The Jaguars made the addition of 14 players official Tuesday.
A day after the Jacksonville Jaguars’ 2023 season ended, the team signed 11 players to reserve/future deals, according to the NFL’s transaction wire.
More than a month later, the team has finally announced those signings along with a trio of other players. One of those three is kicker Riley Patterson, whose reunion with the Jaguars popped up on the transaction wire a week ago. The other two, tight end Josh Pederson and receiver Seth Williams, spent the 2023 season with Jacksonville.
Reserve/future deals, typically a minimum-salary contract, don’t count against the team’s salary cap or roster limit until the beginning of the next league year. Essentially that means those type of contracts are a way to keep players while roster limits haven’t yet been expanded back to a maximum of 90 players, which will happen when the new league year begins in March.
The notable omission from the list is running back Snoop Conner, who was picked by the Jaguars in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL draft. Here’s all 14 players who were officially added to the Jaguars’ roster Tuesday on reserve/futures contracts:
Dequan Jackson grew up just a few miles from TIAA Bank Field. Now he’s trying to make the roster of his hometown Jaguars as a UDFA.
The brunt of the offseason is in the books and training camp is still off on the horizon. Join us in the NFL’s dead zone with a player-by-player review of the Jaguars roster ahead of the 2023 season.
In the seventh round of the 2023 NFL draft, the Jacksonville Jaguars added a hometown player by picking Cooper Hodges, an alumni of Baker County High School. But Hodges isn’t the rookie who played his games closest to TIAA Bank Field.
Dequan Jackson was just a few miles TIAA Bank Field at Riverside High School. Rather than stay close to home as a college football player, the linebacker traveled across the country to play for the Colorado State Rams.
Now, about five years after he left Jacksonville, Jackson is a member of his hometown Jaguars, aiming to make the team as an undrafted free agent.
To do so, Jackson will undoubtedly need to demonstrate special teams value, as the team isn’t hurting for linebackers with Foye Oluokun, Devin Lloyd, and Chad Muma at the top of the depth chart on the interior and fourth-round pick Ventrell Miller added to the mix.
Contract (2023): $750,000 base salary, $333 prorated signing bonus, $750,333 cap hit.
Acquired: Jaguars signed Jackson as an undrafted free agent on May 1, 2023.
Two forced fumbles, six tackles for loss, 100 tackles (2022)
One sack, 8.5 tackles for loss, 84 tackles (2021)
Two sacks, 5.5 tackles for loss, 40 tackles (2020)
1.5 sacks, 6.5 tackles for loss, 87 tackles (2019)
0.5 tackles for loss, 11 tackles (2018)
Highlight:
One of the biggest plays of the game here. Toledo mounted a drive into the CSU red zone t the start of the second quarter. Excellent read and huge stuff by Dequan Jackson here. pic.twitter.com/7hDng3Vecu
Quote: “I love feeling like the field general. I enjoy the pressure that comes with playing the linebacker position. I love the responsibility that it demands. I’ve played both inside and outside. I have an interchangeable skill set. I love running the defense and playing off-ball. I can run and hit. I have the versatility that you need to play linebacker.” – Jackson
The Jaguars’ list of 10 undrafted signings includes three receivers, two players named Jackson, and two players from UCF.
Update: After announcing Eastern Kentucky linebacker Matthew Jackson as one of their signings, the Jaguars have since removed him from the list. He is reportedly set to join the Tennessee Titans instead.
The Jacksonville Jaguars added 13 players during the 2023 NFL draft and rounded out the roster with 10 more rookies signed in undrafted free agency.
The list, which was mostly reported immediately after the draft ended Saturday, includes three wide receivers, three linebackers, two players named Jackson, and two from UCF:
Jayson Ademilola, DT, Notre Dame — 6’3, 285
D.J. Coleman, OLB, Missouri — 6’5, 263
Elijah Cooks, WR, San Jose State — 6’4, 215
Kaleb Hayes, CB, BYU — 6’0, 195
Dequan Jackson, LB, Colorado State — 6’1, 225
Samuel Jackson, OL, UCF — 6’6, 325
Jaray Jenkins, WR, LSU — 6’2, 200
Oliver Martin, WR, Nebraska — 6’1, 200
Leonard Taylor, TE, Cincinnati — 6’5, 255
Divaad Wilson, CB, UCF — 6’0, 195
To make room for the 10 additions, the Jaguars released safety Tyree Gillespie and offensive lineman Jimmy Murray. Gillespie was on the field for 28 special teams snaps with the Jaguars during the 2022 season. Murray spent the year on the practice squad.
Colorado State football has had a few offensive players selected in the NFL Draft over the past five years, but linebacker Dequan Jackson hopes to become the first Rams defender to be picked since 2016.
A native of Jacksonville, Florida, Jackson saw sparse playing time as a freshman in 2018 but ultimately spent four seasons as a starter, serving as a team captain for three years. He earned all-Mountain West honorable mention recognition in 2020 and 2021, finishing his five-year stint in Fort Collins with 322 career tackles and 27 tackles for loss.
Now, a new challenge awaits, but will Jackson be able to earn a phone call in this year’s draft?
Dequan Jackson is a run-stopping linebacker. He flows to the ball well and is able to locate the ball carrier in traffic. Jackson shows good sideline to sideline speed in tracking the play and being able to make the stop. He shows good strength for his size and has a good reaction time, as well.
Jackson has good work ethic and determination and could make his impact on special teams to start. But his ability to pick up new skills is what’s going to help him at the next level. Jackson evolved as a linebacker throughout his career at Colorado State.
Weaknesses
Jackson is not a pass rusher. He has the ability to get into the backfield, but it isn’t his bread and butter like run stopping is. He has ok ability in pass coverage, but it is something he knows he has to work on and is getting better at. Jackson’s ability to turn his hips hurts him pass coverage, but he’s gotten better as his career has gone on.
Jackson has a tendency to get up the field and sealed off from the play. He is a little smaller and tries to compensate with his tenacity, but it tends to backfire on Jackson on occasion. He works his angles and insticts well in run coverage, but Jackson lacks true finishing speed.
NFL Comparison
Zaire Franklin
Draft Prediction
Dequan Jackson has a small chance to be just the second defensive player drafted from CSU since 2004 (Cory James, 2016, Oakland Raiders). His teneacity to get after the ball and ability to learn and grow as a linebacker are traits that will serve him well. Jackson met with Seattle and Denver during his Pro Day. Jackson could go late Day 3 or more like be an Undrafted Free Agent.
Here’s a quick list of 10 potential undrafted free agents the Broncos could consider after the NFL draft.
The Denver Broncos only have five picks to use in the NFL draft this year, so barring any trades that add more picks, Denver will have room to sign 13 undrafted free agents following the draft next weekend.
The Broncos have a great history of landing UDFA gems, including wide receiver Rod Smith and cornerback Chris Harris. Last year, Denver signed 13 UDFAs, including wide receivers Jalen Virgil and Brandon Johnson.
It’s impossible to know for sure which prospects will go undrafted this year, but we have put together a list of 10 potential UDFAs that the Broncos could consider late in the draft or potentially immediately after the draft.
Here’s a quick list of 10 names to watch for as potential UDFA targets.
Broncos scouts met with LB Dequan Jackson at CSU’s pro day last month.
The Denver Broncos had scouts meet with linebacker Dequan Jackson at Colorado State’s pro day last month, according to The Draft Network’s Justin Melo.
Jackson (6-2, 214 pounds) ran a 40-yard dash in 4.65 seconds at CSU’s pro day after earning honorable mention All-Mountain West honors in 2022. A three-year team captain for the Rams, Jackson totaled 100 tackles (six behind the line), two forced fumbles and one pass breakup in 12 games last season.
Jackson played at Colorado State from 2018-2022, gaining an extra year of eligibility due to COVID-19. He’s now set to turn 24 years old during his rookie season as a pro.
Jackson is projected to be a late-round pick or undrafted free agent candidate later this month. If drafted or signed by the Broncos, he will likely contribute on special teams while competing for rotational reps as a backup linebacker.
Before making any potential draft trades, Denver’s latest pick in the draft is set to be No. 195 overall in the sixth round.
The 2023 NFL draft will be held in Kansas City from April 27-29.
Jackson comes with five years of experience and three as a team captain.
The Seahawks have reached the home stretch ahead of the 2023 NFL draft, beginning two weeks from Thursday.
At this time of year teams are refining their draft boards and meeting with potential picks. The latest reported prospect meeting comes via Justin Melo at the Draft Network, who says Seattle met with Colorado State linebacker Dequan Jackson at his pro day.
.@CSUFootball LB Dequan Jackson recorded 100 tackles this year and ran an excellent 4.65 at Pro Day.
At his pro day Jackson measured in at 6-foot-2, 225 pounds and ran a 4.65 forty. He also posted a 33.5″ vertical, a 9’11” broad jump and 15 bench press reps.
Jackson comes with five years of experience and three as a team captain. In 47 games with the Rams he totaled 4.5 sacks and 322 combined tackles, including 27 for a loss. He peaked last season with 100.
The Seahawks have also reportedly met with two other inside linebacker prospects from the 2023 NFL draft class so far: Daiyan Henley from Washington State as well as Ventrell Miller from Florida.
