LB Foyesade Oluokun fueled to prove Jaguars can live up to expectations in 2023

The Jacksonville Jaguars exceeded expectations last year. Now, they must prove the 2022 season was no fluke and linebacker Foyesade Oluokun is confident they'll have no trouble doing so.

Oluokun met with the local media Monday and touched on several topics, including Peter King's prediction that the Jaguars will clinch the top seed in the AFC but will fail to top the Buffalo Bills in the divisional round of the playoffs.

"I was still stuck on they don't think we're top tier," Oluokun said. "I didn't know they gave us Super Bowl contenders, so I'm already fueled to prove what we can be. They thought they said we're Super Bowl contenders?"

Oluokun acknowledges that expectations for the 2023 season are high and he says it's up to Jacksonville to gout out and prove it every week, "It all starts with the first game going for it after that we're trying to get on a roll earlier than last year because we already know how it looks when it's not looking right, so we're trying to do our thing there."

Later in the exchange, Oluokun says the Jaguars are a more tight-knit group despite the fact that there are lots of new faces.

"We're definitely closer as a team. I'd say already this year, a lot of new faces from last year, when I first came in. This year feels like we're already gelling together, offense talking to defense. It's all cohesive in that locker room right now. So just keep those positive vibes going and that energy is so important throughout the year, bringing in that positive energy, good mindset, and going out there. Let the juices flow for that. Like you got to come into every game ready to go," Oluokun said.

Oluokun, a sixth-round pick by the Atlanta Falcons in 2018, signed a three-year deal with the Jags last offseason. He was named team captain before the start of the season and became a leader on and off the football field. This past offseason, most veterans were excused from practice but Oluokun still showed up to provide guidance to his younger teammates.

Jaguars LB Foyesade Oluokun is taking the right approach to the 2023 season

It's one thing to have confidence in yourself and your skills. It's a whole different one to be boastful about it. In Oluokun's case, he's taking the right approach. He's aware of the expectations surrounding the Jaguars and what they're capable of doing but knows they still need to show up every Sunday.

As Oluokun noted, the Jaguars must get off to a hot start. Last season, they went 2-6 in the first half. While they were able to hit their stride to hit their year, they cannot afford to have another slow start if they want to compete with other AFC South powerhouses.

Working on Jacksonville's favor is that — as Oluokun said — he and his teammates already know how things look when they aren't right, so if the Jags encounter an issue early on, they'll be in the position to make the necessary adjustments.

The bottom line is that Foyesade Oluokun knows the Jaguars are entering the 2023 season with high expectations and he's ready to prove they're up to the challenge.

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