4 Jacksonville Jaguars deserving of a spot in NFL's Top 100 players of 2024

Every year, the NFL puts together a list of their top 100 players from the previous season. They've just announced that the 2024 version will premiere Monday, July 22. There will be nine episodes and each one will reveal 10 players. Nos. 10 to 1 will be broadcast Friday, August, 2 live on the NFL Network. Last year, the Jacksonville Jaguars had only one selection, Trevor Lawrence.

Lawrence popped up at No. 96 despite the fact that he was a big reason the Jags won the AFC South and made it all the way to the divisional round of the playoffs. It will be interesting to see how many of their players make the cut in 2024.

While the Jags finished 9-7 and missed the playoffs in 2023, many of their players, including Steezy Trev, routinely got the spotlight, so a few of them should make an appearance at some point of the Top 100. These four, in particular, should feel good about their chances of getting the nod.

Jaguars LB Foyesade Oluokun deserves a spot in the NFL's Top 100 list

Back in 2022, linebacker was a need for the Jaguars, so they turned to free agency for help. They ended up signing Foyesade Oloukun. A sixth-round pick of the Atlanta Falcons in 2022, the Yale product wasted no time turning what was previously a weakness into a strength. He finished his first season in Jacksonville with 184 tackles and two sacks.

Oluokun was even better in 2023, tallying 173 total tackles, 2.5 sacks, and his first-ever interception return for a touchdown. The Missouri native was set to become a free agent in 2024 but because the top brass has been so pleased with him, they went ahead and gave him a three-year extension in the offseason.

Last year, 15 linebackers got the nod in the Top 100 but it's worth pointing out that the league crams outside linebackers and off-linebackers together. Either way, Oluokun did enough in 2024 to make an appearance.

Jaguars TE Evan Engram deserves a spot in the NFL's Top 100 list

After the Urban Meyer era, the Jags had several voids to fill, so they went on a spending spree in free agency. Most of the players they signed went on to become core contributors and a few of them are still on the team two years later. One of them, tight end Evan Engram, has enjoyed a career revival in Jacksonville.

A first-round pick in 2017 by the New York Giants, Engram routinely flashed his playmaking skills. However, his stint in the Big Apple was plagued by mental mistakes. Specifically, his drops became an area of concern. When the former Ole Miss Rebel standout became a free agent, the Giants let him walk. Jacksonville swooped in and signed him.

The Jags wanted him to ink a long-term deal but he opted for a one-year contract to prove himself. He was right to bet on himself as he set a career-best for catches in a season and broke a handful of team records. While negotiations took a while, the tight end ended up getting a top-market contract in 2023. He proceeded to have yet another banner season.

Engram broke many of the records he had set the year prior. His 114 receptions were the second most in a season in franchise history behind the 116 Jimmy Smith had in 1999. Although the Georgia native wasn't a first-ballot Pro Bowler after 2023, he eventually got the nod as an alternate.

Last year, three tight ends appeared on the NFL's Top 100: Mark Andrews, George Kittle, and Travis Kelce. With Andrew's missing most of the 2023 season, Engram could join Kittle and Kelce, both of whom will undoubtedly get the nod.

Jaguars DE Josh Hines-Allen deserves a spot in the NFL's Top 100 list

While Foye Oluokun has been the Jaguars' most consistent defender the past two seasons, Josh Hines-Allen, formerly known as the better Josh Allen, was the most dominant in 2023.

Allen registered 10.5 sacks and made the Pro Bowl as a rookie but struggled with consistency the next three years. He would wreak havoc at times but wasn't nearly as consistent as the Jaguars' brass would've wanted. That's why they chose to let him play out his rookie contract before rewarding him. He delivered in 2023 and then some.

Besides setting a new franchise record for sacks in a season with 17.5, Allen's 90 pressures ranked sixth in the league among pass rushers. Having kept his end of the bargain, he wanted the Jags to hold theirs. It took them a while but they eventually gave him a massive contract extension that reflected his status as one of the top edge rushers in the league.

But as productive as Allen was last year, he isn't resting on his laurels. The following item on his to-do list was changing his last name to honor his family. Having checked off that box, he's focused on becoming a Defensive Player of the Year candidate and helping Jacksonville reach the Super Bowl. Along the way, he should make his first appearance on the NFL's Top 100.

Jaguars Lawrence deserves a 2nd appearance in the NFL's Top 100 list

Trevor Lawrence should have a favorable chance of making his second straight appearance in the Top 100 Players of 2024. Sure, he's coming off an injury-marred season but he was one of the reasons the Jags went 8-3 to begin the season. Once he got hurt, the team faltered.

You could cite Lawrence's numbers in 2023 as a reason he shouldn't appear in the countdown. That's what his detractors have done, but the truth is that his supporting cast was less than ideal. Furthermore, his protection was among the worst in the league and injuries exposed the Jags' overall lack of depth.

With an improved supporting cast, Lawrence should reclaim his place as one of the top quarterback in the NFL. For the time being, an appearance in the Top 100 list will suffice.

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