Even though the Jacksonville Jaguars had a 13-4 record and won the AFC South last season, it still seems like the NFL world at large is underestimating them.
In ESPN’s most recent projections of who will be the top 100 players in the league this year, only two players on the Jaguars made the list - edge rusher Josh Hines-Allen at No. 67 and quarterback Trevor Lawrence at No. 96.
ESPN's Michael DiRocco noted Hines-Allen's steady production and that there should be additional help around him this season. That could help lead to additional production.
“Hines-Allen -- who ranks in the top seven in pressures, sacks and QB hits over the past three seasons -- should have more support now that Travon Walker is healthy and second-year player B.J. Green
II has emerged in camp as the No. 3 rusher. The Jaguars might use Walker more as an interior rusher, and that should create more one-on-one matchups for Hines-Allen, especially if the two are rushing next to each other."
Despite being a top-10 player in terms of sacks and pressures, Hines-Allen has only been named to the Pro Bowl twice - his rookie year back in 2019 and in 2023 when he had 17.5 sacks. His consistent disruption seems to fly under the radar outside of Jacksonville.
When it comes to Lawrence, the evaluations surrounding him are bizarre to me. Despite being named a finalist for the MVP last season, he is largely underrated, as he is the No. 14 quarterback on this list.
During the Jaguars' eight-game winning streak to end the 2025 season, Jacksonville boasted one of the highest-scoring offenses in football, while Lawrence was among the more productive quarterbacks.
He has proven himself as a franchise quarterback and a player who can get his team to the playoffs.
DiRocco mentions how the continuity of being in Liam Coen's offense for a second year in 2026 can provide Lawrence with another boost.
“It can't be coincidence that Liam Coen coached quarterback Baker Mayfield and Lawrence to their best seasons in back-to-back years. Unlike 2025, Lawrence isn't learning a new offense or changing his footwork. So, it shouldn't take half of the season for him to get rolling the way he did over the final eight games of 2025 (19 TD passes and five rushing TDs)."
This article originally appeared on Jaguars Wire: Two Jaguars named among ESPN's projected top 100 players this season
