Trevor Lawrence was hardly touched during the Jacksonville Jaguars’ 31-24 win against the New Orleans Saints. He might not have been as fortunate if Jaguars linebacker Foye Oluokun was playing for the opposite team.
“I’m glad he’s on our team. I literally said that today, I was like ‘I’m glad that guy’s on our team, I wouldn’t want to play against him,'” Lawrence said Sunday after the win. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone who plays as hard as him. Every play is full speed, all out.
“He’s impressive to be around and now he’s starting to get that credit that he deserves. Even going back to when he was in Atlanta and we played him my rookie year, he was a stud. He’s been doing it for a few years now and people are finally catching on. I’m glad he’s on our team, for sure.”
Oluokun, 28, led the NFL in tackles during the 2021 and 2022 season. With a 14-tackle night Thursday, he’s now the NFL leader once again, although the Colts’ Zaire Franklin can take back the mantle Sunday with five tackles against the Cleveland Browns. Either way, it’s quickly becoming a two-person race for the tackling title.
But Oluokun isn’t just racking up tackle numbers. He’s already added five pass defenses, a pick six, two fumble recoveries, and four tackles for loss through seven games. In the Jaguars’ wins against the Colts and Saints, Oluokun recorded PFF grades of 91.2 and 89.8, respectively. It’s the first time in his career he’s received a grade above 89 in back-to-back games.
“I can’t say enough good things,” Jaguars coach Doug Pederson said of Oluokun on Monday. “It’s the reason why we took him a year ago from Atlanta and got him in here. We’re starting to see exactly who he is as a leader and obviously as a football player. He’s all over the field making a ton of tackles.”
The last player to lead the NFL in tackles in three straight seasons was former Atlanta Falcons linebacker Jessie Tuggle, who pulled off the feat in 1990, 1991, and 1992.
