Who Has Been the Jaguars' Biggest Surprise This Offseason?

The Jacksonville Jaguars' secondary is set to have a brand-new look this season, but it is a familiar face who has stepped up his game the most thus far.

In a list of each team's biggest surprise standout this offseason, ESPN landed on fourth-year cornerback Montaric Brown as the clear option for the Jaguars.

"Heading into OTAs, the thought was the starter opposite Tyson Campbell would either be rookie Travis Hunter or second-year player Jarrian Jones, who played well at nickel at the end of his rookie season. Defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile favors playing a lot of zone coverages, which Jones said he never played in high school or college so he's still learning, and the Jaguars are still working through just how many defensive snaps they will be able to get out of Hunter," ESPN's Michael DiRocco said.

"Brown has worked with the starters, and he consistently made plays throughout the offseason, including a pair of end-zone pass breakups in red zone drills in minicamp. He has the advantage heading into camp."

Brown has stepped in at times for the Jaguars' defense as a starter in each of the past two seasons and had the best year of his career thus far in 2024.

Now with the Jaguars moving to a new coverage scheme under new defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile, Brown looks like one of the biggest winners of the Jaguars' entire offseason so far.

Brown has consistently drawn praise from the Jaguars' coaching staff and very easily could be a Week 1 starter across from Tyson Campbell once Week 1 against the Carolina Panthers rolls around.

“Yeah, that guy. That's who he's been every day I've been here. I can only go by what I see every day I'm out here. He competes. He loves to compete," Campanile said when asked about Brown during the offseason program.

"Same thing like Tyson. Whether it's on the line of scrimmage, he's not afraid to challenge people, he'll challenge guys at the top of the route and try to play with technique. But whatever he's got to do to strain and make the play, he's been doing that, which is awesome. That's what we've been preaching, and he's been doing it every day.”