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JAGUARS UNSUNG HEROES!!! · Duval Daily: A Jacksonville Jaguars Podcast

• 0:07
  [SPEAKER_00]: Jacksonville Jack Wars fans, welcome and to do all daily presented by jing Jack.com.
• 0:11
  [SPEAKER_00]: I'm Jordan Deluga, thanks so much for being here.
• 0:12
  [SPEAKER_00]: Tuesday, January 6th, right now we are talking some jacks football as always, right?
• 0:18
  [SPEAKER_00]: But we're talking about some unsung heroes so far for the jack wars.
• 0:22
  [SPEAKER_00]: And if you pay close attention to the jack wars, you're obviously going to note each of these five players that we're going to be looking at here today.
• 0:33
  [SPEAKER_00]: If you maybe are getting into the action a little bit late in the year, maybe you're not dialed in every single day, maybe you're not a jackspan and you're just trying to learn a little bit more about this football team entering the playoffs.
• 0:45
  [SPEAKER_00]: This is for you.
• 0:46
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's also for you.
• 0:47
  [SPEAKER_00]: If you are one of those hardcore jackspans and you just want to have a spotlight shined on some players that you think deserve a little bit more attention for what they have done in
• 0:58
  [SPEAKER_00]: 20 25 for the Jaguars so far.
• 1:02
  [SPEAKER_00]: And this is regular season.
• 1:04
  [SPEAKER_00]: Not post season.
• 1:05
  [SPEAKER_00]: We're going to have an opportunity for, you know, some post season unsung heroes and heroes of the post season if the Jaguars are able to, you know, win a game against the bills and then move into the divisional round and see what happens there.
• 1:17
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, there's more opportunity for more players to kind of stake their claim as unsung heroes, but this is for the regular season for the 2025 Jaguars so far.
• 1:27
  [SPEAKER_00]: I'm excited to get into it.
• 1:28
  [SPEAKER_00]: So without further ado, we will go ahead and get it kicked off with
• 1:34
  [SPEAKER_00]: I mean, if you're a jacksman, you know, and I think people around the league are starting to know.
• 1:39
  [SPEAKER_00]: But Antonio Johnson, goodness gracious young man, the improvement that he's seen from 2024 to 2025 has been remarkable and let's not forget, in 2023, he primarily played like a big nickel type of role and he did a really good job with that.
• 1:56
  [SPEAKER_00]: And that's not a huge surprise because that was kind of what he did a lot.
• 2:01
  [SPEAKER_00]: at Texan and so transitioned to more playing like at more traditional safety role last year and it did not go well.
• 2:10
  [SPEAKER_00]: Newsflash didn't go well for a lot of players on the Jaguar's defense last year with Ryan Nielsen being the defensive coordinator coming in trying to make a new scheme, adjust a lot of different things including like you know the size players are playing at the weight players are playing at so didn't go well.
• 2:26
  [SPEAKER_00]: uh... he looked like a fish out of water at times at safety uh... always has always had that potential like the guys six foot two about two hundred pounds he's athletic he's got length he's got natural instincts foot towards the ball you saw that during his collegiate career
• 2:42
  [SPEAKER_00]: This year, man, he got unlocked and I don't think it was like a steady trajectory the whole time.
• 2:48
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think there was some ups and downs throughout the offseason program and training camp, not in terms of his effort, just in terms of like learning the thing.
• 2:55
  [SPEAKER_00]: And then there was some ups and downs early in the season when he had to start getting some big time reps.
• 3:01
  [SPEAKER_00]: But he's been so darn good lately for the Jacksonville Jaguar.
• 3:06
  [SPEAKER_00]: He's been a playmaker.
• 3:08
  [SPEAKER_00]: hand it up with, you know, five interceptions this year, a pick six last week against the Tennessee Titans, five interceptions at the safety spot.
• 3:16
  [SPEAKER_00]: I mean, that's nothing that's got to fat.
• 3:18
  [SPEAKER_00]: Like, this guy, I believe we'll check it out right now.
• 3:23
  [SPEAKER_00]: He and Devon Lloyd are right there at the top in the AFC and they are, right?
• 3:29
  [SPEAKER_00]: Devon Lloyd Jackworth's linebacker, who he's gotten plenty of love, so he's not an unsung hero, but Devon Lloyd and Antonio Johnson are both leading tied for the lead in the AFC with
• 3:42
  [SPEAKER_00]: with five interceptions, and it's obviously goes beyond the interceptions.
• 3:46
  [SPEAKER_00]: He's been a really good run defender and tackler, which is what you expected from him to definitely the run defense and tackling.
• 3:52
  [SPEAKER_00]: I mean, just with his length and strength that he brings to the field, his missed tackle percentage of 5.3% is...
• 4:00
  [SPEAKER_00]: really an elite number.
• 4:03
  [SPEAKER_00]: At the safety position to only allow a 55 passer rating is pretty damn good.
• 4:08
  [SPEAKER_00]: Is he perfect?
• 4:09
  [SPEAKER_00]: No.
• 4:09
  [SPEAKER_00]: He can continue to grow in this defense and you just really hope that Anthony Campani like and stick around for another year before he gets offered a head coaching job and goes in and does a great job in that role, I believe he will.
• 4:24
  [SPEAKER_00]: But
• 4:25
  [SPEAKER_00]: Kudos, Kudos to Antonio Johnson, the entire staff getting him prepared for this year, working consistently.
• 4:32
  [SPEAKER_00]: He's had some unbelievably big games for the Jaguars this year as both a coverage player and as a
• 4:40
  [SPEAKER_00]: run defender and he's done it in a lot of different roles.
• 4:43
  [SPEAKER_00]: He's not playing like one specific like, you know, box safety.
• 4:48
  [SPEAKER_00]: He's playing, you know, deep third at times.
• 4:51
  [SPEAKER_00]: He's playing in the box at times.
• 4:52
  [SPEAKER_00]: He's playing, you know, half-field coverage.
• 4:56
  [SPEAKER_00]: He's doing a lot for the jacks.
• 4:58
  [SPEAKER_00]: So that's pretty damn impressive.
• 5:00
  [SPEAKER_00]: And we're going to check it out here.
• 5:01
  [SPEAKER_00]: I do believe somebody mentioned he was the highest graded safety by PFF this entire season for the 2025 campaign.
• 5:08
  [SPEAKER_00]: We're going to pull that up
• 5:11
  [SPEAKER_00]: Not that the PFF grades matter all that much, but they are fairly indicative of how well a player is playing generally speaking.
• 5:19
  [SPEAKER_00]: And yes, Antonio Johnson is PFF's highest rated safety in 2025 and to go from a player who, I'll be honest, I didn't know if he was definitely going to make the roster this year with all the safeties that they brought in.
• 5:34
  [SPEAKER_00]: Who knows if he would have, if, you know, Caleb Ransod didn't get injured.
• 5:40
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think he would have, because he's also a really good special teamer, and a lot of the guys we're talking about today are also really good special teamers, but I guess three of them, big time special team players for the Jaguars, which of course a lot of unsung heroes are going to have to make an impact on special teams as well.
• 5:58
  [SPEAKER_00]: Just an amazing year by Antonio Johnson.
• 6:00
  [SPEAKER_00]: I hope he's able to go continue playing that way into the playoffs.
• 6:04
  [SPEAKER_00]: That would be just wonderful for his trajectory and for his confidence and for this football team.
• 6:08
  [SPEAKER_00]: I do want to remind y'all.
• 6:10
  [SPEAKER_00]: If you enjoy the content, please like and subscribe.
• 6:12
  [SPEAKER_00]: You can also check out jingjag.com.
• 6:14
  [SPEAKER_00]: Pick up some new Duval gear.
• 6:15
  [SPEAKER_00]: We do have our division championship shirts up.
• 6:18
  [SPEAKER_00]: 2025 Kings in the South.
• 6:21
  [SPEAKER_00]: Jingjag.com.
• 6:22
  [SPEAKER_00]: So go check it out.
• 6:22
  [SPEAKER_00]: Those are selling pretty damn well right now.
• 6:24
  [SPEAKER_00]: So thank you for all your support.
• 6:27
  [SPEAKER_00]: Up next, Dennis Gardeck, who will start on the special team's portion of it.
• 6:32
  [SPEAKER_00]: He is still a core for special teamer for the Jaguars.
• 6:36
  [SPEAKER_00]: He's done it all, whether it's kick return, kick coverage, punt return, punt coverage, feel gold block, he's been on everything and he's done a really good job for the Jaguars this year.
• 6:47
  [SPEAKER_00]: He was a late signing because he was coming off in ACL injury, it was the second ACL of his career, but a guy in Arizona, they lovingly called him the Barbarian, and he's played that way on special teams and on defense for the Jaguars and his play has been critical.
• 7:04
  [SPEAKER_00]: I meant to frame with Antonio Johnson as well.
• 7:07
  [SPEAKER_00]: His play Antonio Johnson's play was so critical for the Jaguars because Caleb Branson did get injured for the year.
• 7:13
  [SPEAKER_00]: They were planning on having him on the field a lot as a rookie.
• 7:16
  [SPEAKER_00]: Because Eric Murray did miss a good chunk of time.
• 7:19
  [SPEAKER_00]: He was forced into more action than then was expected.
• 7:24
  [SPEAKER_00]: and he became a starter guy that you were lying on and want on the field in a big way.
• 7:30
  [SPEAKER_00]: And then you talk about Dennis Gardeck who was a player that again was a late edition as kind of this hybrid edge Sam Linebacker off-ball guy but also you know course special teamer and he's made an impact in like every area of the defense for the jags.
• 7:47
  [SPEAKER_00]: He hasn't been
• 7:48
  [SPEAKER_00]: Great in coverage, certainly, but you wouldn't really expect that to be the case.
• 7:53
  [SPEAKER_00]: You're kind of using him as a failsafe guy who can you just go make the tackle if you're in coverage and he's been able to do that, certainly, but tough run defender as an off-ball linebacker.
• 8:06
  [SPEAKER_00]: Absolute menace rushing the passer whether he's blitzing or coming off the edge.
• 8:10
  [SPEAKER_00]: He's done a good job And only a hundred twenty eight pass rush reps.
• 8:14
  [SPEAKER_00]: He has 23 pressures, which is a big big number You know with with limited action in that regard He does not miss tackles.
• 8:24
  [SPEAKER_00]: He has 8.1% miss tackle rate, which is really good
• 8:28
  [SPEAKER_00]: overall just a high impact, not a starter, not an every down player, he only has 423 snaps on the defensive side of the ball this year, and he's not like key feature in every single game, but when his number is called, he's made a lot of place for the jags, and that's pretty cool to see, and I think he will be
• 8:47
  [SPEAKER_00]: The Jaguar is both offensively and defensively, are so multiple.
• 8:51
  [SPEAKER_00]: They've used so many different game plans and adjustments throughout games to win games.
• 8:56
  [SPEAKER_00]: They are really smart in that coaching department and being able to teach these guys, Dennis Gardeck and Antonio Johnson and the rest of these players, how to execute in different roles and different assignments week to week has been really impressive.
• 9:11
  [SPEAKER_00]: Obviously, Gardeck is a veteran and he's been around, so he's done a lot of different things.
• 9:18
  [SPEAKER_00]: There's a good chance that in one of these playoff games, maybe this weekend, and if they win, moving forward, that Dennis Gardeck could have a big impact type of game in a different looks that maybe some teams haven't seen or from different formations that teams haven't seen, so keep an eye on Dennis Gardeck for sure.
• 9:38
  [SPEAKER_00]: Now, the next one, let's be honest, everybody knows and loves Monterey Buster Brown at this point.
• 9:48
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think as good as he has been, as much praise as the Jaguar's coaching staff gives him, and as much as like most Jacks fans know about Monterey Buster Brown, I don't know that they are in the position therein, especially on the defensive side of the ball without him.
• 10:08
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think he's been quite frankly like fantastic for the Jaguar's this year.
• 10:13
  [SPEAKER_00]: Truly.
• 10:16
  [SPEAKER_00]: His aggressiveness,
• 10:19
  [SPEAKER_00]: Combined with just his understanding of his assignment on a given play has been such a joy to watch.
• 10:27
  [SPEAKER_00]: The guy has nine pass breakups, two interceptions, go to had a couple more.
• 10:33
  [SPEAKER_00]: His only allowed completion percentage of 54.
• 10:37
  [SPEAKER_00]: in primary coverage.
• 10:38
  [SPEAKER_00]: He's been targeted 63 times in primary coverage, only 34 receptions allowed.
• 10:44
  [SPEAKER_00]: And on 63 targets, he's allowed only 360 yards, which is just a great number to see from him.
• 10:54
  [SPEAKER_00]: His longest completion allowed was 30 yards.
• 10:56
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's not given up anything super long down the field with any
• 11:00
  [SPEAKER_00]: regularity and you look what he's been doing lately and of course not all these have been the best opponents, but you look at what he did against the Broncos.
• 11:07
  [SPEAKER_00]: I mean targeted three times, one reception, two yards, two pass breakups, and I love the way he comes downhill, plays the football in the run game.
• 11:19
  [SPEAKER_00]: If you're trying to scream on him like, buster Brown has been so dialed in and again, I just look at this defense and where would they be
• 11:30
  [SPEAKER_00]: I really don't know.
• 11:32
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think it could be a completely different looking defense without Buster Brown.
• 11:37
  [SPEAKER_00]: And look, Greg knew some complay.
• 11:39
  [SPEAKER_00]: Christian Brasswell was proven he can play.
• 11:40
  [SPEAKER_00]: Jarring Jones is proven he can play.
• 11:42
  [SPEAKER_00]: But Buster Brown, for a lot of this year, I think they would be in a bad place without him.
• 11:47
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think maybe right now you could figure it out.
• 11:50
  [SPEAKER_00]: But he makes this team a lot better on the defensive side of the ball.
• 11:55
  [SPEAKER_00]: and was so critical for so long for this team, like if they didn't have him, there's some games that they won, I don't know if they would have won.
• 12:04
  [SPEAKER_00]: So shout out to a Buster Brown, who is in a contract year, by the way.
• 12:11
  [SPEAKER_00]: A couple more guys.
• 12:14
  [SPEAKER_00]: on the trench side of things.
• 12:17
  [SPEAKER_00]: One on the offensive line, one on the defensive line.
• 12:19
  [SPEAKER_00]: Shout out to Ezra Cleveland.
• 12:21
  [SPEAKER_00]: Like the guy, nobody talks about him ever, but he has been such a good player for the Jaguars, and I think that when he got traded for in 2023, he was, he got injured immediately, right?
• 12:34
  [SPEAKER_00]: Like he was playing through injury.
• 12:35
  [SPEAKER_00]: He wasn't playing all that well, and that's understandable.
• 12:38
  [SPEAKER_00]: But,
• 12:40
  [SPEAKER_00]: Last year I thought he played pretty good.
• 12:42
  [SPEAKER_00]: This year he's taken another step forward as has most of the offensive line.
• 12:46
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think just by scheme and by coaching, they have improved a lot.
• 12:50
  [SPEAKER_00]: And Ezra Cleveland's been a big part of that.
• 12:53
  [SPEAKER_00]: Just a steadying force on the left side at left guard.
• 12:57
  [SPEAKER_00]: He's done a great job playing with Colvin Lannon over there.
• 13:00
  [SPEAKER_00]: They have really
• 13:02
  [SPEAKER_00]: in my opinion, fortified that side of the ball, and you hope that Colby and Lannon is okay moving forward, which it seems like he is, but there's no official confirmation on that.
• 13:13
  [SPEAKER_00]: He did go down late in the game against the Titans, but Ezra Cleveland, just a steady player, physical player, he's nasty and gritty, and he's good and past pro overall, is he perfect?
• 13:24
  [SPEAKER_00]: No, I mean, nobody's perfect, right?
• 13:26
  [SPEAKER_00]: No offense of Lyman is perfect for I mean you might look at Trent some Trent Williams season and argue otherwise, but like for the most part You're not getting these perfect performances from players, but as your Cleveland is somebody that a lot of folks wanted to replace Wanted to ship off get rid of and he's been good He's been really good for the Jaguars and and it's again a steadying force.
• 13:45
  [SPEAKER_00]: He's played over a thousand snaps for the Jaguars this year on the offensive line Pretty damn big deal in my opinion
• 13:53
  [SPEAKER_00]: Alright, final guy, somebody who I guess was taking to social media, calling out some naysayers, some detractors, including Dan Hicken, on the news, but, you know, Eric Armstead, he deserves a lot of credit for the way he has played this year for the Jaguars, and I think
• 14:17
  [SPEAKER_00]: This is his time, like Eric Armstrong's that has been a good player throughout his career in the regular season.
• 14:23
  [SPEAKER_00]: He was a good player for the Jack Wars this year.
• 14:25
  [SPEAKER_00]: Great, a lot of pressure.
• 14:26
  [SPEAKER_00]: Got a lot of sacks from the interior.
• 14:29
  [SPEAKER_00]: His best moments in his career have been in the playoffs and you're hoping this is his time, right?
• 14:37
  [SPEAKER_00]: This is his time to really get it going.
• 14:39
  [SPEAKER_00]: But even, you know, playoffs notwithstanding,
• 14:44
  [SPEAKER_00]: He's been a good player for the jacks this year, really impactful penetration style player.
• 14:49
  [SPEAKER_00]: And I don't think he's playing it like any all pro level or needs to be on a top five list of the interior, defensive linemen or anything like that.
• 14:58
  [SPEAKER_00]: But to do what he did this year as compared to what he did last year, I think just from an impact standpoint and creating havoc in the backfield, I think is pretty impressive overall.
• 15:09
  [SPEAKER_00]: and uh... i'm happy to see him do well and i'm happy he's got a chip on his shoulder and i'm ready to see what he can do in the playoffs because that's what it's all about when it comes to air crimes said i mean he has been a dominant playoff performer throughout his career so excited to see that moving forward uh... do want to give one more shout out another safety who wasn't expected to really play at all in the defense side of the ball this year
• 15:33
  [SPEAKER_00]: Has been an elite special teams player for the Jaguars 11 special teams tackles
• 15:41
  [SPEAKER_00]: and uh... it's ray online the rookie out of navy we knew he was a really good special teamer coming in he's a core four guy kick coverage kick return point return point coverage field goal block all that stuff he's out there doing a really good job given full effort and that's great i mean what he has done as a rookie special teamer is really impressive it's also been impressive what he did you know having to come in and actually play meaningful snaps for the jackwars
• 16:09
  [SPEAKER_00]: played 26 snaps against the cardinals played 22 snaps defensively against the Colts and did a good job in those spots where there was injuries and he had to get out there and do his best and he certainly did that and really didn't skip a beat it seemed like so shout out to Rayon Lane as well.
• 16:27
  [SPEAKER_00]: There's a lot of great players that have done great things for the Jack Wars this year.
• 16:31
  [SPEAKER_00]: This is not like a you know end of the season seasons over type of deal.
• 16:37
  [SPEAKER_00]: This is just
• 16:39
  [SPEAKER_00]: and the players who excelled in the regular season and now saying it's time to excel further.
• 16:47
  [SPEAKER_00]: Now that it's winter, go home.
• 16:48
  [SPEAKER_00]: Let's do a die.
• 16:50
  [SPEAKER_00]: Put up or shut up.
• 16:51
  [SPEAKER_00]: F.C.
• 16:52
  [SPEAKER_00]: playoffs wild card Jaguar is hosting the bills Sunday at 1pm.
• 16:57
  [SPEAKER_00]: Be there.
• 16:57
  [SPEAKER_00]: Really appreciate you all.
• 16:58
  [SPEAKER_00]: If you enjoy the content, please like and subscribe.
• 17:01
  [SPEAKER_00]: Y'all have a good one.