Jacksonville Jaguars’ Allen Hurns: Making the rebound or fading away?
By Adam McCarty
Allen Hurns enters this season with plenty to prove after an injury ridden and lackluster 2016 campaign for the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Breaking out after going undrafted is tough to do. But somehow Allen Hurns managed to do just that in 2015, posting 1031 yards and 10 touchdowns. This came on the heels of a surprisingly productive rookie season in 2014 with 677 yards and six touchdowns.
Even with those numbers in the books, Hurns’ disappointing 2016 season could doom him. With talent all around him at the receiver position, he just may fade away from his spectacular 2015 breakout season.
Struggling with injuries and the surging Marqise Lee taking some reps away, Hurns managed just 477 yards and three touchdowns in 2016. It was the worst year of his career. After clawing his way onto an NFL roster and then into conversation as one of the young ascendants, 2016 was a major letdown.
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With Allen Robinson sitting as the best receiver on the roster heading into 2017 it would seem the battle will lie with Hurns and Lee as to who holds the number two or three receiver spot for the future. Expect a drop in the passing game’s overall production as Head Coach Doug Marrone has recently stated an attempt to rely heavily on the run game with first round selection Leonard Fournette taking the reins as the franchise’s running back.
Expect Hurns to play at a high level and return as quarterback Blake Bortles second favorite target. As quarterback Blake Bortles has spent the summer revamping his mechanics as he did prior to the Allen brothers’ breakout season in 2015, it seems that Hurns will be on his way back to a dominant and underrated receiver for this Jaguars team carrying the heavy burden of pleasing its fans once again.