Foyesade Oluokun

The poster boy for the league-wide explosion in tackles, Oluokun didn't miss a beat after signing a three-year deal with the Jaguars in the 2022 offseason, piling up 184 stops to lead the NFL for the second consecutive season. A sixth-round pick out of Yale in 2018, Oluokun needed some time for his play recognition and instincts to catch up to his athleticism, but he's now one of the most feared interior linebackers in the game. Along with Devin Lloyd, the duo is the linchpin of coordinator Mike Caldwell's scheme, one that was formed in Tampa Bay with Lavonte David and Devin White as the template.

The contract probably won’t age well, but the Jaguars paid Oluokun handsomely to reel him in from Atlanta, and with that he will be locked into a three-down role no matter how badly he plays. Just as importantly, Oluokun almost can’t fail as an IDP. He will pile up tackles, just as he did in Atlanta, even if he’s getting run over all game (just as he did in Atlanta).

It's not clear whether the 215-pound Oluokun will fit perfectly in an Atlanta defense that might feature more 3-4 looks in 2021. But Oluokun seems like a good player and Dean Pees is a smart defensive coordinator, so they should find a way to make it work for Oluokun and fellow undersized linebacker Deion Jones. After mostly playing as a special teamer in his first two seasons, Oluokun broke out as a three-down player last year, piling up his 117 tackles on just 895 snaps. Snaps in the 1,100 range could be in store for 2021.

Oluokun will be thrust into a full-time starting role following De'Vondre Campbell's departure to Arizona this March, but coach Dan Quinn continues to exude confidence in his young linebacker despite him being just two years removed from Ivy League play. The former Yale standout made a substantial impact on special teams during 2019, but Oluokun was far from being a down-in, down-out kind of defensive contributor, only twice playing 50-plus percent of the defensive snaps in a game all season. His role in 2020 is expected to more closely resemble the one he inhabited two years ago, when he was forced to start seven times as a result of a Deion Jones foot injury and finished second on the team with 91 tackles. Jones is back healthy and will continue in his "Mike" position as he did last year, but if this Falcons defense is to take a jump this season, Oluokun will be one of the unknown commodities to come to the forefront and perform.

The former Ivy League standout couldn't have asked for a more prosperous rookie campaign, transforming from a late-round pick with a chance of being left off the 53-man roster to starting weakside linebacker. When Deion Jones went down with an foot injury early last year, it was initially Duke Riley - a 2017 third-round selection from LSU - who filled the void. Oluokun proved to be a more reliable tackler than Riley, however, and soon supplanted him in the starting lineup. Despite being granted just seven starts over the course of 2018, Oluokun finished second on the team with 91 tackles and finds himself slotted in beside Jones and De'Vondre Campbell as a starting linebacker.