning to Jacksonville. Even though Hance could provide veteran depth at offensive tackle or the interior offensive line, there might not be room for him on the 53-man roster, even when you take into account Cam Robinson's four-game suspension to start the season.
Walker Little, rookie Anton Harrison, and Josh Wells (most likely) are locks at offensive tackle. Tyler Shatley, Ben Bartch, Luke Fortner and Brandon Scherff should are also projected to make the team while Cole Van Lanen and rookie Cooper Hodges have a favorable chance. Barring serious injury by any of the aforementioned players, Hance will be a candidate for the practice squad again.
No. 1 Jaguars faller ahead of training camp: Snoop Conner, RB
Players don't always have to make mistakes to see their stock drop. Sometimes, they are simply outperformed. Such is the case of sophomore Snoop Conner, who might find himself on the roster bubble ahead of training camp. The former Ole Miss Rebel made the 53-man roster last year but was a healthy scratch for most of the season.
Conner only got playing time after the Jags shipped James Robinson to the New York Jets, and even then, his snaps were few and far between. You could make the case that he should be better with one year of NFL experience under his belt but the fact that the team's brass signed D'Ernest Johnson and Tank Johnson might be a sign of how the Jaguars feel about him heading into his sophomore campaign.
Now, you can't just disregard Conner but he has a steep hill to climb to make the team. Travis Etienne is firmly entrenched at the top of the depth chart while Johnson and Bigsby will most likely challenge incumbent JaMycal Hasty for the No. 2 job.
Hasty became the top backup last year after Robinson's departure and Johnson shined for the Clevland Browns when called upon. Last but not least in Conner's path to the roster is Bigsby, who showed starting potential at Auburn.
Last year, Conner made the roster because the Jags didn't have other options but he faces more competition this time around.