All eyes are on wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr.’s imminent impact on Jacksonville’s passing offense. Rightfully so, considering his status as a first-round pick.
But could another rookie pass-catcher emerge for the Jaguars in 2024?
Bleacher Report analyst Derrik Klassen believes it’s possible. He highlighted Jaguars’ undrafted free agent wide receiver Joshua Cephus as one of seven Day 3 NFL draft picks and undrafted rookies “who could thrive” this season on Thursday.
While Thomas, free agent signee Gabe Davis and two-year Jaguars slot Christian Kirk are locked into starting roles, Klassen wrote that Cephus could compete for the top depth role at outside receiver.
Joshua Cephus isn’t cracking the Jaguars’ starting lineup. There’s no world where Gabe Davis, Brian Thomas Jr. and Christian Kirk aren’t the top snap-getters in this offense.
The fourth wide receiver spot is entirely up for grabs, though. Aside from his fellow undrafted free agent rookies, Cephus’ only real competition for the job is Parker Washington, Tim Jones and Devin Duvernay.
However, Washington is exclusively a slot receiver whereas Cephus is more of an outside guy. Maybe those two aren’t really competing to begin with.
That leaves Duvernay and Jones. Duvernay, a former Raven, is little more than a glorified gadget player and return specialist. Jones fits more into the outside receiver role Cephus is vying for but has never proven himself as someone worth real snaps. Jones did earn 18 targets a year ago but only because the Jaguars’ receivers were dropping like flies for a portion of the year.
Cephus signed with the Jaguars following an uber-productive college career at the University of Texas-San Antonio, where he caught 313 passes for 3,639 yards and 28 touchdowns in five seasons. He’s the program’s all-time leader in receptions and receiving yards.
Jacksonville signed Duvernay to a two-year contract via free agency in March, and Jones returns after spending the last two seasons as a key special teams contributor for the Jaguars.
Assuming Jacksonville carries seven wide receivers into the season and each player makes the 53-man roster, Klassen outlined why Cephus could be equipped to surpass Duvernay and Jones on the depth chart.
While Cephus himself is no world-beater, he has two key skills that should put him above these other roster filler types.
First, Cephus has a knack for finding the ball in the air. Nobody is going to mistake him for Mike Evans but he’s tough and sure-handed for a 6’2″, [193]-pounder. Cephus shows a clear comfort in tracking the ball no matter where it is relative to his frame and bringing in the pass with soft hands.
Cephus is also pretty explosive. UTSA regularly tapped him in for screens and other cheap YAC opportunities. He’s not a creative or elusive ball-carrier, per se, but he has that instant burst to find 10 yards when it only looked like there were five yards available.
Cephus will need work as a route-runner to reach his maximum potential. He’s quite raw in that regard right now, which is hardly surprising coming from a program like UTSA. Cephus’ ball skills and explosive athleticism should earn him opportunities, though.
Cephus is far from the Jaguars’ only wide receiver who will battle for a roster spot in training camp and the preseason.
He will compete against fellow undrafted rookies Brevin Easton and Joseph Scates; free agent depth signings Denzel Mims and Austin Trammell; and 2023 Jacksonville receivers Elijah Cooks, who caught three passes and was inactive for eight games as an undrafted rookie, and Seth Williams, who spent the year on the practice squad.