The Jacksonville Jaguars kicked off rookie minicamp this weekend, giving head coach Liam Coen his first real opportunity to evaluate third-round safety Jalen Huskey up close—and early impressions suggest he could be a perfect fit for the team's evolving defensive scheme.
What first caught Coen's attention during the pre-draft process? Huskey's rare combination of versatility and length. Standing 6-foot-1 with nearly 33-inch arms, the defensive back isn't just a safety on paper. In college, he logged 752 snaps at outside cornerback and another 193 from the nickel position. That kind of positional flexibility is exactly what modern NFL defenses covet.
"You look at some of the trends in the NFL—those heavier groupings—and you have to decide: are you going to go heavier at linebacker, or invest in bigger skill players on defense?" Coen explained. "That 'big skill' guy who can play safety, drop down to big nickel, or handle dime responsibilities? That's important to us."
Huskey's size allows the Jaguars to match up against bigger offensive personnel without sacrificing coverage ability in the secondary. It's a chess piece that gives defensive coordinators more options on any given down.
His numbers back up the potential, too. Last season, Huskey allowed a 65% completion rate when targeted but held receivers to just 7.4 yards per reception—a sign that he keeps plays in front of him. Over three college seasons, he racked up 11 interceptions and six pass breakups, showing the kind of ball production that makes scouts take notice.
"Multiplicity and the ability to play different positions has been important to us, even before these trends started," Coen added. "And it also helps on special teams when you have big, longer athletes at DB who can match up with tight ends or linebacker-type bodies."
Speaking of special teams: Huskey brings 320 career snaps in that phase, giving him an immediate path to contributing while he competes for the third safety role. For a Jaguars defense looking to add depth and versatility, Huskey might be one of the more intriguing pieces to emerge from this rookie class.