Rashean Mathis the best defensive player in Jaguars’ history?

The Jacksonville Jaguars have had a handful of outstanding defensive players over their 20+ years, but is the best of the bunch a cornerback?

The Jacksonville Jaguars focused on improving the defense this offseason, a completely reasonable response to the atrocious play on that side of the ball in 2015. While fans hope that additions like Malik Jackson, Tashaun Gipson, Jalen Ramsey, and Myles Jack develop into all-time great players for the Jaguars, they have some historically great shoes to fill.

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Looking back, the Jaguars have had some terrific defensive players since coming into the league in 1995. Those great players have been few and far between in the last decade, but there was a time the Jaguars were stacked with star defenders. Trying to choose the best one of all time is a tough task, but Elliot Harrison of NFL.com

took it upon himself to do so

and he wound up choosing

.

"Jacksonville Jaguars: Rashean Mathis, cornerback.Before you make any snide remarks, bear in mind that the Jaguars have only been in existence since 1995. People were listening to “Lightning Crashes” and driving Ford Probes back then. Eight years later, Rashean Mathis started a solid NFL career, with a decade in Jacksonville that featured 30 interceptions and a first-team All-Pro nod in 2006. Mathis was a key cover guy on the Jags’ 2005 and ’07 playoff teams. He edges out Kevin Hardy, Donovin Darius, Daryl Smith, John Henderson and Marcus Stroud for this honor."

Harrison lists most of the top choices there, but he misses out on a guy I would consider for number one – Tony Brackens. While he probably had the shortest career of all the players listed, he was the most disruptive and effective at his peak. His 55 total sacks is still the most by any Jaguar by far, and his 3 peak seasons (1999, 2000, 2001) saw him put together a stretch of play comparable to the best defensive ends at that time.

Still, I can concede giving Rashean Mathis to this honor almost to prove a point – Mathis was undeservedly criticized in his last years in Jacksonville. Mathis was the lynchpin of some bad defenses in the early 2010s and he was the victim of horrific safety play. He was on the wrong end of some highlight plays by wide receivers and fans were ruthless. It overshadowed what was essentially a decade of solid and sometimes spectacular play at outside corner.

Even if he’s not number one, it’s hard to argue Mathis shouldn’t be in the top 3.