The Jaguars are the only team that’s never had a player with 4 sacks in a game, but maybe they’ve got the guy who can change that. Dante Fowler Jr. is healthy, and he’s been ripping up teammates in practices.
Fowler tends to be forgotten about after tearing his ACL at his first practice of his rookie year. He didn’t play or practice at all last year. But he’s healthy now, and there’s a reason the Jags selected him 3rd overall.
It’s too early to anoint Fowler, of course. Aaron Curry comes to mind as a top-5 pick at this position who never translated to the pros. But there have been plenty of instant-impact players at this position.
In this century, there have been 10 outside linebackers (of the pass-rushing variety) selected with top-13 picks in this century. Half of those guys in their second season had at least 13 sacks.
That’s what the Jags are hoping for, and with a bunch of other talent showing up, that looks like a defense on the rise.
| SECOND-YEAR STATS OF RUSH LINEBACKERS SELECTED IN TOP 20 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Pk | Player | G | Tackles | Sacks |
| 2011 | 2 | Von Miller, Den. | 16 | 68 | 18.5 |
| 2000 | 2 | LaVar Arrington, Wash. | 14 | 99 | .5 |
| 2015 | 3 | Dante Fowler Jr., Jac. | -- | -- | -- |
| 2009 | 4 | Aaron Curry, Sea. | 16 | 73 | 3.5 |
| 2014 | 5 | Khalil Mack, Oak. | 16 | 77 | 15.0 |
| 2011 | 7 | Aldon Smith, S.F. | 16 | 66 | 19.5 |
| 2015 | 8 | Vic Beasley, Atl. | -- | -- | -- |
| 2014 | 9 | Anthony Barr, Minn. | 14 | 68 | 3.5 |
| 2016 | 9 | Leonard Floyd, Chi. | -- | -- | -- |
| 2005 | 12 | Shawne Merriman, S.D. | 12 | 62 | 17.0 |
| 2010 | 13 | Brandon Graham, Phil. | 3 | 4 | .0 |
| 2006 | 13 | Kamerion Wimbley, Clev. | 16 | 51 | 5.0 |
| 2000 | 13 | John Abraham, NYJ | 16 | 63 | 13.0 |
| 2007 | 15 | Lawrence Timmons, Pitt. | 16 | 65 | 5.0 |
(In above chart, Fowler, Beasley and Floyd are in bold because they haven't yet played their second pro season.)
—Ian Allan