Heading into his junior year last season, Florida cornerback Jason Marshall Jr. looked to be the next top draft pick for the Florida Gators in the 2024 NFL Draft. Ever since those expectations fell short, the fourth-year cornerback has made it a priority to prove a point after returning to school and regaining his confidence heading into his final season of college football.
“I would say my career was good,” Marshall Jr. said. “Coming into this year, there’s a lot of things I want to tweak and fix, things like that, technique wise, nothing too major. Just having that confidence back this year, that’s pretty much the biggest thing, having that confidence back and going out there and playing hard.”
There were positives put on display in Marshall’s third year with the Gators from an individual standpoint. The Miami native allowed 58 receptions on 124 targets, making his completion percentage against less than 50% in his career. The fourth-year corner also totaled a career-high in passes defended with 10. The only problem was a big one.
Marshall ranked dead last in yards per reception at one point in the 2023 season, giving up an average of 26.6 yards a catch heading into mid-October. Marshall ended up finishing the season with an average of 24.2 yards per reception just a month later.
“I don’t remember when I lost it, but I did lose some confidence, obviously you can see on the tape,” Marshall said on when he lost his confidence. “Like I said, I’m just coming to up my confidence.”
With the help of Will Harris and the rest of Florida’s defensive staff, Marshall’s consistency on the practice field helped restore his confidence in the spring.
“I would say the spring,” Marshall Jr. said on when he regained his confidence. “Reps, consistency, just being more consistent. That’s the biggest thing, being more consistent. It betters my confidence. I can go out there and play more free.”
Even though Florida came up short in a loss to FSU, the game served as a turning point for the 6’0, 201-pound cornerback. Marshall registered four total tackles and three passes defended, which turned out to be the most pass breakups and tackles that Marshall recorded in any game played that season. Florida’s star cornerback also picked up the only sack of his career.
“It did a little bit,” Marshall said on if the FSU game helped his confidence. “That was actually a good game, I had a good game.”
Something that has played a big role in helping Marshall reach his full potential is the realization of this being his final season of college football. When you realize that it’s your last ride, it can bring the best out of true competitors.
“I forgot who I was talking to about that, I think it was Boone, I was talking to Boone, and we were like this is our last fall camp, college fall camp, just go out and give it all we got, that’s the best thing we can do,” Marshall Jr. said.
In 2023, Marshall registered 26 total tackles (20 solo), 10 passes defended, three tackles for loss and one sack. In those 12 games played last season, Marshall tied his career-high in solo tackles with 20 and broke his career-high in tackles for loss, sacks and passes defended.
With a fresh start under a new defensive coaching staff, Jason Marshall Jr. has the potential to have his best season yet and is on the best track to make that happen heading into the closing weeks of fall camp.