Jaguars' Foyesade Oluokun Mentioned Among NFL's Elite

The Jacksonville Jaguars have long had one of the NFL's elite linebackers manning the middle of their defense with Foyesade Oluokun.

Added to the roster in 2022, Oluokun immediately stepped in as a leader of the locker room and as one of the most consistent and productive linebackers in football.

As a result, Oluokun frequently found himself in the mix when it came to mentioning the NFL's best linebacker. But due to a mix of injuries and the Jaguars' 4-13 record and overall defensive issues in 2024, Oluokun was not listed amongst the 10 best linebackers in this year's list from ESPN. He was however noted in the honorable mention section.

"'Solid pro. Tackling machine. Doesn't have a great playmaking element to his game but can be schemed as a rusher on interior pressures,'" an NFL personnel evaluator told ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.

"A reminder of the rankings process: Voters gave us their 10 best players at a position, then we compiled the results and ranked candidates based on number of top-10 votes, composite average and dozens of interviews, with research and film study help from ESPN NFL analyst Matt Bowen. In total, more than 70 voters submitted a ballot on at least one position, and in many cases all positions. Additional voting and follow-up calls with those surveyed helped us break any ties."

The Jaguars' defense should be expected to take a big leap this year considering they have even more talent on the roster than the 2024 unit had.

The 2024 defense had the talent on paper to be much better than it was, but a mix of injuries and scheme/coaching issues led the Jaguars to their worst defensive season in years.

With the Jaguars now under the leadership of new defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile, the hope in Jacksonville is that change is coming -- and Oluokun will be a big part of it.

“I would imagine that it is challenging. 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," Campanile said about the changes the defense is facing.

"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.”

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