Best Draft Classes in Jaguars History: 1998 Takes No. 3 Spot
Just a few months ago, the Jacksonville Jaguars completed one of the most important drafts in the franchise's history, which dates back to 1995. While we won't know for several seasons just how successful the draft was, there is no denying its magnitude.
With 12 picks (most in a single draft since the team's inception), two first-round selections, and an uncertain road ahead, the choices the Jaguars made in April will be impacting the franchise for years to come. For a look at just how crucial a successful draft can be to building a winning team, the Jaguars can simply look at their own past.
While the Jaguars may be known by some as one of the league's most inept teams when it comes to draft history due to a string of high-profile misses (Blaine Gabbert, Justin Blackmon, Dante Fowler Jr., for example), the team has still had its moments where it absolutely crushed its rookie selections.
Which draft classes since 1995 have stood out the most when compared to the rest of the field? We took a look at each Jaguars draft class to find the answer, narrowing it down to the five best draft classes and one that bears mentioning in a similar breath.
For the honorable mention slot, we gave it to the 2016 draft class thanks to the trio of Jalen Ramsey, Myles Jack and Yannick Ngakoue, one of the best short term draft classes in team history. For the No. 5 spot, we selected the 2004 draft class thanks to the additions of Daryl Smith, Greg Jones, Josh Scobee, Bobby McCray and Ernest Wilford, and the No. 4 spot went to the 2003 draft class as a result of the drafting of Rashean Mathis and Vince Manuwai.
So, who is our No. 3 ranked draft class in Jaguars history? We make are argument below for the team's pivotal 1998 draft.
Note: The 2018, 2019 and 2020 draft classes were not included for consideration due to the fact that not enough time has gone by to give us a full picture of the success, or lack thereof, of the classes.
No. 3 draft class: 1998
- Round 1, No. 9: RB Fred Taylor
- Round 1, No. 25: SS Donovin Darius
- Round 2, No. 57: DB Cordell Taylor
- Round 3, No. 86: QB Jonathan Quinn
- Round 4, No. 101: RB Tavian Banks
- Round 4, No. 118: DT Harry Deligianis
- Round 5, No. 148: C John Wade
- Round 6, No. 179: DE Lamanzer Williams
- Round 6, No. 182: FB Kevin McLeod
- Round 7, No. 192: WR Alvis Whitted
- Round 7, No. 214: LB Brandon Tolbert
This is a top-heavy class, but the strength of its top players push it into the top-3 category thanks to the drafting of one of the best players in team history in Fred Taylor and one of the best defenders in team history in Donovin Darius. It doesn't have the depth of the 2003 or 2004 class, or even a few other classes, but the impact of arguably the best first-round in team history earns the class its recognition here.
Taylor was a big-time investment into the offense for the Jaguars and head coach/general manager Tom Coughlin. The Jaguars already had cornerstones in Tony Boselli, Keenan McCardell, Jimmy Smith and Mark Brunell, but the bruising and speedy running back out of Florida helped push the Jaguars' offense to the next level.
Taylor, who was named No. 2 to the Jaguars' All-25 team last year, is inarguably the best running back to ever play for the Jaguars and the simple fact is you can make an argument he is the most talented player the Jaguars have ever had. Only two players played more seasons with the Jaguars than Taylor's 11, making him one of only five players along with Brad Meester, Marcedes Lewis, Jimmy Smith and Josh Scobee to play for 11 or more seasons with the Jaguars.
Presently, Taylor is fourth in franchise history in scoring with a staggering 402 points, while his 17 touchdowns as a rookie is still a Jaguars single-season touchdown record. Taylor is the franchise's leading rusher as a result of his 11,271 yards, which is over 3,200 more yards than second-ranked Maurice Jones-Drew recorded with the Jaguars. Taylor was a do-it-all back for the Jaguars, and today he stands at fifth in team history in career receptions (286) and sixth in receiving yards (2,361).
Add in Taylor's performances over seven playoff games for the Jaguars, in which he recorded 612 yards and three rushing scores on 127 carries and rushed for over 100 yards in three of his four playoff games, and his legacy as a Jaguar is intact, making him one of the best draft selections in team history.
Jacksonville's second first-round pick in 1998 was Darius, a hard-hitting strong safety out of Syracuse. Darius would be the new tone-setter of Jacksonville's defense thanks to his sometimes surprising physicality, and he today is regarded as one of the best defenders and defensive backs in team history, earning him the No. 16 spot on Jacksonville's All-25 team.
For nine seasons, Darius was a leader of Jacksonville's secondary who helped transcend the defensive scheme under multiple coordinators. Darius would go on to become one of the most storied defensive backs in the team's 25-year history, recording 14 interceptions, seven forced fumbles, six fumble recoveries, and over 858 tackles during his tenure with the team.
Darius' 115 starts with the team are the ninth-most in team history, while his 14 interceptions are third-most and behind only Rashean Mathis and Aaron Beasley. Darius' 858 tackles are also third-most in franchise history, with only tackling machine linebackers Daryl Smith and Paul Posluszny, while he is also second in total takeaways with 20.
Second-round selection Cordell Taylor is one of the biggest busts in team history considering he only played a single season with the team, while Jonathan Quinn started just three games during his four years with the Jaguars. Tavian Banks was never given a large role in the offense, in large part due to being drafted the same year as Taylor, while Alvis Whitted was mostly a special teams player and backup receiver.
But it wasn't just Taylor and Darius that makes this class earn it spot. The Jaguars also drafted center John Wade in the fifth round, giving them a consistent center who would go on to appear in 54 games with 34 starts during his Jaguars tenure. Considering he was drafted outside of the top-100, that is a pick the Jaguars would likely make every time.
Aside from Wade, this class is truly the definition of a top-heavy class. The top of it is as good as the top of any Jaguars' draft class ever, however, with Taylor and Darius playing for the team for a combined 20 seasons and placing their names near or at the top of countless Jaguars records.
