The 2024 NFL season didn't go the way the Jacksonville Jaguars envisioned. Expected to make the playoffs and compete for the AFC South title, they instead struggled to win games and regressed considerably. Not surprisingly, head coach Doug Pederson got the boot, but not everything was doom and gloom for the Jags last year. Several players showed promise, including a 2024 draft pick who's projected to be even better next year.
Bradley Locker of Pro Football Focus put together a list of early breakout candidates for each NFL team in 2025 and included Jacksonville cornerback Jarrian Jones, pointing out that the former Florida Seminole State thrived in the slot.
"Jacksonville’s defense was almost improbably bad this past year, but Jones is a building block as a slot cornerback. Among 42 slot cornerbacks to play 100 or more coverage snaps, the rookie ranked 11th in passer rating allowed (82.5), 13th in yards per snap (1.02) and ninth in snaps per target (6.6). On top of that, Jones contributed a stellar 88.5 PFF run-defense grade with 17 stops. The Jaguars’ next head coach would be shrewd to keep relying on Jones inside to remedy this defense."
It's also worth noting that the Jaguars' defense as a whole struggled last year. This makes Jones' rookie success look even more impressive. Moreover, the young corner showed in 2025 that he's not afraid to stand up for his teammates when he got into a brawl and was later ejected from a game following a dirty hit by Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair.
The Jaguars found a slot cornerback in Jarrian Jones
Cornerback was one of the Jaguars' biggest needs ahead of last year's draft. However, they waited until Round 3 to address it when they took Jones at No. 96.
Looking back, passing on Cooper DeJean paid off, as Jones proved to be equally productive at nickel. By waiting until the third round to add a cornerback, the Jags were able to address other needs. On the other hand, they failed to take care of the spot opposite Tyson Campell.
Had they not gone with Brian Thomas Jr. with the 23rd overall selection, they would've drafted Terrion Arnold. He would've probably been better than Ronald Darby, who got benched the last four games of the season, or reserve Montaric Brown. Then again, the decision worked out in the end, as the former LSU Tiger had a banner year in Jacksonville and even earned consideration for Offensive Rookie of the Year honors.
Either way, drafting Jones was the right move. The Magee, Mississippi native appeared in all 17 games as a rookie and registered eight passes defensed with one interception. While he got a few snaps in the boundaries, he's better suited to line up inside.
The Jaguars must keep Jarrian Jones inside and look for corner opposite Tyson Campbell
As the saying goes, there's no point in fixing what's not broken, and the Jaguars must strongly consider keeping Jarrian Jones in the slot. He showed enough promise as a rookie to make you think that he can be the long-term answer at nickel, and the team's brass is better off looking for a boundary corner in the offseason.
The Jags will have the cap space to go after D.J. Reed or Byron Murphy in free agency, but if they want to allocate cap space to other holes, they also have the fifth-overall pick and a selection early in the second round. At No. 5, they could take either Will Johnson or Travis Hunter (if he's available).
On the other hand, the Jags could address another need in the first round and go after someone like Shavon Revel or Trey Amos with the 37th overall pick. Either way, the Jaguars already found an answer in the slot, and they need to find a corner opposite Campbell to round out the group.