Countdown to Jaguars Football: No. 52 and Who Has Donned it Best

In fewer than 100 days, the Jacksonville Jaguars will return ... at least as things stand today.

While there is still some uncertainty surrounding the start of the NFL season, the league office has made it clear that they are planning to kick the season off on Sept. 10 and then have every other team play on Sept. 13.

By going off that timeline, we are now just 52 days from watching the Jaguars take the field against the Indianapolis Colts for the first regular season game of 2020.

In an effort to countdown to the start of the season, we will now be going from 95 through 1 to determine the best players to don the teal, black, and white for the Jaguars at each specific number.

So when considering each player has worn the No. 52 since Jacksonville's first season in 1995, who has been the most impactful? Since the team's inception, here are the players who have worn the jersey number:

Najee Goode: 2019
Donald Payne: 2017-18
Hayes Pullard III: 2015-16
J.T. Thomas: 2013-14
Daryl Smith: 2004-12
Eric Westmoreland: 2001-03
Brant Boyer: 1995-2000

While the player deserving of the top spot is fairly obvious here, who else should join him in the ranking of the top-3 to ever wear No. 52? We give our arguments below.

No. 3: J.T. Thomas

Just barely edging out Donald Payne, Najee Goode and Hayes Pullard, J.T. Thomas earns a spot on this list thanks to a productive and exciting season he had on a terrible Jaguars team in 2014. There weren't many positives to take away from Jacksonville's defense that season, but the athletic and emerging Thomas at weak side linebacker was one of the few thanks to his 85 tackles and five takeaways.

In two seasons with the Jaguars, Thomas appeared in 31 games, starting 12. During his tenure, he recorded 108 tackles, four tackles for loss, three forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, two interceptions and one defensive touchdown. His time with the Jaguars was short, but he did enough to earn himself a spot on this list.

No. 2: Brant Boyer

A key depth player and special teamer during the golden years of the Jaguars as a franchise, Brant Boyer was never a star or a long-term starter but he was an important player during the best era of the team's history. Originally a sixth-round pick by the Miami Dolphins in the 1994 NFL Draft, Boyer joined the Jaguars for their inaugural season in 1995 and would spend the next six years as a Jaguar.

In six seasons in Jacksonville, Boyer appeared in 69 regular season games, starting seven of those, along with appearing in six playoff games from 1996-1999. Overall, Boyer recorded 114 tackles, 10 sacks and two interceptions during his tenure in Jacksonville. He may have never been a starter for more than a handful of games, but his longevity and impact on special teams earn him his spot at No. 2.

No. 1: Daryl Smith

There was never any doubt who would be No. 1 on this list. In fact, put together a ranking of the best defenders to ever play for the Jaguars and Daryl Smith would likely find himself either at or near the very top as well. While he may have never got the national recognition he deserved, he was known as a truly elite and versatile linebacker during his eight years in Jacksonville.

Arguably the best linebacker in team history, Smith is the franchise's all-time leader in tackles (per the team's 2019 media guide), Smith spent nine seasons in Jacksonville and recorded 21.5 sacks, 57 tackles for loss, six interceptions, eight forced fumbles and five fumble recoveries, all while being one of the longest-tenured players in team history with 126 games played. It doesn't get much better than that for a homegrown player and former second-round pick.