Jaguars Stat of the Week: Devin Lloyd's Potential

Welcome to the second installment of my weekly ‘Jaguars’ Stat of the Week’, a series in which I find one statistic to represent the team or one of its players in order to provide further context into who the team or player really is, beyond the perception and narratives.

Today, we look at second-year linebacker Devin Lloyd.

Expectations can be high for first-round picks entering the league. First-rounders are often envisioned to be able to slide right into the starting lineups, becoming impact players from day one. It’s a tough ask for any player. The pressure to perform and perform immediately is very real.

For Jaguars linebacker Devin Lloyd, it’s taken some time for the young Ute to settle into his role in Jacksonville. After an up-and-down rookie season ended in disappointment, ultimately being benched for fellow rookie Chad Muma, Lloyd set his sight on cementing himself as the long-term starter next to Foye Oluokun the following year.

In 2023, Lloyd made those aspirations a reality. Despite injury, Lloyd collected an impressive 127 tackles, posting a second 100+ tackle season to add to his young catalog. While his rookie season was a bit of a rollercoaster ride, his subsequent season was almost methodical in nature.

That begs the question, what statistic is it that caught my eye? Your answer…

Devin Lloyd leads all NFL linebackers with 12 pass break-ups since he entered the league in 2022, according to Pro Football Focus.

Even more impressive, Lloyd might have led the league in interceptions as well, if not for his injury and the club he played with for much of this past season. It certainly was a hindrance as Lloyd dropped three would-be interceptions due to his physical limitations.

Nonetheless, Lloyd has proven himself as a playmaker for the Jaguars’ defense. Even in the midst of a frustrating rookie season, Lloyd’s three interceptions tied for the NFL lead among linebackers…as a rookie. 

If anything, he knows how to get his hands on the ball and often.

Lloyd has blossomed in more places than just one.