Youth Shines for Jacksonville Jaguars in 17-16 Victory over Washington Redskins

With the majority of the starters sitting on the sidelines, the youth of the Jacksonville Jaguars got their best chance to prove their worth and earn a spot on the 53-man roster. A 17-16 victory over the Washington Redskins was the product of the younger players' success.

Both the offense and the defense did a fine job, and this game was truly the best exhibition for the depth on the Jaguars roster. In recent past, the Jaguars haven't had the luxury of depth going as far back as the 75th man. But they did this year, and it showed Thursday.

The majority of said depth is either rookies or players in their second or third years in professional football, which meant mistakes and flags. The Jaguars racked up six flags for 48 yards, which actually isn't that bad considering the circumstances.

Curving the number of penalties certainly helped both sides of the ball, but the individual performances from some of the younger members were the major differences in the game—for example, quarterback Stephen Morris, who had a pretty solid night, as seen below.

Passing Yards	Completions/Attempts	Touchdowns	Interceptions	Rating
160	16/25	1	0	95.4

Morris got the call to play all four quarters on Thursday, and he answered it with confidence and smart decision-making. Completing 64 percent of his passes and finding wide receiver Bryan Walters in the end zone for a 5-yard touchdown are just two of the reasons his night went so well.

Morris likely doesn't have a place in the 53-man roster, mostly thanks to Chad Henne in front of him. He certainly has a place in the practice squad, but it wouldn't be surprising to see another team claim him and give him a roster spot.

Either way, Morris shined on Thursday and helped him solidify a future in the game. And while Morris was likely the offensive MVP, running back Corey Grant stole the show. 

Grant only needed five carries to go for 74 yards, including a 40-yard sprint that ended in the end zone, as seen in the NFL's tweet below:

There may not be room for Morris, but it certainly seems like there has to be a spot for Grant. His speed and promising development as a RB and a returner means the Jaguars might have no choice but to hold on to him.

General manager Dave Caldwell even had some words for Grant's impressive performance, according to Florida Times-Union's Ryan O'Halloran, saying, "The things we saw all through the offseason were his speed and acceleration and to see it here in a game, it was a matter of when we'd see it, not if we would."

Having the confidence of Caldwell to perform is a strong factor for Grant's case for the final roster, and that quote may be the sign of his play to come.

On the defense, fellow undrafted free agent Thurston Armbrister had a really impressive game as well. He had eight total tackles and consistently looked comfortable and ready to make plays all over the field.

He actually got quite unlucky in the second half, after picking off Redskins QB Colt McCoy and making a big run down the sideline before McCoy was able to bring him down. However, penalties brought the play back and caused a replay of downs.

It may not be enough to get Armbrister a spot, but he should have a place on the practice squad. Where Armbrister will be is still up in the air, but it'd be nice to have him around in Jacksonville.

The pass rush also excelled through the youth, with second-year defensive end Chris Smith and rookies Mike Bennett and Cap Capi all registering sacks and pressuring McCoy throughout the night.

Smith and Bennett seem likely for final roster spots, but Capi may have to be sent to the practice squad. That could be a positive for both the Jaguars and Capi, however, because the UDFA has been impressive this preseason, evidenced by his team-leading three sacks.

2015 NFL draft fourth-round selection James Sample made his Jaguars debut and also impressed. It seems like his size was somewhat understated throughout the year, but his 6'2", 209-pound frame really stood out once he took the field.

He totaled seven combined tackles, but his highlight was an incredible recovery. After getting beat by Redskins WR Rashad Ross, Sample got back and got in the way to cause a drop and save a big play, just one of the moments that garnered praise on Twitter:

"

James Sample laying the smackdown. Dude played a great game tonight. Was locked onto reciever in single coverage the play before.

— Justin Wright (@JWrightForYou) September 4, 2015"

It wasn't a perfect performance for Sample, but he needed a night like this to get situated. It'll be a few weeks before he's a direct threat to Sergio Brown and the starting FS spot, but he should reach it soon.

Overall, the night went pretty well. Injuries to defensive tackle Ziggy Hood and S Craig Loston were unfortunate, but neither are crucial players. Should both be on the final roster, the Jaguars can likely get by without them for an extended period of time.

But, despite injuries, the Jaguars were able to pull out a close victory with an impressive, composed go-ahead 47-yard field goal from new starting kicker Jason Myers. Myers missed an early attempt from 56 yards, but he came through when it mattered, which will hopefully bring him some confidence heading into his first regular-season game next week.

The fourth preseason game can be a nightmare. But tonight was a chance for the youth to stand out, and they certainly did so. It didn't make the final roster cuts any easier, but the 17-16 victory was a good final outing before the regular season kicks off next Sunday.

Who was your favorite youth performance? Comment below and answer the poll!

All stats were provided by ESPN.com unless otherwise stated.

Evan Reier is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report covering the Jacksonville Jaguars. Follow Evan on Twitter @evanreier.