Black and Teal
FanSided

ESPN made sure not to snub Jaguars DE Josh Hines-Allen in top pass rushers list

• NFL execs, coaches, and scouts recognize Jaguars DE Josh Hines-Allen as one of the top pass rushers in the

By Carlos Sanchez

Dec 31, 2023; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars outside linebacker Josh Allen (41) celebrates t EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Morgan Tencza-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 31, 2023; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars outside linebacker Josh Allen (41) celebrates t EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Morgan Tencza-USA TODAY Sports / Morgan Tencza-USA TODAY Sports
facebooktwitterreddit

Just recently, Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Josh Hines-Allen was snubbed in CBS Sports' pass rushers rankings despite the fact that he was deserving of a spot. Fortunately, ESPN executives made sure to include him in their own top 10 list.

Jeremy Fowler of ESPN interviewed executives, coaches, and scouts around the league to help him identify the best pass rushers in the league. Hines-Allen was among those who got the nod.

In case you were wondering what methodology Fowler used, he says voters give him their best 10 players and ESPN compiles the results and ranks players based on the number of top-10 votes.

While some votes left him out of the survey, Hines-Allen was ranked as high as fifth place and ultimately landed at No. 8. One NFL defensive backs coach liked his growth as a player, pointing out that he "played with more power. Has a really nice cross-chop that he's mastered."

The coach goes on to say that he and Travon Walker will be a force next year. Speaking of Walker, the first overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft also got a vote.

Hines-Allen, the seventh overall selection in 2019, is coming off a breakout season. He set a new team record for sacks in the seasons and his 90 total pressures were the sixth most among pass rushers in 2023.

After his banner season, the Jags gave Hines-Allen a monster contract extension that reflects his status as one of the best pass rushers in the league. More recently, he changed his last name to honor his family legacy. Coincidentally, the same day he announced the name change, CBS Sports released a top 20 pass rusher ranking and the Virginia native was nowhere to be seen. It was likely an oversight from their end, but it was odd to see him snubbed.

Late in May, Pro Football Focus also released their 2024 pass rusher ranking. Hines-Allen popped up at No. 8. Regarding his place on the list, Trevor Sikkema of PPF says the two-time Pro Bowl defensive end was under pressure to perform in 2023 and he delivered.

The Jaguars have a top 10 pass rusher in Josh Hines-Allen

All things considered, Hines-Allen's spot on ESPN's ranking, and PFF's for that matter, is fair. While he's one of the top pass rushers in the league, he's not the best. That title goes to Myles Garrett of the Cleveland Browns. T.J. Watt and Micah Parsons will routinely make the top 5. Maxx Crosby and Nick Bosa also belong in the discussion. Nevertheless, the Jaguars have a keeper in Josh Allen.

Although Allen wasn't nearly as consistent in previous years, he often was one of Jacksonville's best defensive players. He just needed to put it all together and he did last season.

On the other hand, it was encouraging to see Travon Walker get a vote. That goes on to show that he's making strides. Last year, he registered his first 10-sack season and should keep improving under the tutelage of defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen.

The bottom line is that Josh Hines-Allen is a heck of a player, and the Jaguars should be ecstatic he and Travon Walker form one of the top pass-rush tandems in the NFL.

More Jaguars analysis here:

feed