The Jacksonville Jaguars are one of the NFL's youngest teams, and just haven't had the time to feature many all-time greats, but that doesn't mean the team hasn't rostered some talented wide receivers. Here are the five best to ever play for the Jaguars.
5. Reggie Williams
Cecil Shorts III was Williams' competition for this spot, but Williams gets the nod due to a longer tenure with Jacksonville and more receiving touchdowns. Drafted ninth overall in 2004 out of Washington, Williams never quite lived up to his draft slot. In five seasons with the Jags, Williams caught 189 passes for 2,322 yards and 18 touchdowns. His best campaign came in 2007 when he hauled in 38 passes for 629 yards and 10 scores. He wasn't kept around for a second contract, and off-field issues led to him missing the 2009 season. He spent two offseason months with the Seattle Seahawks also played in the UFL and CFL for a bit. Williams is a borderline bust, but he's still the fifth-best receiver that Jacksonville has ever had. A repeat of his 2019 performance by D.J. Chark would change that.
4. Allen Hurns
Hurns attended Miami and went undrafted in 2014. He played a big role as a rookie, catching 51 passes for 677 yards and six touchdowns. Hurns dealt with a serious concussion in 2015, but missed only one game and totaled 1,031 yards and 10 TDs on 64 grabs. He signed a four-year $40 million extension with Jacksonville after the season, but his production fell in 2016 and 2018, and he was released. Hurns spent 2018 with the Dallas Cowboys and has been with the Miami Dolphins since 2019, although he has not come close to replicating his early performance. As Jaguar, Hurns caught 189 passes for 2,669 yards and 21 scores.
3. Allen Robinson
Robinson is one of the league's very best receivers, but he doesn't get the recognition he deserves. A 2014 second-rounder out of Penn State, Robinson had a decent rookie year, but took things to another level in 2015. He made the Pro Bowl with 80 grabs for 1,400 yards and a league-leading 14 touchdowns. He was again solid in 2016, finishing with nearly 900 yards receiving. A torn ACL in Week 1 robbed him of his 2017 campaign, and he hit free agency afterwards. He signed with the Chicago Bears for $42 million over three years, and after totaling 754 yards in 13 games in 2018, Robinson caught 98 passes for 1,147 yards and seven scores. His quarterbacks (namely Blake Bortles and Mitchell Trubisky) haven't been great to say the least, but Robinson is an excellent player nonetheless.
2. Keenan McCardell
A 12th-round pick by the Washington Redskins in 1991, McCardell never played for the team, making his NFL debut with the Cleveland Browns in 1992. He spent four years in Cleveland , breaking out in 1995 with 704 yards on 56 catches. He signed with the Jaguars in 1996, and played six seasons with the team. He had over 1,100 receiving yards in four years, and over 890 in the other two. He finished his stint in Jacksonville with 499 grabs for 6,393 yards and 30 touchdowns. He was released after 2001, and spent the remainder of his career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and San Diego Chargers, and eventually wound back up in Washington. He's been the Jags' wide receivers coach since 2017.
1. Jimmy Smith
Originally a second-round pick by the Dallas Cowboys in 1992, Smith never caught a pass for Dallas, and was out of football for two years due to an appendicitis episode that wasn't properly treated by the team. He signed with the expansion Jaguars in 1995, and after playing a marginal role his first season, Smith gained 1,000 or more receiving yards in each of the next seven seasons, and two more after that, finishing with only 805 in 2003 as he missed four games. Smith made each Pro Bowl from 1997 to 2001 and had his best season in 1999, hauling in a league-leading 116 passes for 1,636 yard and six scores. He retired in 2005 at the age of 36, which came as a surprise to many, as he was still playing at a high level. He finished his career with 862 catches for 12,287 yards and 67 TDs, and owns nearly every Jacksonville receiving record. Smith is often forgotten when discussing legendary pass-catchers, but he was one of the league's best receivers for over a decade during the turn of the century. The only Jaguar better than Smith is Hall of Fame left tackle Tony Boselli, which is nothing to be ashamed of.
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