The Jacksonville Jaguars came out of the 2024 NFL Draft with an enticing haul. Aside from budding star Brian Thomas Jr., they selected defensive tackle Maason Smith and cornerback Jarrian Jones in Rounds 2 and 3, respectively. If that wasn't enough, the Jags at last found a long-term answer at kicker with Cam Little in the sixth round. Having said that, not all the picks have panned out. In fact, one of them could be at risk of being left out of the 53-man roster next season.
The Jaguars drafted running back Keilan Robinson in the fifth round because they thought he could contribute on special teams. This made sense when you take into account that he showed big-time returning skills at Texas. Unfortunately, the Washington D.C. native suffered a toe injury in training camp that ended his rookie campaign before it even began. Now, he finds himself in an uphill battle to make the team in 2025.
Travis Etienne and Tank Bigsby are back. The team's brass added Bhayshul Tuten and LeQuint Allen to the mix. If that wasn't enough, Ja'Quinden Jackson joined the Jags as an undrafted free agent.
Etienne has been the subject of trade talks, and there's a chance he won't stick around in 2025. But even if he's out of the mix, Robinson won't have a favorable chance of earning a roster spot. Sure, there's a new regime in place, meaning that he'll get a legitimate shot to get the nod, but there's no guarantee that he will.
The one way Robinson could make the roster is on special teams, his bread and butter, as the Jaguars cut ties with 2024's primary returner, Devin Duvernay. However, wide receiver Parker Washington may have the inside track to seize the job. After all, he's a proven commodity, unlike the second-year running back.
Why the Jaguars may move on from Keilan Robinson
There's no doubt that Keilan Robinson has a few things working against him. For starters, the new regime inherited him, so it has no attachment to him. The fact that he was a Day 3 pick also hurts, but the biggest reason why he's currently an afterthought is that he hasn't played a snap in the NFL. On the other hand, not everything is gloom and doom.
The Jaguars probably won't start making moves until the preseason is over, so Robinson will get an opportunity to make an impression. Granted, he won't get many reps, but he'll force the team's hand if he makes the most out of them. More importantly, though, he must prove that he's 100 percent healthy. If he does get hurt again in training camp, his chances of sticking around will decrease significantly.
As it is, Robinson is near the cellar of the running depth chart. Nobody expects him to get ahead of Travis Etienne or Tank Bigsby, but if he turns heads in the summer, maybe he can get a roster spot. However, nobody will bat an eye if he ultimately gets a call from the Turk on cutdown day.
Here are other Jaguars stories you may also like: