Teammates to rivals: Jaguars LB Foye Oluokun 'excited' to compete against Colts QB Matt Ryan

As a sixth-round draft pick out of Yale, there weren't a lot of players in the league that Jaguars (0-1) linebacker Foye Oluokun knew, but for four years with the Atlanta Falcons, he had an opportunity to line up against one of the best quarterbacks of this generation, Matt Ryan.

Ryan is currently ranked No. 8 in passing yards (60,087), No. 7 in completions (5,274) and No. 9 in passing touchdowns (368) among quarterbacks of all time. A bit intimidating for a young player? Of course, Foye intimated on Wednesday in the locker room.

"He was older than me and he's seen a lot of people through the years, so when I first got there I was kind of a timid rookie, didn't really know anybody in the league," Foye said in the locker room after practice on Wednesday.

Over the next few seasons, Oluokun would go from backup to starter with the Falcons' defense. Last year, he led the league in tackles, but what Ryan told him prior to his time in Atlanta ending would last with him forever.

"Toward the end of my time there he came up to me and said he likes the way I progressed, and that just meant the most to me," Oluokun said. "So, definitely, a lot of respect for him and just him saying those words meant a lot."

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Oluokun gets his chance to compete against Ryan on Sunday

Now, the two are set to compete against each other on Sunday, with Ryan as a member of the Indianapolis Colts (0-0-1), a divisional opponent for Jacksonville. That's something that Oluokun is looking forward to Sunday.

"Definitely, a guy who I came in and watched and tied to emulate his work habits and saw get a professional he was," he said. "So, [I'm] happy for him, he gets a new start in Indiana, but definitely excited to go against him and compete against him."

Oluokun and the Jaguars will have their hands full. Ryan has had plenty of success against the Jaguars, including a perfect 4-0 record against the club. During his last outing against the Jaguars (2021 with the Falcons), Ryan completed 19 out of 29 of his passes for 190 yards, one touchdown and one interception.

His best showing against Jacksonville occurred in 2011 when Ryan completed 19 out of 26 of his passes for 224 yards and three touchdowns. In total, Ryan has completed 92 out of 135 of his passes for 1,044 yards, six touchdowns and four interceptions against Jacksonville. He has been sacked four times.

Oluokun hasn't had an opportunity to hit Ryan, at least legally.

"When you're a rookie, you don't understand the rules," Oluokun said with a laugh. On Sunday, he will get an opportunity to get to the QB legally. "Obviously, I'm playing within myself, playing within the defense, but when the opportunity (to hit Ryan) presents itself, that'll be fun for sure."

Ryan's talent speaks for itself, but Oluokun has seen him up close and personal as a former teammate of his, understanding his preparation and ability.

"He's a great pro. Definitely in preparation, organizing the guys, everybody kind of rides off of his organization and preparation towards the week," he said. "[He has] good ball placement, especially ... Off that play action, I know that first look he can put that ball wherever he needs to put it."

Ryan still poses a significant threat to Jaguars' defense

Though Taylor hasn't coached or been around Ryan throughout his career, he has studied Ryan due to the QB being one of the best at the position.

"[He] was the number one overall pick for a reason," Jaguars offensive coordinator Press Taylor said at his press conference on Thursday.

"Was talented, super mature ... He's been the face of an organization for a long, long time. And got it done. He had an MVP season not too long ago. So he's still definitely impressive, fun to watch just the way he plays, the accuracy, you know, just kind of the understanding the quarterback position is something that, without knowing the guy, you feel like you can see in his game watching tape."

In 2016, Ryan was named the league's Most Valuable Player. He led the Falcons to a Super Bowl that season, nearly coming out on top over the New England Patriots until a second-half collapse after going up 28-3 in the third quarter of the contest.

At 37 years old, Ryan's best playing days might be behind him, but even last Sunday against the Houston Texans, the veteran QB showed he still has the arm talent to get the job done, even in a tie.

Ryan completed 32 out of 50 passes for 352 yards, one touchdown and one interception. He'd fumble the ball four times, losing one of them.

Having coached against Ryan for three years while a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers coaching staff, Jaguars defensive coordinator Mike Caldwell has a first-hand perspective of how good Ryan still is, understanding that he will be a threat to the team's young defense, and that the veteran "continues" to play at a high level.

"You really don't fool him on anything," Caldwell said on Thursday during his press conference. "And he's a veteran that's seen a bunch and the arm talent is still there, he can throw the ball on any part of the field. So he's the guy that's been around and played at a high level."

Demetrius Harvey is the Jacksonville Jaguars reporter for the Florida Times-Union. You can follow him on Twitter at @Demetrius82.

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jaguars' Oluokun ready to compete against former teammate, Matt Ryan