JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Jacksonville Jaguars’ defense was one of the most dominant units in 2025, ranking as the top-ranked group in run-defense.
But, it was the ball skills and knack for turnovers that really defined the team’s success for much of the year.
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The Jaguars had 13 takeaways in their first four games of the season and, while that pace slowed, they finished second in the NFL with 31 turnovers forced.
Those 31 takeaways were monumental to the team’s 13-4 record, scoring 110 points just off turnovers. That ranked best in the NFL.
To provide even more context, the Jaguars became the first team in NFL history to post a 30+ turnover season after 10 or fewer the previous season.
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While there’s certainly some luck involved when it comes to takeaways, the Jaguars’ defenders routinely put themselves in position to make plays on the ball.
In fact, the Jaguars led the league with 107 passes defensed, setting a franchise record.
When you attack the catch point as much as the Jags did under Anthony Campanile’s new defense, there’s no wonder the team came away with 22 interceptions.
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The return to the predominantly zone coverage system did wonders following just nine turnovers the previous season.
Montaric Brown led the way with 12 passes defensed, followed by 11 from Foye Oluokun, 10 from Jourdan Lewis, and nine from Antonio Johnson. Foye Oluokun finished tied for the NFL lead at the linebacker position.
With the return of Travis Hunter, Caleb Ransaw, and addition of Jalen Huskey, the ball skills shouldn’t be going anywhere. Hunter and Huskey in particular are known for their ability to contest catches and haul in interceptions.
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Turnovers can be a very fickle thing, varying drastically from season to season, look no further than the 2025 Jaguars for an example.
But a second year in Campanile’s system, return of the majority of the defensive pieces, and the cumulative ball skills of a group which led the NFL in passes defensed should bode well for this group.
They might not force 31 turnovers or lead NFL in points off of them, but it’s hard to imagine the team’s knack for getting their hands on the ball goes away. This is who they are.
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