A hamstring injury suffered the day the Jacksonville Jaguars reported to training camp put linebacker Devin Lloyd on the shelf until the Jags’ final preseason game against the Atlanta Falcons on Aug. 27. That day, he flashed with five first-half tackles.

Jacksonville entered the 2022 season hopeful their first-round pick out of Utah could be a difference-maker right away on defense.

How about 11 tackles to lead the team in its first game? Lloyd also had a sack on the Washington Commanders’ two-point conversion attempt in the fourth quarter.

The Jaguars lost 28-22, but Lloyd looked promising in his Jacksonville debut. It looks like he’ll have a significant role within the defense throughout his rookie season, health-permitting.

“For so long, ever since I started playing football, this is the goal,” Lloyd said earlier this week, per The Florida Times-Union. “I haven’t thought about it too much. Just trying to prepare so I can go out and execute at a high level, but I know there’s going to be a lot of emotions running through. And I know they’re also going to go away pretty quick because I’m the type of guy I’m going to be locked in. And I’m going to be ready to play.”

And he was.