"No pressure, not at all" - When Justin Blackmon made feelings known on becoming Jaguars' highest draft pick since 1996

Justin Blackmon's NFL story is an interesting one. The wide receiver spent his collegiate campaign with the Oklahoma State Cowboys, and during his four years in college, Blackmon was recognized as an Unanimous All-American twice before declaring for the 2012 NFL draft.

The Jacksonville Jaguars used the fifth overall pick to draft Justin Blackmon in the draft. He became the franchise's highest draft pick since 1996, when the Jaguars selected linebacker Kevin Hardy second overall.

During an interview in 2012, Blackmon shared his feelings about being the team's highest draft pick in years.

"No pressure, not at all," Blackmon said via Mark Long of the AP. "It's still football. This is what I've been doing for a while. When you start thinking about pressure and everything, you're not thinking about the game. I like to focus on what I can focus and that's playing football."

Then-Jaguars head coach Mike Mularkey was also excited with the opportunity to work with a prospect like the Oklahoma State wide receiver.

"He (Justin Blackmon) is a football player. There's not one particular thing that he does better than the other. He's a complete player, does it all, unselfish in everything he does. I know our team's going to be excited about having him, not just on the field but in the locker room."

Unfortunately, Blackmon's professional journey in the NFL was short-lived. While he flashed brilliance, his off-field behaviour caused problems. In June 2012, he was arrested on DUI charges, however, he still managed to play that season for the Jaguars and put up 865 yards and five TDs receiving.

However, in November 2013, he was suspended indefinitely by the league for violating the NFL's Policy and Program for Substances of Abuse. Ex-Jaguars GM David Caldwell then stated that Justin Blackmon would miss out on the entirety of the 2014 season.

The NFL denied his reinstatement in 2015 and he has not taken the field since being suspended during the 2013 season. Blackmon was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame last year but was arrested in 2025 for public intoxication.

When on the field, Justin Blackmon flashed brilliance, something that should always be kept in mind.

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Justin Blackmon's incredible 236-yard game in 2012

One performance that wowed the NFL world came against the Houston Texans in November 2012 at NRG Stadium. Justin Blackmon had an incredible game, recording 7 receptions for 236 yards and an 87-yard TD.

However, it wasn't enough, as the Texans managed to squeeze past the Jags 43-37 in overtime. See Blackmon's highlights below:

Incredibly, Blackmon wasn't the only player in the game to break 200 yards, with Texans receiver Andre Johnson having 14 receptions for 273 yards and scoring the overtime TD to seal the win.

Blackmon credited Johnson while speaking to the media after the game:

"He's one of the receivers that I have looked up to and tried to match my game after,'' Blackmon said.

Across 20 games in the NFL, Blackmon recorded 93 receptions for 1,280 yards and 6 TDs, and will remain one of the league's 'what could have been' stories.