After a horrifically dramatic year with Urban Meyer as the head coach, the Jacksonville Jaguars have given themselves a clean slate in rebuilding the roster. Doug Pederson is a solid coach who should be able to develop Trevor Lawrence while the front office has reeled in a haul of players this offseason. However, we take a look at one rookie sleeper who could make an immediate impact for the Jaguars in the 2022 NFL season.
Jacksonville has a long way to go before becoming competitive. The roster is incredibly young and the coaching staff must develop their prospects. It'll be a tough road, especially considering the Jaguars have struggled developing players in recent years. Regardless, there is one specific late-round rookie to keep an eye on.
Considering Travis Etienne is coming off an ACL injury and James Robinson is out with an injury of his own, another young running back could have a chance to shine. We'll see how training camp plays out, but the Jaguars could have an exciting backfield taking their opponents by surprise.
With that said, here is our rookie sleeper for the Jaguars who could make an impact in the 2022 NFL season.
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Jaguars Rookie Sleeper for 2022 NFL Season
Snoop Conner
The fifth-round rookie is going to have a legitimate shot to earn a role in training camp. With James Robinson sidelined, for now, Conner is going to receive a ton of work in the offseason to prove himself. Depending on how he performs, the Jaguars could have another legitimate option in the backfield to split carries with Travis Etienne.
Snoop Conner proved to be a reliable running back in college. During his time at Ole Miss, Conner totaled 1,580 rushing yards and 26 touchdowns. He didn't produce much throughout his collegiate career, however, he was incredibly efficient with his opportunities. The rookie prospect averaged 5.2 yards per attempt, which is fantastic production for any running back.
Even so, Conner didn't help much in the passing game. For that reason, he'd likely be used more as a pure rusher. Meanwhile, Etienne has the ability to be a receiving threat out of the backfield. If Snoop Conner can prove himself as a consistent run option, then the Jaguars suddenly have a dangerous one-two punch at the running back position.
This is Conner's best chance at earning valuable playing time in the 2022 NFL season. It's likely that Travis Etienne becomes the lead running back for the Jaguars, especially considering he was taken in the first round in 2021 and he has experience playing with Trevor Lawrence during their time at Clemson. This means Snoop Conner can be a short-yardage expert who could receive a ton of goal-line work in his rookie year.
There is the possibility that Robinson returns from his injury to start the 2022 season. However, considering he's bouncing back from an Achilles tear and missing out on training camp, Snoop Conner can swoop in and take the backup job. It'll be interesting to see how it plays out, but the Jaguars will have options in the backfield for the upcoming season.
Keep an eye on Snoop Conner, as he is a true rookie sleeper for the Jaguars. He's in a favorable situation to start his career, which bodes well for his chances. If he can provide consistency as a backup running back, then Jacksonville's offense should be a bit more dangerous than it was last year. Keep an eye on this prospect, as it is up to him to earn a prominent role on this team.