Jaguars' Defense Receives Harsh Assessment

Anthony Campanile has nowhere to go but up. That’s the conclusion of Pro Football Network editors who ranked the Jacksonville coach as the NFL’s lowest-ranked defensive coordinator entering the season.

“Ranking Anthony Campanile this low isn’t a knock on his potential,” wrote analyst Jacob Infante. “It’s simply the reality that he’s never held an NFL defensive coordinator role before, making it harder to justify a higher spot.”

Campanile is one of four individuals this season who’ve never held an NFL defensive coordinator role. He joins Cincinnati’s Al Golden, Detroit’s Kelvin Sheppard and New England’s Terrell Williams.

And while Golden and Williams have extensive coaching experience, Campanile has extensive NFL mentors. In fact, his NFL experience has come under three of the top nine defensive coordinators on PFN’s list, Vic Fangio (first), Brian Flores (third) and Jeff Hafley (ninth).

Campanile, 42, was the Packers’ linebackers coach and run game coordinator while Hafley was defensive coordinator in Green Bay, and also worked for Hafley at Boston College. Campanile also was the Dolphins’ linebackers coach under both Flores and Fangio in Miami.

Fangio left Miami to join the Eagles in 2024 and earned a Super Bowl ring.

“The turnaround that Vic Fangio spearheaded as defensive coordinator of the Philadelphia Eagles last season was remarkable,” Infante said. “After finishing 30th in PFSN’s Defense+ metric in 2023, Fangio turned them around to the second-best ranking in 2024.”

That’s an encouraging U-turn in the eyes of the Jaguars, considering that the Jacksonville defense finished 31st in that category last year. If the Jaguars can make a similar jump, NFL owners will certainly take notice.

Campanile, meanwhile, has taken notice that he’s the third Jacksonville defensive coordinator in the last four years. He said this offseason he can certainly empathize with Jaguars veterans learning another new system.

“I would imagine that it’s challenging,” Campanile said during OTAs on May 27. “The thing I try to focus on is our relationship with our players. Trying to get them to be the best possible player they can be. I can imagine that is hard. A lot of transition, never easy. My experience with those guys has been unbelievable. They have been total pros. They have been really hungry everyday coming in to learn. Obviously in the meeting room and out here on the field.” 

The best source for Duval news is X (Twitter). Follow both @JaguarsOnSI and @_John_Shipley and never miss breaking Jaguars stories.

And, don’t forget Facebook -- a great way to connect with fans all over the world -- by clicking here.