5 Dark Horse Candidates to Make Jacksonville Jaguars' Final 53-Man Roster

As training camp draws near for the Jacksonville Jaguars, there is not much time left for players to make the final roster. The scramble for roster spots is heating up, and the dark horses are getting ready to make their final charges. 

Some will need a miracle to make the final roster, but for others, it's a real possibility. Whether or not it transfers to on-field results, some players have either excelled in practice or are in the right position to make a roster spot.

What's crucial is that the Jaguars not only get the best possible players, but the players who best perform with the team and offer something more than on-field play. Locker room attitude and veteran experience translate to wins more often than not, and the Jaguars will need that this season.

When it comes to the final spots, guarantees don't exist. If a player doesn't continue at a consistent, high level of play, he can lose that spot in the final moments. With that in mind, let's see who can sneak a roster spot on the Jaguars.

Craig Loston

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Craig Loston was signed after the 2014 NFL Draft, and while he didn't maintain a consistent roster spot, he was still a viable option. With a year of experience under his belt, Loston will be an even better player than he was last season.

The strong safety was both brought up to the active roster and sent down to the practice squad, so he knows what it's like to be on both ends of the spectrum. He only made one solo tackle all last season, but he was buried in the depth chart.

The two players in front of Loston at the position are Johnathan Cyprien and Josh Evans. Cyprien is a lock, but Evans didn't perform well last season and he didn't play SS last season, either. If anyone could jump Evans for a spot, it'd be Loston.

Loston has shown flashes of improvement this season, most notably with his two interceptions in back-to-back practices, as the Florida Times-Union reported. Loston commented that he was feeling much better this offseason than he was in 2014:

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It was of a scramble trying to get used to the NFL and how they practice and things...I was kind of down on myself. I looked at it as another hurdle in my race that I have to jump. The race is never over and you’ve got to keep fighting.’

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Loston is improving and more confident, and that could very well make for a spot on the 53-man roster. It's still hard to tell, but he's certainly on the right track both on the field and in his mind.

Tandon Doss

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Tandon Doss couldn't have been happy when wide receiver and returner Bryan Walters was signed this past offseason. Walters is a Super Bowl champion and has big-time experience, but that doesn't mean Doss is out of a job.

Doss missed the entirety of the 2014 season after a bad ankle injury last July, and his experience with the Baltimore Ravens and relevance to their team still gives him extra value. Like Walters, this is part of his appeal along with his ability as a returner.

Walters missed the majority of OTAs with a hamstring injury, and that's really opened up Doss' chances to make the team this year. There's little-to-no room on the depth chart at WR, and it'll be between Doss and Walters for a final roster spot.

Doss has shown he can perform on offense as well as special teams, catching 26 passes for 428 yards in two seasons in Baltimore, and that may separate him from Walters.

It'll be a race to the finish, and it may just come down to the preference of the Jaguars' coaching staff. It won't be an easy decision, but Doss has a real chance to make the team this season.

Josh Wells

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No one may profit from Austin Pasztor's switch to guard like Josh Wells. Wells went from backup to third-string when the Jaguars signed Jermey Parnell, but with Pasztor moving inside for at least part-time, there may be a spot for Wells. 

Wells played a good bit last season thanks to injury at the tackle spots, seeing time in 12 games. Wells isn't necessarily the most preferable option, but as a backup, he's solid.

The fact that he is 24 and entering his second year in the NFL is one of his best intangibles. He's still got a lot of time to improve. Studying under Pasztor last season helped, and Parnell could also offer a lot to him should he make the squad. 

Tackle is one of the positions that still hasn't reached critical mass in terms of depth, but it's improved. Wells has been a part of that, and as he matures and gets better, he can become a long-term backup for the Jaguars.

Tommie Campbell

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There are three or four locks at corner for the Jaguars, and while Tommie Campbell isn't one of them, he certainly has a chance to make the squad. He's not Aaron Colvin or Demetrius McCray, but he can be a solid depth option when the Jaguars need him.

Campbell saw time in five games last season for the Jaguars and totaled three solo tackles. Campbell's direct competition is Jeremy Harris and Rashaad Reynolds, and there's a decent chance he can beat them out for a spot.

Experience can make or break players when it comes to rosters, and Campbell is one of the oldest corners on the roster. Both Davon House and he are entering their fifth seasons in the NFL, and that will help him if he can't win an outright spot in practice.

At 6'3", Campbell also offers something different than the rest of the Jaguars' CBs. He's the tallest CB on the roster and could be a situational guy if the Jaguars need to guard a big receiver.

He'll need to prove himself in training camp in the coming weeks to solidify a spot, but it's impressive considering where he was last season. He's not going to get a lot of media attention, but Campbell can sneak in to the final roster all the same.

Matt Robinson

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Matt Robinson is one of the more interesting undrafted free agents of the 2015 class of rookies, thanks to his switch from defensive back to linebacker going into his senior year with the Maryland Terrapins.

Robinson started his first three years at DB, and continued to start for the Terrapins even with the position change. At 6'3" and 247 pounds, Robinson saw success due to solid size and good speed.

As with fellow outside linebacker Telvin Smith, Robinson is quick and solid in pass coverage, and with better size, he can be the guy who head coach Gus Bradley is looking for in a weak-side linebacker.

Probable backup John Lotulelei isn't good enough to be the proper long-term option, and there is a chance Robinson's potential will be worth signing him to the roster.

Robinson is still a work in progress due to his inexperience at LB, but with time and work he could be molded into the perfect "Will" linebacker for Bradley's defense.