After the Jaguars traded away Pro Bowl corner Jalen Ramsey last season, Tre Herndon had his opportunity to make an impact, and fortunately for him, he played reasonably well.
The third-year corner started 14 games for Jacksonville and finished the season with three interceptions. The 24-year-old Herndon enters 2020 as a starter, and one of the guys the Jaguars are counting on in the secondary.
The former undrafted free agent believes 2019 was very beneficial for his growth and will help him this season.
“I feel like last year was definitely a good step for me, a good stride, just getting really my first year [of] consistent game action and starting, “Herndon said via a video call on Saturday. “I feel like it was good for me. I feel like definitely knowing the game, kind of feeling that game speed, tendencies, those kinds of things, I was able to take a step with.
“Now [I’m] just stepping on top of that, adding more with my technique, being more consistent, being more consistent in film study now that I have a year under my belt. Those are things that I’m working on in this camp.”
According to Jaguars cornerbacks coach Tim Walton, Herndon is a more confident player than last season.
“It’s hard, the thing you can’t give guys is game day experience, he got that last year,” Herndon said. “So now a lot of things that he saw for the first time, he has already seen now. Now, coming in this year, he’s more confident, he’s understanding things, he knows the different spots he needs to be at.
“Now he can apply—and like I said, his personality is already business-like, he’s very mature, he’s very into his stuff. So with that experience that you have and the work ethic and the maturity level and this approach, it’s nothing but an upside for him. He works on his technique [and] he’s works on his craft a lot. Like I said, he’s a true pro in his approach to this game, so I look for big strides from him this year.”
Walton also noticed Herndon has tried to take on a leadership role in the secondary.
“He has to be the guy that does that – him and DJ [Hayden] are the guys that kind of are the veteran guys in our room right now, as far as being in this system,” Watson said. “So now he’s trying to take on that role, and trying to speak up more, and trying to show the young guys the ropes on how to do things. And he’s a great guy to be in that role.”
Herndon is not Ramsey, but he was solid last season for Jacksonville, and based on what we saw last season, and based on how he is approaching this season, he can be a decent corner for the Jaguars.
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