Black and Teal
FanSided

Four Questions for Jaguars WR Allen Robinson

By Justin Moore

facebooktwitterreddit

Allen Robinson is entering the 2015-16 season in a very interesting situation. He seems to be a lock to be the Jaguars number 1 receiver which is rare for someone who is only in their second season. A number 1 wide out needs to be the leader of the receiving core and with leadership comes many questions.

1. Health

This is the obvious first concern associated with Allen Robinson. The Jaguars haven’t had a number one wide receiver who can put up elite numbers and stay healthy since Jimmy Smith. Cecil Shorts was considered the Jags number one wide out for the last couple years but he struggled to stay on the field as well. Robinson started his first offseason with the Jaguars on a scary note as he suffered a hamstring injury which caused him to miss the majority of his rookie offseason. He started to get into a nice rhythm with Jaguars QB Blake Bortles last season but it ended abruptly after he suffered a broken foot which led to him missing the final 6 games of the regular season. Allen Robinson seems to have the potential to be a good wide receiver but he must prove he can stay on the field first.

2. Maturity

Being a number one wide receiver means you have to have the maturity to be a leader on the offense. Granted, Allen Robinson has given us no reason to believe he isn’t mature enough to take on the top wide receiver role, but it is still a lot to expect out of a player who is entering only his second year. Obviously Marcedes Lewis, Julius Thomas, and Blake Bortles will be some of the leaders of the Jaguars offense but if Robinson wants to be elite then he has to show the ability to be the leader of the wide receiver group.

3. Consistency

This is usually one of the first words associated with a good number one wide receiver, they need to be able to consistently get open and be someone their quarterback can rely on. Allen Robinson showed glimpses of that last season having six games with five receptions or more but the fact the he was unable to compile a 100 yard receiving game scares me a bit. Take Pittsburgh Steelers WR Antonio Brown for example, he had five receptions or more in every game last season and he registered over 100 receiving yards eight times last season. Granted it’s extremely unrealistic to expect Robinson to be anywhere near Brown’s level but Brown sets the bar for consistency and he is someone Robinson should look up to see what it takes to be an elite wide receiver.

4. Big Play Ability

Lastly, if Allen Robinson wants to be a good number one wide receiver then he needs to give the Jaguars something that they haven’t had in years and that’s a receiver who can make big plays. Robinson doesn’t have elite speed but with a 42-inch vertical he has the ability to get the ball at the highest point which should allow him to be a good red zone target as well. His biggest plays last season were catches of 54 and 48 yards, if he wants to stand out at his position then he must do make more electrifying plays in 2015.

"I want to be more of a big-play asset to my team this year. I caught some short routes, some third-down stuff last year. But I really want to have that big-play capability.” – Jaguars WR Allen Robinson"

Robinson has already received praise from his teammates this offseason, Jaguars QB Blake Bortles said Allen Robinson has been “Unbelievable” this offseason and Jaguars newly signed CB Davon House compared Robinson to “a young Brandon Marshall”.  Allen Robinson is definitely getting the compliments this offseason for someone who is set to be a number 1 wide out but this season will be the ultimate proof of weather he is ready to take the next step or not.

Next: How influential is Jaguars Owner Shad Khan?

More from Black and Teal

Home/Jacksonville Jaguars News