Skip to main content

In the Jacksonville Jaguars' 25-year history, they have had their fair share of great rookies. Fred Taylor, Jalen Ramsey, Josh Allen, and Maurice Jones-Drew to name a few. 

But despite this, they have never once had a player win either the Offensive or Defensive Rookie of the Year award. Could that change in 2020?

In post-draft odds released by BetOnline, the Jaguars' top rookies have been given odds to win the end of year rookie accolades and become the first members of the franchise to ever take home the award. Each of the Jaguars' first four draft picks (C.J. Henderson, K'Lavon Chaisson, Laviska Shenault, DaVon Hamilton) were given odds to win their respective awards, but were any named favorites? 

The draft pick with the best odds was Henderson, who the Jaguars selected out of Florida with the No. 9 overall pick. Henderson is known as one of the best athletes in the entire draft class, and this combined with his top-10 draft pedigree have given him 25/1 odds to win Defensive Rookie of the Year. Henderson is tied for the eighth-best odds, behind players such as Chase Young (5/1), Isaiah Simmons (8/1), Kenneth Murray and Patrick Queen (14/1), A.J. Epenesa and Jeff Okudah (20/1), and Xavier McKinney (22/1).

Henderson would likely need an elite season of production to have a legitimate shot at the award, however. Going back 1998, only three cornerbacks have won the award: Charles Woodson (1998), Marcus Peters (2015), and Marshon Lattimore (2017). 

For context on the production of those three, Woodson recorded five interceptions, two forced fumbles, and one defensive score in his rookie year. Peters recorded eight interceptions and 26 pass deflections in 2015, and Lattimore totaled five interceptions and 18 pass deflections. 

As for Chaisson, he was given just 28/1 odds, tied for the 21st-best odds. Chaisson, who the Jaguars selected out of LSU with the No. 20 overall pick, is tied with Chicago Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson, Atlanta Falcons defensive tackle Marlon Davidson, and New Orleans linebacker Zack Baun in odds. 

Every player who Chaisson has the same odds as were day two selections, so it is obvious there aren't high expectations for a first-rounder like Chaisson to have a monster year. Considering the Jaguars already have a No. 1 pass-rusher on the roster in Josh Allen who will likely take sacks from Chaisson, it isn't surprising to see him this low on the list.

As for Hamilton, who Jacksonville selected with the No. 73 overall pick in the draft's third round, he was tied for the second-worst odds out of all defenders with odds revealed at 100/1. 

The only two defensive tackles who have won the award since 1995 are Ndamukong Suh (2010) and Aaron Donald (2014). Hamilton is a solid player, but he is a nose tackle who will be in a rookie rotation. Him putting up Suh or Donald numbers as a rookie would be legitimately shocking, though the Jaguars would obviously be thrilled. 

Finally, the player the Jaguars drafted who may be a legitimate sleeper for a rookie of the year award is wide receiver Laviska Shenault. Jacksonville took Shenault in the second-round with the No. 42 overall pick, and head coach Doug Marrone has already made it clear that they envision the former Colorado star to play multiple roles in their offense as long as he is up to it.

Shenault was given meager odds by BetOnline at 28/1, but this isn't surprising considering the lack of overall optimism about the Jaguars' offense in oddsmakers' eyes and the fact that most rookies of the years are quarterbacks or running backs. 

Shenault will have to compete against players like Joe Burrow, Tua Tagovailoa, Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Jonathan Taylor, and D'Andre Swift to even get considered for this award, but the fact that he will both catch passes and get carries out of the backfield could help his chances.