Every year fans all around the NFL usually select a few up-and-coming players on their team to root for throughout training camp. They’re generally either rookies or veteran long shots to make the active roster. This year’s leading candidate for “fan favorite” on the Titans should be rookie wide receiver Jha’Quan Jackson.

Titans fans certainly have a handful potential training camp fan favorite options to choose from in Brian Callahan’s first year as head coach, but Jackson stands out as fun one to cheer on. He’s been taking big strides this offseason in OTAs and minicamp, joining his ‘big brother’ and long-time Tulane teammate Tyjae Spears, and is fighting his way through a stacked wide receiver room of DeAndre Hopkins, Calvin Ridley, Tyler Boyd, and Treylon Burks.

With so many players ahead of him on the depth chart already, how will sixth round pick Jha’Quan Jackson find his way to relevance and an active roster spot on the 2024 Titans? I spoke with Jha’Quan Jackson earlier this summer and here’s what he had to say about making it in the NFL.

Jha’Quan Jackson learning from his “big brothers”

Titans second year running back Tyjae Spears and Jha’Quan Jackson have grown incredibly close over the years. They spent four years together as college teammates from 2019 to 2022 at Tulane. They’re close, in fact, that shortly following the phone call between the Titans and Jha’Quan Jackson on NFL Draft day he “got in the truck, and got on the road” with Spears as they headed towards Nashville together.

Since he’s arrived at Tennessee he’s loved being teammates with Tyjae. When asked about how things have gone and his relationship with Spears, he had this to say:

“It’s amazing [being on the same team with Tyjae Spears]…I [was] the big brother before I got here. He was the little brother [when they were at Tulane together]. Now he’s the big brother and I’m the little brother since he’s got a year under his belt [in the NFL]. And I’m in the process of just learning how to maneuver different things.”

The two have apparently been training together all summer. Jackson actually said that ever since they’ve known each other they’ve been training together, wherever they go. He feels that Spears is a “brother from another mother” and just “loves being around him and all his excitement”.

For fans and media members who have been around Tyjae, it’s easy to see why Jackson is so excited to be around his “big brother”. Not only is he a talented running back coming off an impressive rookie campaign. He’s also a high energy, hilarious person that many teammates clearly enjoy being around. But beyond just enjoying the personality, Spears is one key teammate who has helped Jackson become a better pro already:

“Going home every day and talking to [Tyjae Spears] is what I do, about how to maneuver [things in the NFL] and how to be the best version of me. You’re going to have some good days and bad days, you’ve always got to lean on your teammates to uplift you.”

But it isn’t just Spears helping him out. When asked about how he’s grown and progressed so far with the Titans he shared that the biggest thing has just been learning the offense. “Just being the best version of me, trying to help everybody around me. Just getting the knowledge from vets. On defense you’ve got Arden Key. On offense you’ve got DeAndre Hopkins.”

Hopkins, he mentioned specifically as one teammate who has been teaching him a lot inside the wide receiver room:

“Oh it’s been great. Not just [DeAndre Hopkins]. Everybody in the receiver room, we all put our heads together to be great on the field and off the field. There was one day we were in meetings and [DeAndre Hopkins] caught something [when watching film] that I didn’t catch. Once you’re in the NFL you learn players, what they do on defenses…[Hopkins] looked back and said, ‘Did you catch that?’ I’m like, ‘Nah, what’s that mean?’…So he started explaining what it means, so when they do it in a game I can see it faster and relay it to the guy beside me. You’ve got to get the call. Not just our call, you know, you’ve got to read the whole defense.”

It’s clearly been a huge help already for Jha’Quan Jackson to have his “big brother” Tyjae Spears, DeAndre Hopkins, and others bring him up to speed in a variety of roles with the Titans. But where will he actually fit with the Titans if he does prove himself enough to land an active roster spot this year?

Jha’Quan Jackson’s fit and role in 2024

Many believe Jackson’s role will primarily come on special teams this year, and that might be true. But when asked about his role Jackson says he is ready to do anything and everything:

“It’s not just special teams. To win a game you’ve got to have offense, defense, and special teams…So whatever my role is I’m going to play it 100%.”

When I spoke with Tyke Tolbert, the Titans wide receivers coach, he told me that Jackson got plenty of run with the first team any time some wide receivers missed on-field practice this spring and summer. He shared that Jackson has looked particularly explosive playing quite frequently in the slot, but can line up and win outside when called upon too.

Jackson has been getting a ton of reps this off-season with the returners on special teams, but if he does earn significant snaps this year it sounds like they will likely come in the slot when Tyler Boyd needs a breather.