Foye Oluokun brought much-needed leadership to a Jacksonville Jaguars defense that was severely lacking in experience during the 2022 season. On one side, the veteran linebacker had No. 1 overall pick Travon Walker next to him, and on the other he had rookies Devin Lloyd and Chad Muma splitting time in the starting lineup.
Last week, Oluokun was asked what kind of transition those 2022 draft picks could make from year one to year two in their NFL careers.
“A big jump, just because you understand where you’re supposed to be on every play,” Oluokun told reporters. “You’re going to watch all of this film, all these cut ups of plays you might have messed up on technically. Now, you’re going to see the same formation next year, so now it’s like, ‘Alright, I know I’m going to be here. I remember from last year they ran these kind of plays out of this formation.’
“Just being one step ahead of the game now. Making sure you’re retaining information, learning from your mistakes, and just kind of applying that to be a better second year player. That’s how it goes.”
Oluokun, 27, did not become a full-time starter with the Atlanta Falcons until his third season and led the NFL in tackles in four years. When the Falcons allowed the linebacker to reach free agency in 2022, the Jaguars scooped him up with a three-year, $45 million deal.
While Walker, Lloyd, and Muma all got valuable experience during their rookie seasons, none was particularly effective on the field. Walker was the highest rated of the trio on Pro Football Focus at 58.0. The No. 1 overall pick had 3.5 sacks and an interception, Lloyd had three interceptions and two fumble recoveries, and Muma had 1.5 sacks.
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Story originally appeared on Jaguars Wire