Why Jaguars Are Thrilled With Rookie Safeties

The Jacksonville Jaguars are over the moon with most of their rookie class -- as are most teams this time of the year. But it isn't for nothing by any means.

Simply put, many teams know early on exactly what kind of players they just added to their franchise. They do not always know their career trajectory and developmental path, but they have an idea of whether they will make it or not.

So when the Jaguars proclaim their praise for rookie safeties Caleb Ransaw and Rayuan Lane, rest assured it isn't lip-service. It is the first-hand testimony of a coaching staff who has seen two players quickly take to the teachings of one of the NFL's toughest jobs.

"You know, you know what you know on tape, but as you're gathering information from everybody, everything just came back for both those guys with raving reviews that, no, that's a guy you need in your locker room," Jaguars defensive backs coach Anthony Perkins said at the end of the OTA program earlier this offseason.

"And again, like, I'm fired up that they're here. Really appreciative that they're here. I'm excited. I think they're growing. They're getting better. They're improving."

For Perkins, it is a relatively simple evaluation. Each safety is facing a massive transition to the Jaguars' system from their college systems, and each has their own hurdles they need to clear.

But each safety has also taken to the massive challenge thus far, proving they have the mettle to confront the responsibilities the Jaguars soon want to place on them.

"You know, there's always going to be that transition from going in whatever college system you're into now, you're in our system with us. So you're learning new words, you're learning a ton of new words. You're learning verbiage, terminology and at safety, you have to be able to not just know, you have to be able to speak," Perkins said.

"You have to be able to communicate a loud, confident, convicted so that everybody else is marching to the beat. And each of those guys, they've made tremendous progress from when they got here to where they are today in that space, that communication space."