Yet another Jacksonville Jaguars player has cracked the top-10 of ESPN’s rankings of each position, with linebacker Foyesade Oluokun taking the honors on Tuesday.
Oluokun was ranked the No. 10 off-ball linebacker in the NFL and the No. 6 linebacker in the AFC in ESPN’s poll of up to 80 NFL coaches, scouts and executives. Oluokun was ranked as high as No. 5 on some polls.
“If tackles are your thing, Oluokun is your guy.
Oluokun has 487 tackles over the past three years, leading the NFL in two of them. In 2023, he added a career-high 10 quarterback hits.
“Speed, athleticism, range, production,” an NFL personnel evaluator said. “We liked him a lot in the free agent market a few years back.” One knock is a lack of splash plays, particularly in coverage.
“There are better cover LBs, but down in and down out, he’s been a really good player and cleans up a lot in the run game,” a personnel head with an NFL team said. “Great with hands and shedding blocks.””
– Jeremy Fowler, ESPN
Oluokun, who was entering the final year of the three-year contract he signed in 2022, officially signed a three-year extension this offseason. Oluokun was originally drafted by Atlanta in the sixth round (200th overall) in the 2018 NFL Draft. He signed with Jacksonville as an unrestricted free agent following the 2021 season.
Since arriving in Jacksonville in 2022, Oluokun leads the NFL in solo tackles (239) and total tackles (357). In 2023, he recorded 173 total tackles (111 solo), eight tackles for loss, six passes defensed, 2.5 sacks, one forced fumble and one interception returned for a touchdown,” the Jaguars said in a release.
Last season, he surpassed 150 total tackles for the third consecutive season, becoming just the sixth player to accomplish the feat since 2000. He also posted career highs in quarterback hits (10) and fumble recoveries (three) in 2023. In his six seasons, Oluokun has amassed 811 total tackles (506 solo), 32 tackles for loss, 22 passes defensed, 9.5 sacks, six interceptions and six fumble recoveries.