Jaguars announce 53-man roster for 2023 NFL season: 3 takeaways
• But a few others were a bit surprising
• Here are three that stood out.
2. Most of the 13 rookies the Jaguars drafted in 2023 made the initial roster
The Jaguars entered the 2023 draft with nine picks but after a series of trades, they made 13 selections. General manager Trent Baalke said at the time he would've liked to exchange some of those picks for higher selections but he couldn't find any reasonable offers.
At the time, it was fair to wonder how many draftees were going to make the cut. After all, the Jaguars had kept most of their core from last year together and barring a few players that left, the roster was pretty much the same. The answer is 10, as in 10 rookies made the Jaguars' 53-man roster, including undrafted free agent Elijah Cooks.
Some of the players that made the team were expected. Offensive tackle Anton Harrison, running back Tank Bigsby and tight end Brenton Strange and a roster spot guaranteed. And the rookies that didn't make the cut where either drafted in Rounds 6 or 7: Defensive back Erick Hallett II, nose tackle Raymond Vohasek and fullback Derek Perish. Linebacker Ventrell Miller, for his part, will start the 2023 season on the Injured Reserve list, meaning that he'll miss his rookie campaign.
Now, there's a chance some of these rookies will be eventually released but having so much depth bodes well for the Jaguars, with several prominent players set to become free agents next season. On top of that, Tyson Campbell, Walker Little, Andre Cisco, and Trevor Lawrence will all be eligible for extensions in 2024.
The sooner the Jags lock them up, the better, and that will be possible due to the infusion of youth they added to the roster in this year's draft.