The JuJu Brents experience came and left Indianapolis with barely a whimper. When the rangy perimeter corner arrived as a second-round pick in the 2023 draft, the Indianapolis Colts hoped that he'd develop into a shutdown cornerback who could become a foundational part of a new defense.
The Colts had been relying on short-term rentals of established vets like Xavier Rhodes and Stephon Gilmore. Brents was supposed to be a long-term solution.
He certainly seemed to have the physical gifts. At 6’3”, he had a huge wingspan, and in combine testing, he was off the charts. He had size, burst, and surprising agility for a tall corner. He was a bit of a late bloomer in college, only getting onto the radar of NFL scouts after transferring from Iowa to Kansas State for his final two college seasons.
Former Indianapolis Colts draft pick JuJu Brents finally got a fresh start, and he came up big
It was clear he would still need some development, but the physical tools were obvious.
He had a decent rookie season, but missed games both early and late with assorted leg injuries. Then, in the first game of his second season, Brents tore ligaments in his knee and was lost for the year. Though he remained in the Colts' plans, it was clear that Indy was running out of patience with the young corner.
Brents was a bit of a surprise cut before the 2025 season. Though he had never really proven himself in the NFL, the assumption was that Indy was not going to pull the plug on such a recent high draft pick. He had been beaten out for a starting spot by Jaylon Jones, and free agent Charvarius Ward was set at the other perimeter corner. But Brents looked to be a primary backup.
Then, Chris Ballard pulled a trade for Mekhi Blackmon, and the next day, Brents was part of the club’s final cuts. They went with Blackmon and undrafted free agent Jonathan Edwards over Brents. The Miami Dolphins claimed him the day after he was released.
Joining the club so late put the third-year player in a bit of a hole. Miami had Rasul Douglas and Jack Jones on the outside, with a wide range of backups filling in when needed. It took Brents a while to gain enough trust to move to the front of the backup line.
But when Douglas couldn’t go last Sunday in a big divisional matchup against Buffalo, Brents got the call. And he was every bit the player Indianapolis hoped they were getting when they drafted him.
Bills’ QB Josh Allen targeted Brents immediately, throwing deep to the 6’4” Keon Coleman on their first play from scrimmage. Brents was stride for stride with Coleman, not giving the slightest opening. The pass fell incomplete.
On the next play, Brents closed quickly and made a sure tackle on dangerous running back James Cook in the flat. He kept Cook several yards short of a first down, and when the Bills failed to convert, the Dolphins' defense had their first three-and-out of the day. They would do that four more times against the prolific Bills offense.
And Brents would repeat his performance against Coleman several more times during the day. He never let the receiver beat him deep. When he dropped off in zone coverage, Brents was a sure tackler.
For the game, Brents was targeted five times and only surrendered two short completions. He was credited with five tackles and made a crucial fumble recovery early in the second quarter when Buffalo was driving deep into Dolphin territory.
For his efforts, Brents received Miami’s second-highest defensive grade from Pro Football Focus (subscription required). His 79.6 was second only to linebacker Jordyn Brooks.
Best of all, Brents was a vital part of a Dolphin defense that held the reigning league MVP Allen to a meagre 28.8 QBR for the day and held Buffalo to its lowest point total of the year in an impressive 30-13 win.
Brents missed some time in the fourth quarter with what was described as a minor injury. He was replaced by Ethan Bonner, who was promptly beaten deep by Keon Coleman. It would appear that JuJu Brents is the Dolphins' choice to take a lot more snaps going forward, but his injury history raises concerns any time he leaves the field – even if the injury is described as minor.
What’s more, Douglas should be back soon, so Brents may be returning to the bench. But on Sunday, the former Colt made a clear statement. He still has all the skill and athleticism that caught Chris Ballard’s eye back in 2023. As the Dolphins attempt to return from a wretched start to the 2025 season, JuJu Brents just might be their perfect symbol of resurrection.