The Jacksonville Jaguars finished last preseason with four losses and no wins. This time around, they got off on the right foot.
A much healthier, deeper roster was on display in the Jaguars’ 28-23 win over the Dallas Cowboys. After climbing to a 14-0 lead early in the contest, it was the bottom of Jacksonville’s roster that sealed the deal with a couple touchdown drives and a forced turnover.
While the final score doesn’t matter much, preseason showings can be huge for players on the roster who are battling for position on the depth chart or a spot on the 53-man roster.
Here are four Jaguars players who stood out in a positive way Saturday and three who had a night to forget:
Stud: QB Nathan Rourke
We’ll start with the obvious one. Rourke balled Saturday night.
After a slow-ish start, he led the Jaguars from behind with back-to-back touchdown drives that won the game. The latter featured one of the best quarterback plays you’ll ever see, preseason or otherwise.
.@nathan_rourke the magician! 🪄
📱: Stream #JAXvsDAL on NFL+ https://t.co/bBFpXewtKp pic.twitter.com/aJyI00EdVw
— NFL (@NFL) August 12, 2023
Will the Jaguars keep three quarterbacks, or is C.J. Beathard’s roster spot suddenly in danger? Time will tell, but it’s tough to imagine Jacksonville will want to part with their instant sensation Canadian backup.
Stud: DT DaVon Hamilton
If Saturday was an indication of what kind of season is in store for Hamilton, it’s hard to imagine the Jaguars sack total not rising. While he played just a handful of snaps against a backup Dallas line, Hamilton was unstoppable.
He recorded two pressures in only three snaps against the pass, including a sack when Andre Cisco forced the Cowboys’ Cooper Rush to step up in the pocket.
The Jaguars need to do a better job collapsing pockets in 2023 and Hamilton looked up for the task Saturday.
Dud: LB Shaquille Quarterman
Quarterman was a hero in 2022 when his destruction of Derrick Henry in a Week 14 game forced a fumble that turned the tide of the Jaguars’ entire season.
But with a trio of linebackers (Foye Oluokun, Devin Lloyd, Chad Muma) added to the roster last year and Ventrell Miller now hunting for a roster spot too, Quarterman needs to make more good plays to stick around.
On Saturday night, the Cowboys were far too comfortable throwing at whoever Quarterman was trying to cover. Most of the time it worked.
Stud: CB Gregory Junior
Gregory Junior is showing out today pic.twitter.com/Wz3jkOmjk7
— Fitz (@LaurieFitzptrck) August 12, 2023
Junior has been a star of training camp after spending almost all of his rookie season on the practice squad. On Saturday, he continued to solidify his spot on the roster with a strong showing against the Cowboys.
While he was Johnny on the spot with a fumble recovery and a forced fumble, it was his work in coverage that really bodes well for his future.
Junior was in coverage on 22 snaps, was targeted just once, and allowed zero receptions on the night. The slot cornerback job in Jacksonville may be Junior’s to lose at this point.
Dud: WR Kevin Austin Jr.
With so many Jaguars receivers all but guaranteed a place on the 53-man roster, there are several players battling for maybe just one roster spot.
Kevin Austin Jr. has appeared to be one of those players, but he didn’t do himself any favors against the Cowboys. He finished without a reception on the day and was credited with two drops by Pro Football Focus.
After a night when so many other receivers stepped up, Austin has some catching up to do.
Dud: RB Snoop Conner
Conner’s path to a roster spot is an uphill climb after the Jaguars drafted Tank Bigbsy and signed D’Ernest Johnson in free agency. Both of those players buried Conner a little further Saturday night.
While Bigsby averaged 5.8 yards per carry and Johnson averaged 6.2 yards, Conner managed only 15 yards on seven rushing attempts. His longest rush of the night was just four yards.
Conner did break free for a 21-yard gain on a pass play, but it’s becoming harder and harder to see a way the 2022 fifth-round pick sticks around for long.
Stud: WR Jacob Harris
What a contested grab by Jacob Harris!
📱: Stream #JAXvsDAL on NFL+ https://t.co/bBFpXewtKp pic.twitter.com/1Z13bMQ38i
— NFL (@NFL) August 12, 2023
Harris is about as much of a long shot as long shot stories could be for the Jaguars. The former Rams wide receiver turned tight end turned wide receiver again only joined Jacksonville in May after he impressed on a tryout at rookie minicamp.
That earned him a spot on a roster loaded with receivers and not much room for anyone else. But he’s impressed in camp and, on Saturday night, he made the catch of the night, laying out for a 42-yard grab in traffic.
Regardless if he makes the 53-man roster, Harris did what he needed to do Saturday night to help keep his NFL dream alive.
