There aren't many edge rushers in the NFL who are as consistent and complete a player as Josh Hines-Allen.

Hines-Allen is the leader of the Jacksonville Jaguars' defense and was recently named the NFL's 48th-best player in its annual top-100 countdown. He is a fixture on the countdown, showing just how highly his peers think of him. His former teammate, Calais Campbell, recently texted Hines-Allen that he will lead the league in sacks this season.

With Hines-Allen leading the way, Jacksonville's defense was the league's best against the run in 2025 and should be one of the top units in the NFL again this season.

Even though JHA may not get the same attention as edge rushers like Myles Garrett or Micah Parsons, he is clearly recognized as being one of the best in the business.

PFF recently released its rankings of the 32 best edge rushers in the NFL. Atop the list was Garrett. He was followed by Will Anderson Jr., Parsons, and Aidan Hutchinson.

Rounding out the top-5 was Hines-Allen, a testament to just how valuable he is to Jacksonville's defense.

Hines-Allen never has a disappointing season. The Jaguars know they can count on him to be a force in every game. Not only is JHA one of the most effective edge rushers at getting to the quarterback, but his stellar play year after year also includes being strong against the run, as PFF notes.

"While his ceiling is a little bit below the first four names on this list, Hines-Allen is still a force to be reckoned with off the edge. He has produced a PFF grade above 80.0 in four straight seasons, and he’s compiled 75 or more pressures in three of the past four. Hines-Allen is solid against the run too, earning PFF run-defense grades above 70.0 in each of the past four years."

It is interesting to see PFF claim that JHA doesn't have quite as high a ceiling as the four players ranked above him. In 2023, Hines-Allen set a Jacksonville record with 17.5 sacks. That number eclipses the career highs of Hutchinson (14.5), Parsons (14), and Anderson Jr. (12).

JHA has already spoken about his desire to break Garrett's single-season record of 23 sacks. With more help from a healthy Travon Walker, who only recorded 3.5 sacks during his injury-filled 2025 season, Hines-Allen could at least threaten his own team record in 2026, even if getting to 23 may not be in the cards.

Interestingly, Walker did not make PFF's list, even though he is still only 25 and has two seasons of double digit sacks already under his belt.

JHA is one of the most unassuming great players in the NFL. He does not get nearly the attention he deserves from the national media.

However, his colleagues easily recognize him as one of the league's best, and his PFF grade every season proves it.

Hines-Allen is setting the bar incredibly high for the upcoming season. If he can even come close to his team record of 17.5 sacks, the Jaguars' pass rush will be a different animal than it was a year ago. If Walker plays as he did in 2023 and 2024, Jacksonville's star duo may indeed become the most feared in the NFL.

Can JHA overtake any of the four tremendous edge rushers ranked above him? He has the talent and work ethic to be the best. If he has a career year, the Jaguars could finally reach their first-ever Super Bowl.

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