NFL Draft: Greatest pick from each franchise’s history

NFL Draft: Greatest pick from each franchise’s history: Jacksonville Jaguars, RB Fred Taylor

Pick: 1998 NFL Draft, 1st round number 9 overall

Stats: 

• 11,695 rushing yards
• 66 touchdowns

Awards: 

• 1 Pro Bowl selection
• All Rookie First Team

For most players, the accolades can do the talking for them. In the case of former running back Fred Taylor, his story needs to be explained a bit more. Admittedly, Taylor’s trophy mantle is incredibly bare in his palatial estate. He was named to the 1998 All-Rookie Team after an explosive season on the ground rushing for 1,223 yards. He was also only chosen to one Pro Bowl roster despite having multiple thousand yard seasons.

Still, regardless of the lack of awards, Taylor was everything the Jacksonville Jaguars were hoping for when he was selected with the ninth overall pick in the 1998 draft out of Florida. Taylor spent the majority of his career bulldozing anyone who came in his way. Currently, his 11, 271 rushing yards rank number one in Jaguars history and are more than 3,000 yards ahead of second-place Maurice Jones-Drew.

With over a thousand yards in seven of his eleven seasons with Jacksonville, Taylor was essentially the face of the franchise for roughly a decade. His efforts were rarely rewarded with playoff success as the Jags only made four appearances in his time there. To be fair, the Jags have struggled well before, and after, he made his way to the franchise.

It’ll be a long time until anyone passes him in terms of the best player in franchise history but if quarterback Trevor Lawrence is what everyone says he is, then Taylor’s time at the top could be coming to an end.