The Jacksonville Jaguars have gotten star-level production this season from some relatively unexpected places.
According to Pro Football Focus, linebacker Ventrell Miller currently owns the highest defensive grade among NFL linebackers at 91.8. On the other side of the ball, running back Bhayshul Tuten ranks second among running backs at 90.4, trailing only Kansas City’s Kenneth Walker III at 90.8.
Both players have become major pieces of Jacksonville’s 4-1 start.
So far this season, Miller has recorded 33 tackles, one sack, two passes defensed, and a forced fumble. He has stepped up as a leader alongside veteran Foyesade Oluokun, giving Jacksonville another reliable presence in the middle of a defense that has been one of the NFL’s best through
the first month of the season.
His rise is even more noteworthy, considering he was selected in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL Draft, and then spent his entire rookie season on injured reserve. He managed to fight his way into a larger defensive role over the past two seasons, and now has proven that he is a capable replacement for Devin Lloyd.
Tuten has taken an equally significant step forward in Year 2. After serving primarily as a complementary back as a rookie behind Travis Etienne, Tuten has started all five games this season and already surpassed his 2025 rushing total. He has carried the ball 82 times for 349 yards and two touchdowns, while adding 78 receiving yards.
PFF’s grading paints an even stronger picture of his performance. Tuten owns the service’s highest rushing grade among qualified running backs, and has forced 24 missed tackles while averaging 3.8 yards after contact.
Neither Miller nor Tuten entered the season among Jacksonville’s biggest-name players. But five weeks into 2026, PFF’s grades suggest both are playing like some of the best players in football at their respective positions.
This article originally appeared on Jaguars Wire: 2 Jaguars rank among PFF’s best at their positions
