The Jacksonville Jaguars are a team on the rise, and heading into the 2023 NFL season, they are in a great spot as a franchise. One of the tell-tale signs of a team on the rise is the young talent that is on the team. For the Jaguars, talent is abundant, nearly all of which could be described as 2023 break out candidates.
This article will look at the three 2023 break out candidates for the Jacksonville Jaguars, an NFL team that is primed to undergo a 2023 break out campaign of its own.
2023 Break Out Candidate #1: Travon Walker
Travon Walker, an OLB primarily for the Jaguars, is a former number one overall pick, yet he’s seemingly forgotten amongst NFL fans. Due to the production and influence of Aiden Hutchinson, along with the impressive performance of other stellar rookies in recent years, Walker hasn’t occupied the minds of fans outside of Jacksonville as a number-one overall pick should. Entering his second NFL season, Walker is set up to change that perception.
As the number one 2023 break out candidate for the Jaguars, Travon Walker is prepared to make ripples in the NFL world. One of the needs for the Jaguars is increased pass russ production, something Walker has yet to show extensively. But, as he is preparing for the 2023 season, Walker is going back to his Georgia days to see an improvement in his skill set.
During OTA’s, Walker has been getting reps along the defensive line. This change will allow Walker to return to the position in which he found immense success at Georgia and what bolstered him into being the number one overall pick. Between his increased experience in the NFL and retracing his steps to where he found the most success, Travon Walker is a top 2023 break out candidate for the Jacksonville Jaguars.
2023 Break Out Candidate #2: Travis Etienne Jr.
Jaguars RB Travis Etienne Jr. (1) – Maria Lysaker/USA TODAY Sports
Drafted back in 2021, Travis Etienne Jr. has only been in the NFL for two years. Unfortunately, his first year was taken away due to injury. But in his second season as a Jaguar, his first fully active season, he showcased what made him a first-round pick in the 2021 draft. After providing Jacksonville their first playoff win since 2018, Etienne is once again the focal point of a running-back room for a Jaguars team prepared to win the division and return to the playoffs.
Travis Etienne Jr. has an ability out of the backfield as a runner and receiver, making him one of the more intriguing 2023 break out candidates for the Jaguars. He’s also in a position to break out in 2023 and become one of the top running backs in the NFL.
Entering his third year, but only his second season, Travis Etienne Jr. is primed to help lead what could be one of the best offensive skill groups in the NFL. The weapons around him have only improved since his “rookie” season, and his offensive line should take steps to improve as run blockers heading into 2023. Adding all the factors at play, his outlook to be a 2023 break out candidate for the Jaguars seems incredibly likely.
2023 Break out Candidate #3: Devin Lloyd
Jaguars LB Devin Lloyd (33) – Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union
Devin Lloyd is one of the most intriguing 2023 break out candidates across the NFL. The roller coaster he went on in 2022 was enough to show that he is skilled enough for the NFL, while also not fully ready for the NFL.
Through the first three weeks, Devin Lloyd wound up getting two interceptions and six passes defended to go along with 24 tackles. This early season performance gave him NFL Rookie of the Month honors for September. After that first month, he fell flat. He struggled to live up to the hype and promise of that first stretch in 2022. For the rest of the season, he bounced between the starting lineup and the bench.
For his second NFL season, Devin Lloyd is set up to become an intriguing 2023 break out candidate for the Jaguars. He’s already shown his ability. He’s already proven he can compete at an NFL level. He just needs to string that success throughout an entire NFL season. Fortunately for Lloyd and Jaguars fans, he’s already made strides to be better prepared for the 2023 NFL season.
Devin Lloyd’s 2023 break out season will be different than both Travis Etienne Jr.’s and Travon Walker’s. Travis Etienne Jr. is looking to build off a successful first full season while remaining healthy. Travon Walker is returning to his roots and trying to prove his worth as a first-overall pick. Devin Lloyd on the other hand, is trying to stabilize himself and prove that the beginning of his career wasn’t just a fluke, but rather his ability in the NFL.
