Jacksonville Jaguars' Stadium sign
Jacksonville Jaguars' Stadium sign (Photo by University of College on Shutterstock)
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Best Jaguars Players Of All Time: Top 7 Jacksonville Athletes, According To Fans

January 7, 2024
by Matthew Sherdan

The Jacksonville Jaguars are among the youngest National Football League (NFL) franchises. The city of Jacksonville was granted an expansion franchise in 1995, and the team hit the ground running with nearly instant success in its first few seasons. The Jaguars made it to the American Football Conference (AFC) Championship game in 1996, the first season after the inaugural game in Jacksonville. Although the Jaguars have never been to a Super Bowl, the team has been very close a number of times and has had some all-time great players. So, which players are considered the best Jaguars players of all time? 

Like with many teams, Jacksonville fandom runs deep. But, how far will sports fans go? A recent study found that sports fans are willing to end friendships over their favorite teams. A survey of 2,000 American football fans found that a staggering 52 percent of respondents are willing to call it quits with a friend because that person cheers for a rival football team. Talk about a fair-weather friend.

While we’re on the topic of serious fandom, another study found that the average sports fan is willing to travel to see their favorite team play in person. The survey found that the average fan is willing to travel a whopping five hours and 48 minutes plus spend $762.20 on tickets just to see their favorite team play live. At least Jacksonville also has beautiful beaches and a fun nightlife to enjoy after the game. It’s a vacation and a sporting event destination all-in-one.

So, which players are considered the greatest Jaguars in franchise history? StudyFinds did some digging, consulting 10 sports and football-related websites in an effort to bring you a consensus list of the best Jaguars players of all time. Our list comprises the seven most frequently listed Jaguars players across these sites. Think our experts missed one of your all-time favorite Jacksonville Jaguars players? Feel free to share your thoughts with us in the comments section below! 

Football on a turf field
Football (Photo by Dave Adamson on Unsplash)

The List: Best Jaguars Players, According to Sports Experts

1. Tony Boselli

Tony Boselli was a dominating force at left tackle for the Jaguars and he’s one of the best to ever suit up in Jacksonville. He “anchored the offensive line of a young team that defied all expectations. Even though his reign of dominance was short-lived, Boselli was named to the NFL 1990’s All-Decade Team, a true testament to just how incredible he was,” writes Bleacher Report. 

Boselli was a lockdown protection left tackle, which is one of the game’s premier positions and definitely one of the most important positions in the NFL. “In 2022, former offensive lineman Tony Boselli became the first ever Jaguar inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Originally out of USC, he also became the first ever Jaguars draft pick when he was drafted second overall in 1995. Though a slew of injuries cut his career short after just seven seasons, the left tackle made the Pro Bowl in five of them and was named a First-Team All-Pro in three straight years from 1997 to 1999,” explains Rookie Road. 

Boselli played left tackle for left-handed quarterback Mark Brunell, making Boselli’s job just a little more difficult. Still, he kept Brunell upright and his throwing pocket clean. “During his stint with the Jacksonville Jaguars from 1995 to 2001, he was nearly unmoveable by a defensive lineman. Boselli kept Mark Brunell safe, and for that, was named to five Pro Bowls, and three All-Pro teams during his time in Jacksonville. While injuries ended the offensive lineman’s career after 2002, he still made enough of an impact to make the Hall of Fame in 2022,” furthers The Sportster. 

2. Jimmy Smith

Jimmy Smith is the best wide receiver to ever suit up for the Jacksonville Jaguars and his contributions to the franchise are legendary. “Smith had 22 Receptions in his first year there (1995), and in the year after, he emerged as the first option with 83 Receptions and 1,244 Receiving Yards. The Wide Receiver proved that he was no fluke, as he would hit that four-digit mark in Receiving Yards in the next six seasons and eight of the next nine. Smith was chosen for the Pro Bowl five years in a row (1997-2001), and he would lead the NFL in Receptions with 116 in 1999. That year, he would also post a career-high of 1,636 Yards. Smith was still an upper-tier player when he retired, and even though he was 36, he came off a 1,023 Yard season, so logic dictates he could have continued,” explains Not in Hall of Fame. 

Smith was an incredibly effective deep-threat receiver who was fun to watch. He was always good for a big play down the field and he’s a big reason for the Jaguars’ success in the late ‘90s and early 2000s. “Even casual fans would agree that he was a joy to watch in the late 1990s and early 2000s. He had a period in the late ’90s when he played on a Jerry Rice-like level and found himself in five consecutive Pro Bowls. He couldn’t be stopped on a vertical route in his prime and burned defenses in his sleep when it came to deep balls. He holds nearly every major receiving record for the Jags, including yards (12,287), receptions (862) and touchdowns (67). At the start of the 2019 season, he’s the No. 23-ranked player on the NFL’s all-time receiving list, ahead of Hall of Famers like Michael Irvin and Charlie Joiner,” furthers Jaguars Wire. 

It’s hard to believe that Smith has more career receiving yards than Hall of Fame players such as Michael Irvin of the Cowboys and Charlie Joiner of the Chargers but he does. Smith wasn’t great right away, though. It took a while for Smith to evolve into the type of receiver he was throughout his career. 

“After a disappointing campaign with the Jaguars in 1995, Smith evolved into a consistent option for the Jaguars. The Jackson State product would play 11 seasons in Jacksonville, scratching his name into the franchise’s record books. In his decade-plus with the Jaguars, Smith combined for 862 receptions, 12,287 yards, and 67 touchdowns. Most impressively, after failing to log a single stat in his two seasons with the Dallas Cowboys, Smith had nine 1,000-yard seasons in Jacksonville,” adds Clutch Points. 

3. Fred Taylor

Fred Taylor was a vicious ball carrier and he’s easily one of the best offensive players the fans in Jacksonville have ever seen. “The Jaguars selected Fred Taylor with the No. 9 pick of the 1998 draft. He spent 11 years in Jacksonville and was among the top running backs in football for quite some time. In his rookie season, Taylor ran for 1,223 yards on 264 carries. He also scored 14 touchdowns. His dominance would continue throughout his time in Jacksonville. He ran for 11,271 yards with 62 touchdowns over those 11 years. He ran for more than 1,000 yards seven times in his career,” writes Fox News. 

Taylor was an insanely gifted running back who possessed a physical and punishing style of running that would wear defenses down over the course of a game. This physical brand of football led Taylor to numerous franchise rushing records including the most rushing touchdowns in a season and the most seasons with over 1,000 rushing yards. 

“Fred Taylor is the most storied player in Jacksonville history, holding at least 42 franchise records. Taylor was basically unstoppable from the start, as there was no stopping his physical running style,” furthers Pro Sports Outlook. 

Taylor also had the ability to catch the ball out of the backfield, making him a true dual-threat player at the running back position. You’d think with all of his production that Taylor would be an annual lock for the Pro Bowl but he was often snubbed. “A nifty receiving threat out of the backfield, Taylor ended up with 286 catches for 2,361 yards and eight touchdowns in his Jaguars career. This led him to being the franchise leader in all-purpose yards (13,640) and rushing yards (11,271). Finally, in 2007, Taylor would get his due and make it to his first, and only, trip to the Pro Bowl. He rushed for 1,202 yards on 223 carries for five touchdowns. He would leave Jacksonville in 2009 to spend his last two professional seasons with the New England Patriots before retiring,” adds Black and Teal. 

4. Maurice Jones-Drew

Speaking of great running backs, the fourth spot on the list of the best Jacksonville Jaguars of all time belongs to Maurice Jones-Drew, also known as Mo Jo or MJD to Jags fans. “Maurice Jones-Drew was drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2006 and remained with the team until 2013. For those aware of that time in the team’s history, the running back didn’t win a whole lot of games. However, it wasn’t for a lack of effort. During his time with the Jaguars, Jones-Drew was among the greatest running backs in the league. He made the Pro Bowl and All-Pro teams on several occasions and even led the league in rushing yards in 2011,” writes The Sportster. 

Jones-Drew had plenty of success with the Jaguars. “The former second-round pick out of UCLA would spend eight seasons with the Jaguars, rushing for 8,071 yards (second-most in Jaguars history) and 68 touchdowns. In addition to his rushing numbers, Jones-Drew would make three Pro Bowls and was a two-time All-Pro First Team member in his career,” adds Clutch Points. 

Jones-Drew took the proverbial torch from Fred Taylor and continued the Jaguars tradition of all-pro running backs. “MJD was an electric rusher who provided Jags fans with some of the best highlights in team history. Believe it or not, he holds the team record for rushing touchdowns with 68, even beating out Fred Taylor in the category (65) even though Taylor played for the Jags much longer than Jones-Drew. Unsurprisingly, Jones-Drew is second on the Jags’ all-time rushing list with 8,071 yards, and for the most part, watching him accumulate those yards was fun. He also proved to be a dynamic kickoff returner, finishing his career with 2,054 yards and two touchdowns in the category,” adds Jaguars Wire. 

5. Mark Brunell

Mark Brunell is considered the best quarterback in franchise history – until another signal-caller comes along and properly dethrones him, that is. “Mark Brunell was originally a fifth-round pick by the Green Bay Packers in the 1993 draft but was traded to Jacksonville in 1995 for a third- and fifth-round pick. He came in as their inaugural quarterback and held the reins for the team for nine years. During that span, Brunell made three Pro Bowls and led the Jaguars to four playoff appearances from ’96-’99. He was able to take them to the AFC Championship game twice but ended up losing both times. Brunell, statistically, had the best years of his 19-year career with the Jaguars. He threw for 25,698 yards and 144 touchdowns, both franchise records. He led the league in passing yards in 1996, throwing for 4,367 yards,” explains Bleacher Report. 

Brunell went from backup in Green Bay to starter with the Jaguars and he flourished in that role. Perhaps sitting behind the great Brett Favre for a couple of seasons in Green Bay helped Brunell learn more about the quarterback position and how to be a professional in the NFL. Regardless, Brunell seized his opportunity in Jacksonville and helped change the trajectory of the team during the early days of the franchise’s existence.  

“Brunell backed up his great 1996 season with another Pro Bowl campaign in 1997. He went 9-5 as a starter, as the Jaguars made it back to the AFC Playoffs. He made the Pro Bowl one last time in what remains the Jaguars’ greatest season to date in 1999. Jacksonville went 14-2 that fall and made it to the AFC Championship Game for the second time in four years. Brunell went an impressive 13-2 as a starter that season. However, he couldn’t beat the division rival Tennessee Titans for the life of him, as Jacksonville went 0-3 against them in 1999,” writes Black and Teal. 

Brunell led the Jaguars to two AFC Championship game appearances and he was one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL during his time in Jacksonville. Brunell eventually moved on from the Jags and backed up Drew Brees in New Orleans where he was also part of the Saints’ Super Bowl-winning team in 2010. 

“During the nine years he played for the Jaguars, Mark Brunell did a fantastic job by taking the Jaguars to the AFC Championship game two times. Though his team lost two times, he didn’t slow down and was always a great player for the team. He threw 25,698 yards, 86 interceptions, and 144 touchdowns during his decent career with the Jacksonville Jaguars. It is safe to say that Mark Brunell’s 25,698 yards and 144 passing touchdowns remain the most in the history of the Jacksonville Jaguars. No player from the Jaguars has managed to beat this record yet,” says Jacksonville Sports Radio. 

6. Rashean Mathis

Rashean Mathis is arguably the greatest defensive back in Jaguars history and he’s beyond deserving of being called one of the best Jaguars players of all time. “Rashean Mathis has the honor of being one of the longest-tenured players in Jacksonville Jaguars’ history. The cornerback was drafted in the second round of the 2003 draft and would remain with the team for 10 seasons. During that time, Mathis was among the best cornerbacks in the league. He was named a first-team All-Pro, as well as a Pro Bowl selection during his time in Jacksonville. Even today, Mathis owns several Jaguars records including most passes defended and most career interceptions,” writes The Sportster. 

Mathis was a lockdown cornerback for the Jaguars franchise from his first day with the team. Unfortunately, he didn’t get to experience many winning seasons in Jacksonville as the team struggled to make the playoffs over the course of his career. “A 2nd Round Pick from Bethune-Cookman, Rashean Mathis became a starting Cornerback as a rookie in 2003.  Mathis had a tumultuous rookie season, but he moved permanently to Left Cornerback, and over the next few years, he was in that second tier of DBs in the NFL. Mathis’ best season was in 2006, where he had eight Interceptions and was named a First Team All-Pro and a Pro Bowl Selection. He would play with Jacksonville until 2012, as he signed with the Detroit Lions as a Free Agent and played three more years.  With Jacksonville, he would have 30 Interceptions and 520 Combined Tackles,” furthers Not in Hall of Fame. 

Mathis is arguably the greatest pass defender in the history of the Jacksonville Jaguars organization. Mathis shined in big moments against strong opponents such as the Titans and the Steelers. “Mathis has the franchise’s all-time record for interceptions, defensive yards and pass breakups by a sizable amount with 30, 512 and 104, respectively. He also tied for the No. 1 spot for all-time defensive touchdowns with Telvin Smith with three. Like Brackens, he made big plays when it counted the most, and did so through some of the best and worst moments in franchise history. A lot of his picks came against big-time rivals like the Steelers and Titans, which is why he’s worthy of a top-10 spot on the list,” adds Jaguars Wire. 

7. Keenan McCardell

Rounding out the list of the best players in Jacksonville Jaguars history is wide receiver Keenan McCardell. Together, McCardell and Jimmy Smith comprised one of the league’s top-receiving duos for several years, and McCardell sits right next to Smith on the Jaguars’ all-time receiving list. 

According to Bleacher Report, “Keenan McCardell was one of the first major signings the Jaguars made after they formed in 1995. He joined the Jaguars in their second year of existence and had an immediate impact, recording 85 receptions for 1,219 yards and three touchdowns. McCardell joined Jimmy Smith to form one of the most dangerous receiving duos in the league. They earned the nickname ‘Thunder and Lightning’ with McCardell as Thunder due to his ability to go over the middle and withstand big hits.”

McCardell was a big receiver who wasn’t afraid to go across the middle of the field and make big catches. Of course, McCardell’s willingness to run into the teeth of the defense and make a catch opened up Jimmy Smith down the field, so the two receivers complemented one another perfectly. 

“Newer fans might not recognize the name Keenan McCardell, which is a shame. The wideout had a lengthy career, playing from 1991 to 2007, with him spending 1996 to 2001 in Jacksonville. During his time playing for the Jaguars, his connection with quarterback Mark Brunell was incredible. McCardell made the Pro Bowl during his time with the team and was one of the best offensive weapons for them at that time. Post-retirement, he’s become a coach, even spending a few years with the Jaguars as a wide receiver coach,” adds The Sportster. 

McCardell eventually moved on from the Jaguars and played with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers where he’d help that team win a Super Bowl in 2003. McCardell deserved a chance to win a ring and that’s exactly what the Bucs offered. Regardless, Jaguars fans will never forget the receiving duo of McCardell and Smith. 

“McCardell is half of the Jags’ top receiving duo in history alongside Jimmy Smith, and the things they did together still astonish Jags fans to this day. McCardell, who is now a position coach for the Jags, is second on the team’s all-time receiving list (6,393 yards) and third in receiving touchdowns (30). While most will be quick to praise Smith as the best wide receiver in Jags history, his success wouldn’t be possible without McCardell, who did all of the dirty work in the middle of the field and moved the chains as a key possession guy,” furthers Jaguars Wire. 

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