Jaguars rookie Jalen Huskey embraces high expectations

The Jacksonville Jaguars selected safety Jalen Huskey as their final pick in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft. He made a name for himself in college as a versatile defender.

In a new interview with Jaguars.com writer John Oehser, Huskey made it clear that he has high expectations for his time in Jacksonville.

"I play with a chip on my shoulder. I feel like my entire life I've been a little overlooked or a little overshadowed – and I can show that I can produce too," he said, adding, "At every single stop I produced, and it's not going to stop because I'm in the NFL. I plan to come here and be a great football player."

That mindset fits in well with the Jaguars' mentality, fostered by head coach Liam Coen. Under Coen's leadership, the culture in Jacksonville has been turned into exactly what Huskey described. The team thrived under the constant disrespect from the league, with Coen using it as motivation for his players.

He, along with general manager James Gladstone, have prioritized more aggressive and physical play, which Gladstone said was one of the things that stood out about Huskey.

"Something that we prioritize not only on the defensive back end, but across the entire roster is versatility, and so he certainly offers that, but at the same time, his play style is one that is extremely aggressive and tough and physical," he said. "And so that really captured our attention and our hearts."

Huskey could find himself competing with Caleb Ransaw and Rayuan Lane for the third safety spot on the Jaguars' depth chart. He could also emerge as a core special teams contributor right away.