5 best first-round draft picks in Jacksonville Jaguars’ history feat. Marcedes Lewis

Unlike some NFL Draft organizations, the Jacksonville Jaguars haven't been as successful with their first-round selections. Still, the franchise has selected at least a player in the first round of every draft season since it began operations in 1995.

That said, the Jags have many excellent first-round selections in their relatively short history. Marcedes Lewis, Tony Boselli and several more are among them.

Below is a list of the top five players the Jaguars have selected in the first round of the NFL Draft.

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Ranking the Jacksonville Jaguars’ best first round picks in history

#5 Marcus Stroud (defensive tackle) - No. 13 overall, 2001

During his six-year tenure with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Marcus Stroud produced 279 total tackles, 22 sacks, 43 tackles for loss and 12 quarterback hits while playing with another respected defensive tackle, John Henderson.

One of the very few Jaguars players in history to be selected at least three times, Stroud made the Pro Bowl three times during that span. He missed just 11 games during his seven seasons in Jacksonville, demonstrating his durability as well.

#4 Kevin Hardy (linebacker) - No. 2 overall, 1996

In six seasons in Jacksonville, Kevin Hardy recorded 789 tackles, five interceptions, eight forced fumbles and 28.5 sacks, making him one of the greatest linebackers in Jaguars history.

Hardy had his best season with the team in 1999, leading the Jags in tackles with 153 and leading all AFC linebackers with 10.5 sacks. He also recorded two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and seven tackles for loss that year. He was selected to the Pro Bowl and All-Pro after assisting the Jaguars in going 14-2 in the regular season and making it to the AFC Championship Game.

In Hardy's six seasons with the team, the Jags advanced to the NFL playoffs four times.

#3 Marcedes Lewis (tight end) - No. 28 overall, 2006

Marcedes Lewis was selected by the Jaguars in the first round of the 2006 draft after he won the John Mackey Award for best tight end in college football in 2005.

He caught 378 passes for 4,541 yards and 33 scores during his 12 seasons in Jacksonville. Lewis, who's better known for his blocking skills, was selected to the 2010 Pro Bowl and made the second team All Pro that year as well.

Lewis had a significant influence on the field, led the locker room and led the club as captain in his last season.

#2 Fred Taylor (running back) - No. 9 overall, 1998

The Jacksonville Jaguars selected Fred Taylor, a running back from the University of Florida, with the ninth overall pick in the 1998 draft.

He went on to play for the club for 11 seasons, scoring 62 rushing touchdowns from 11,271 rushing yards. He also recorded eight touchdowns and 2,361 yards in the air. Apart from being the Jaguars' all-time leader in rushing yards, he leads the franchise in scrimmage yards (13,632) as well.

Taylor's career total of 51 games with at least 100 rushing yards is the most in Jaguars history. He also surpassed 1,200 yards from scrimmage in seven of 11 seasons with the organization.

Taylor had his best season in 2003, rushing for 1,572 yards. He did, however, receive his lone career Pro Bowl selection in 2007 after rushing for 1,202 yards on 223 runs.

#1 Tony Boselli (offensive tackle) - No. 2 overall, 1995

Tony Boselli is considered by many to be the greatest Jacksonville Jaguars player of all time, not only because he's the first-ever draft pick in team history, but also because of the impact he had during his seven-year stint in Jacksonville.

Boselli received his first-ever Pro Bowl selection in 1996, the year he helped the Jaguars go 9-7 and make it to their first ever AFC Championship Game. His five Pro Bowl selections, three consecutive All-Pro First-Team selections from 1997 to 1999 and selection to the NFL 1990s All-Decade Team also makes him one of the most accomplished players in the team's history.

Boselli often made an impression during what's generally regarded as the NFL's heyday of outstanding left tackles. He was inducted as the first member of the Jaguars Hall of Fame in 2006. In 2022, Bosselli became the first Jaguar to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.