The Jacksonville Jaguars have routinely failed to garner widespread recognition. Some of that is self-inflicted, though. The Jags have made the playoffs just twice in the last 10 years and failed to qualify in each of the next two seasons. It doesn't help that they play in one of the smallest markets in the whole country.
Then again, that doesn't justify the lack of recognition Jacksonville got in ESPN's latest ranking.
Trevor Lawrence and Josh Hines-Allen represent the Jaguars in ESPN's top 100 list
A pool of writers at ESPN picked the top 100 NFL players for 2026. Two Jaguars made the cut: Trevor Lawrence and Josh Hines-Allen at No. 96 and No. 67, respectively.
Regarding Hines-Allen, Michael DiRocco believes he should be more productive in 2026 since he's going to get support from a healthy Travon Walker and sophomore B.J. Green II, who'll be the No. 3 pass rusher.
On the other hand, DiRocco argues that being on the same offense for the second straight year will allow Lawrence to get off to a strong start to 2026.
While it's nice to see the Jags be represented, the truth is that they're not getting nearly enough recognition as the dreaded Texans.
See, whereas Jackonville saw two of their players make the list, the Texans had five — and all of them were ranked higher than Trevor Lawrence — despite the fact that they finished second in the division last year. Granted, Houston advanced further in the playoffs, but Jacksonville is the team to beat in the AFC South going into the 2026 season.
It's also worth noting that the Indianapolis Colts had three players make the top 100 even though they failed to qualify for the postseason. Sure, Quinton Nelson, Jonathan Taylor, and Sauce Gardner are some of the best at their respective positions, but they weren't enough to help Indy make the playoffs.
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The Jaguars have a golden opportunity to get NFL recognition in 2026
The only way the Jaguars can earn the respect they deserve is by winning football games. Unless they do it on a consistent basis, they'll continue to be snubbed. The good news is that they have the pieces to pull it off.
Liam Coen is entering his second season as the head coach. He oversaw a 13-win turnaround and a cultural shift last year. With him at the helm, Jacksonville has a chance to make noise in 2026. Trevor Lawrence is also entering his second year in the same system, so he should be able to pick up where he left off and take the next step.
But beyond head coach and quarterback, arguably the two most important positions on any team, the Jaguars have lots of talent at virtually every position group. Sure, their schedule is loaded with lots of tough opponents such as the Super Bowl runner-up New England Patriots and the Denver Broncos. Also, the Houston Texans will try to dethrone them, so the path to the division title and the playoffs won't be a walk in the park.
That said, the Jaguars have enough firepower to go toe-to-toe with the best teams in the NFL next season. And if they start to rack up wins early on, their players will at last get the recognition they deserve.
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