There's a different air that comes with the first week of NFL training camp, especially after an almost six-month hiatus without any meaningful snaps. That pent-up excitement is even more palpable for a franchise like the Jacksonville Jaguars, who finished top-ten in points scored and points allowed for the first time since their magical 2017 run to the AFC Championship. While last season didn't finish like that one, the key components to another run at the franchise's Super Bowl have come out of the gate firing. Here are just a few of the names that have come out as winners after the first week of training camp for the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Travis Hunter, CB/WR
Morgan Tencza-Imagn Images
The biggest question mark surrounding this Jacksonville team is whether that blockbuster trade with the Cleveland Browns that gave the Jaguars the chance to sign 2024 Heisman Trophy Winner, Travis Hunter (and another winner that we'll talk about later) would be worth it. The rookie year ended in a nightmarish fashion as the concerns of whether Hunter was "too small" or "too fragile" to end up playing both sides of the ball were realized with a season-ending LCL injury in late October.
Now, it seems that Hunter has not only gained some muscle mass, but he looks even more comfortable in year two of both offensive coordinator Grant Udinski's and head coach Liam Coen's systems.
Bhayshul Tuten, RB
The second part of that 2025 draft trade, fourth-round running back Bhayshul Tuten, was a consistent change-of-pace back who shared carries with now-New Orleans Saints feature back Travis Etienne. With Etienne out of the picture and former Washington Commanders running back Chris Rodriguez working his way back from surgery, Tuten got a chance to take a commanding lead as the feature back in Jacksonville. This is major, since Coen has already challenged the former Virginia Tech Hokie to seize the opportunity that awaits him.
Brian Thomas Jr., WR
After a rookie season where he finished 4th in OROY voting and earned a Pro-Bowl nod, Brian Thomas Jr. followed it up with a sophomore season to forget. Of the 38 receivers to be targeted over 90 times, Thomas finished 34th in catch % when targeted (52.7%), 30th in success rate (47.3%, Puka Nacua led the pack with 70.3% for context) and 33rd in receiving yards (707).
It seems that Thomas Jr. took that personally, as he has come out guns blazing in this year's training camp, showing off his ability to stretch the ball down the field.
