Caleb Ransaw has yet to play a snap, but he has already made a great impression.

Even though his rookie season ended before it could even get started due to foot surgery, Ransaw impressed the Jacksonville Jaguars' coaches with the resiliency and resolve he showed after the injury.

The cornerback-turned-safety, who was Jacksonville's third-round pick in 2025, is healthy now and looking to earn an important role in the Jaguars' secondary. If Ransaw continues to shine during training camp, it is possible that he could win a starting safety job over incumbent veteran Eric Murray.

Even without ever taking the field for the Jags, Ransaw has already earned the trust of his coaches. Head coach Liam Coen and his staff have preached the importance of mental and physical toughness since they arrived in Jacksonville, and believe Ransaw showed both during his injury recovery.

At the conclusion of Jacksonville's off-season program, Jaguars' defensive backs coach Anthony Perkins spoke about Ransaw, specifically how he handled the injury.

"He didn't flinch. That was the best thing that I saw out of him. Obviously, when it happened early in training camp last year, nobody was fired up to hear the news, him being at the forefront of that. But to his credit, not one time have I seen him in this building with his head down with any sort of woe-is-me mentality. Like no, not one time has he felt sorry for himself, not one time was he dejected or kind of removed."

Anytime a player suffers a season-ending injury, it is a difficult thing to endure. Having it happen at the very beginning of your career, before ever being able to play in a game, must be especially tough. Yet, Ransaw never allowed it to affect his work ethic or how he carried himself in front of his teammates and coaches.

Perkins noted just how upbeat and dedicated Ransaw remained throughout his lost rookie year.

"He showed up every single day all the way through training camp, and then through all 17-18 weeks of the season last year, bright-eyed, big smile on his face, fully engaged, taking meticulous, crazy notes," he said.

"You know, I would sit with him in the meeting rooms, in our big unit rooms, I'd always peek over just to see what the notebook was looking like, and he's taking better notes than some of the other guys in the room that we're playing."

Just like last offseason, before his injury, Ransaw has been a standout so far in the Jaguars' OTAs and minicamp. If he continues to look like a star, the 23-year-old will likely earn himself a key role in Anthony Campanile's defense, starter or not.

Perkins believes Ransaw is making up for lost time, and is excited to coach him up throughout his development.

"So he's done a tremendous job, did a tremendous job all of last year, and continues to do so over the course of the spring, he's got a little bit of a chip on his shoulder, knowing that he lost out on the year, knowing that he lost out on all those reps from last year," Perkins said.

The Jaguars appear to have quite a find in Ransaw. He is an elite athlete and a tremendous tackler. Ransaw also seamlessly made the transition from cornerback to safety before getting hurt, and has the potential to be a staple of Jacksonville's defense for the next decade.

Whether Ransaw can overtake Murray during training camp and the preseason is shaping up to be one of Jacksonville's most fascinating positional battles. Though Murray's experience gives him a clear advantage, Ransaw's has the higher ceiling. If he plays up to his potential, it will be difficult to keep the youngster off the field.

One thing working in Ransaw's favor is that he already has his coaches' trust. Now, all he has to do is stay on the field.

Join our ROUNDTABLE community! It's free to join. Share your thoughts, engage with our Roundtable writers, and chat with fellow members. Download the free Roundtable APP, and stay even more connected!