Jaguars season review: Josh Allen, Foye Oluokun revitalize Jacksonville's defense

The Jacksonville Jaguars saw their best season since 2017, largely helped by a revitalized defense full of newcomers and emerging stars.

Rayshawn Jenkins, Josh Allen and Foye Oluokun anchored a Jaguars defense that recorded 27 takeaways, tied for third-best in the NFL this season.

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Tyson Campbell emerged as a star cornerback, forcing offenses to steer clear of the second-year player for most of the season. Darious Williams returned to his hometown team and brought stability to the secondary with his consistent play.

Travon Walker went from the top overall draft pick to a cornerstone of the future. Along with Allen, Arden Key, Roy Robertson-Harris, Duwuane Smoot the Jaguars defensive line was a much improved group from years past.

And in his first season as defensive coordinator, Mike Caldwell raised the floor of Jacksonville's defense.

MVP: Foyesade Oluokun

The most valuable defensive player was Oluokun, or “the Eraser,” as defensive coordinator Mike Caldwell called him. He led the league in tackles with 184 total including 128 of those as solos.

In his first season with the Jaguars, Oluokun proved to be one of the best free agent signings from Jacksonville. He helped keep rookies Devin Lloyd and Chad Muma steady through an up and down year for the pair.

Top rookie: Travon Walker

Walker’s statistics won’t jump off the page at you, but he cemented himself as a building piece of the future. His versatility to play inside and out gives Jacksonville some flexibility when trying to improve their defensive line in the future.

He was a player that teams clearly game planned for and commanded the respect of most opponents. Doug Pederson and Trent Baalke both regarded Walker as everything they envision when they drafted him No. 1 overall last spring.

Unsung hero: Darious Williams

The Jaguars’ decision to move Williams from the slot to outside cornerback changed the trajectory of their season. For Williams, it put him back into his natural position, but it also erased a target area for teams who tried to create matchup problems.

Williams was a steady player in his first year playing for his hometown team Jaguars.

Best game: Week 2 vs. Colts

The Colts have not won in Jacksonville since 2014 and that streak continued behind a 24-0 shutout performance by the Jaguars’ defense. Jacksonville sacked Matt Ryan five times to go along with three interceptions of the veteran quarterback.

They only allowed Jonathan Taylor to get nine carries for 54 yards and truly dominated the game.

It was their best showing all season.

Biggest play: Rayshawn Jenkins, Josh Allen send Jags to playoffs

Jenkins’ strip-sack turned Josh Allen scoop-and-score against Tennessee was clear and away the best play from this season. The moment, the scene, the stage all played monumental factors in just how big of a play it was.

Jenkins and Allen linked up to create a memory that’ll live on in Duval lore for years to come. The play single-handedly propelled Jacksonville into the postseason and happened in front of more than 70,000 roaring fans at TIAA Bank Field.

Only other play that came close was Jenkins returning a pick-six against Dallas but it didn't hold the same weight that the strip-sack did.

Needs improvement: Sack numbers?

Jacksonville needs better production from their pass rushing core. The Jaguars finished in the middle of the pack with 35 sacks this season.

But the league-leading Philadelphia Eagles finished with 35 more sacks than the Jaguars with a whopping 70 this year.

If there’s room for improvement, it’s probably in rushing the quarterback.

Numbers game

• Jenkins registered an 18 tackle, two interception game against Dallas. It’s the only time that stat line has been recorded in a game.

• Foye Oluokun led the NFL with 184 tackles including 128 solo tackles. It’s his second consecutive year achieving that feat.

• The Jags defense was tied for third in the NFL with 27 takeaways this season. It’s a stark turnaround from their last-place finish during the 2021 season

Juston Lewis is a sports reporter for the Florida Times-Union. You can follow him on Twitter at @JustonLewis_.

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jaguars 2022 review: Tyson Campbell, Rayshawn Jenkins spark defense