NFL breakout player predictions for Colts, Texans, Jaguars, and Titans

It’s truly anyone’s division to take in the AFC South.

While Houston are the reigning champions of the division, they enter 2025 rife with questions about their offensive sustainability. Jacksonville might have the best shot at unseating them, but with one of the youngest coaching staffs ever assembled all in their first year, we don’t know what they’ll look like. The Colts have been on the doorstep for a while, but a QB controversy might undo their season before it gets started. The Titans...well they’re the Titans.

Whoever comes out the AFC South will have fought a tough battle to get there, and these guys will help them reach the top of the mountain with a breakout 2025 campaign.

The Texans’ defense has the chance to be the best in the game next year, and I think they’re a jump in play from To’oto’o or LB Christian Harris away from it. I’m going with To’oto’o here, because he brings a speed and range in coverage that the other LBs on the team just don’t have. He led the Texans in tackles last season, and provided many splash plays in the middle of the field. To’oto’o is a bit undersized, which makes it even more important that the Texans shore up their defensive tackle spot, but if you can keep him clean, his range should help him make another jump.

Latu is such a refined and technical winner as a pass rusher that he’s bound to break through at some point. His rookie season in 2024 didn’t come with much fanfare; he finished third on the team in pressures and only had four sacks. However, a 10.9% pressure rate could mean that there’s more to unlock with his game very soon. New DC Lou Anarumo has worked with star pass rushers before, and Latu’s prowess with his hands should get him a lot more opportunities as a pass rusher. If he can finish those plays off, he could make the jump.

If you watched any Tampa Bay Buccaneers football last season, you could tell how fun the run game was, and how versatile it became out of Pony personnel. The Bucs finished 12th in the NFL in rushing attempts with two backs on the field, but with both Bucky Irving and Rachaad White playing together, the offense became much more dynamic. I think the same thing can happen for Tank Bigsby and RB Travis Etienne in Jacksonville, but I’m going with Bigsby here because he’s a bit better between the tackles on gap scheme runs. Bigsby is a thicker back with good contact balance, which should help as the Jags transition to being more of a gap scheme team. How the carries get ironed out will be the question, but Bigsby will make the most of his attempts.

I was a BIG fan of Jarvis Brownlee Jr. after watching him on tape. The Titans’ cornerback is undersized, but plays a lot bigger on the outside. He wants to be involved in the action in the run and passing game, and fights through the catch point on the outside. The Titans are looking for more from their secondary after a really down season, but Brownlee Jr. was a nice surprise for them last year. I think he’s got the chance to make another big leap as the entrenched starter on the outside.