JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- As Jaguars wide receiver Allen Hurns caught a sweet pass in the center of the field Sunday, a Ravens defender in tight coverage nailed him with a crushing blow to his right arm.

Hurns held on, his body crashing toward the ground, but not without yet another aching consequence. Two days after he shed a walking boot from a foot injury -- and one day before he'd visit a specialist for a lingering sports hernia -- the rising star ran off the field with yet another body part dangling in pain.

"The way I see it, I'm going to get hit regardless," Hurns said Tuesday, quietly seated at his locker after practice. "Might as well reward myself by still making the catch."

As the Jaguars prepare for "Thursday Night Football" against the Titans, still only one game back in the underwhelming AFC South despite having just three wins on the season, Hurns says he will be out on the field even though eventual surgery to repair his groin injury is still likely. This, for those unaware, is among the reasons why the Jaguars remain a team to watch.

Maybe you still don't care right now. Maybe you'll have little reason to care for the rest of this season. But even if the notion continues to fall on deaf and uninterested ears for the time being, Jacksonville is ascending. And Hurns is a perfect symbol of the rise. Young and quiet -- but tough and talented. Largely underrated -- but up-and-coming.

Despite all of the pain, Hurns (an undrafted free-agent signing last year) has a touchdown in each of the last seven games. He's the youngest player to put together a streak this lengthy since Randy Moss did it in 1998. And he's still only the second-best receiver on the team, behind Allen Robinson.

Some around the Jaguars building say Hurns and Robinson are truly special, two players with work ethic and commitment that is up there, as one source put it, with the "top one percent in the NFL." Wide receivers coach Jerry Sullivan, who has been a football coach for 42 years, said Wednesday that Hurns' work ethic and toughness compare very closely to a rookie receiver he drilled 12 years ago: Anquan Boldin. In terms of compliments from people with experience and knowledge, you won't get much better than that.

What would it take to keep Hurns off the field? According to quarterback Blake Bortles, "Some bone would definitely have to break."

But this isn't merely about the talent of one player -- it takes 52 more guys to field a successful team. No, this is about the future, and it is about the precedent that's being set.
This offseason, the Jaguars considered signing Greg Jennings because their wide receivers room was so young, and thus, could benefit from a veteran's potential teachings. Then they realized something: Hurns and Robinson already approach the job like seasoned vets. And other players, like Rashad Greene and Marqise Lee, are following that lead.

In a different position room, rookie running back T.J. Yeldon has been playing through pain, as well. And he's doing it as a first-year pro who has successfully assumed a role as a three-down back far earlier than anyone could have expected. The result? Only one rookie running back -- Todd Gurley -- has more yards.

Yes, this is the identity of the Jaguars. This is the reason, while skeptics merely see a three-win bunch in a bad division, why those who are around the team feel like the sun isn't very far from peeking over the horizon. Young players are rallying around one another, toughing it out and creating an environment of consistency.

"It means a lot, seeing guys in the huddle every play," Bortles said. "Guys see that. Guys recognize that."

For now, this is still a team that has lost bad games this year, games that people will use as ammunition against it. The Jaguars can't lose three consecutive games to teams like the Colts, Bucs and Texans, as they did earlier this season. Sure, they also have wins against the Dolphins and Bills. But this team ultimately needs to turn more games into wins.

How will they do it? Well, it starts with creating an environment of accountability and toughness combined with talent and execution. It starts with young players like Hurns and Robinson and Yeldon and Bortles.

Then, it's about getting wins in games like the one coming up Thursday against Tennessee -- a prospect that is at least much brighter with players like Hurns taking big hits and turning them into big plays.

Has Hurns, who just visited a groin specialist in Philadelphia on Monday, even considered not playing on Thursday night? "Not at all," he said.

And that's exactly why the Jaguars still have a chance this season -- and, more importantly, beyond.


(nfl.com)

THREE #‎proCane TDs were scored in Week 11 of the NFL!

#‎Dolphins RB Lamar Miller, #Raiders TE Clive Walford, #Jags WR Allen Hurns,

Lamar Miller’s TD extended the streak to 16 straight weeks a #proCane has scored a TD in the #‎NFL. Allen Hurns has now scored a TD in SEVEN straight weeks!

The Jaguars got some good news on the injury front Tuesday, which they needed.

According to Hays Carlyon of the Florida Times-Union, wide receiver Allen Hurns was back on the practice field, a day after seeing a sports hernia specialist.

Hurns traveled to Philadelphia to see Dr. William Meyers Monday. He has made a number of visits there, but it hasn’t kept him off the field. He has caught a touchdown pass in seven straight games, and is second on the team with 41 catches for 697 yards.

He’s also been playing through a foot injury, but is expected to continue to play Thursday night against the Titans.


(profootballtalk.com)

Lost in the calamitous ending of Sunday's Jaguars-Ravens game was the fact that Jacksonville wideout Allen Hurns caught yet another touchdown pass, extending his streak to seven games in a row.

The mark is a franchise record and is the best in the NFL since Dez Bryant's seven-game run in 2012. He is now past the halfway point of breaking the league's all-time record set by Jerry Rice back in 1986-87.

"He's unbelievable," Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles told Jacksonville.com Sunday. "He was a little banged up and played his tail off. He's as tough as they come. It's an honor and privilege to be on a team with him and guys like him."

Bortles isn't kidding. Hurns had to test his injured foot before the game and was very much questionable before hitting the field on Sunday morning to work out. Once the clock started, he also went over the middle twice and was blasted both times in an effort to help the Jaguars score a touchdown.

During the Jaguars' time in London, we did a piece on general manager Dave Caldwell and the massive challenges he's faced in building this roster. Hurns and running mate Allen Robinson -- Robinson was drafted in the second round of the 2014 draft and Hurns was an undrafted steal -- are two of his best building blocks and biggest sources of pride.

Throughout the summer they caught passes from Blake Bortles instead of going home.

More than that, though, Hurns and Robinson -- and Bortles for that matter -- are giving this roster a semblance of star power for the first time since Mark Brunell and Fred Taylor. In the dead period between, it was essentially punters, kickers and wild mascots.

Jaguars fans often groan at the sound of the word "patience," but just take a look at where this team was in terms of top-to-bottom roster talent three years ago and where they are now. Next year, they'll get another first-round pick in addition to the debut of Dante Fowler, who tore his ACL shortly after the 2015 draft.

Thanks to Hurns -- and Bortles, and Robinson -- the payoff may even come a little sooner. A Texans loss on Monday night gives second-place Houston the same record as Jacksonville. The Jaguars also have games against the Titans (2), Colts and Texans still on tap to finish the season.


(nfl.com)

JACKSONVILLE, Florida — Jaguars receiver Allen Hurns has one streak on his mind this week:

Consecutive games played.

Hurns has played in all 24 games during his two years in Jacksonville (2-6), and he doesn't expect a sprained left foot to keep him off the field Sunday at Baltimore (2-6).

"I don't want to let anyone down," said Hurns, who missed practice Wednesday as a precaution. "I'll fight through anything to make sure I'm out there."

With Hurns planning to play, the Jaguars surely would like to see him extend his other streak.

Hurns has a touchdown catch is six consecutive games. It's a franchise record, the longest active streak in the NFL and tied for the longest such scoring streak in the league over the last three seasons. Chicago's Alshon Jeffery (2014), Green Bay's Randall Cobb (2014) and New England's Wes Welker (2013) also accomplished the feat.

The last player to catch a TD pass in seven consecutive games was Dallas' Dez Bryant in 2012.

"It feels good after the game when people are talking about it," Hurns said. "But during the game and preparing for the week, I'm not really thinking about it at all. The main thing for me is staying consistent and continuing to do what I do each day. As long as I stay consistent and be available every game, I think those kinds of opportunities will present themselves."

Hurns has 36 receptions for 635 yards and six touchdowns this season, including a go-ahead, diving, twisting, staying-in-bounds, 31-yarder with 2:16 to play against Buffalo in London last month.

He followed that with a five-catch, 122-yard performance at the New York Jets last week.

And he's done it despite missing practices with ankle, thigh and now foot injuries.

"He's as tough as they come, for sure," quarterback Blake Bortles said. "No doubt about that. Mentally and physically, he's one of the tougher guys I've ever been around. ... If he can go, there's no doubt that he'll go play."

Hurns has come a long way since going undrafted last season. The former Miami standout went to training camp last season without the nearly as much fanfare as second-round picks Marqise Lee and Allen Robinson. But when Lee and Robinson missed games, Hurns stepped up. And when Lee missed all of the 2015 offseason as well as most of camp and the entire preseason, Hurns stepped into a starting role.

It's his spot now, one he won't relinquish even if Lee returns this week from a nagging hamstring injury or when rookie Rashad Greene (thumb) returns next week from short-term injured reserve.

"There was a lot of doubt (about me) coming in," Hurns said. "Being able to do things consistently, people started recognizing. It feels good. But at the end of the day, people need to know that me and Allen Robinson are just getting started. We've still got a lot of time to improve. That's what's exciting about it. We're just in Year 2 and look at the things we're doing. The main thing is to just stay consistent."

And stay on the field.

"It comes down to mental toughness," Hurns said. "Once I'm out there on the field I'm not really thinking about me. I'm thinking about the people around people as far as just being out there for my teammates. I know they're counting on me."


(dailyjournal.net)

SEVEN #‎proCane TDs were scored in Week 10 of the NFL!

#Browns RB Duke Johnson, #‎Dolphins RB Lamar Miller (2), #Panthers TE Greg Olsen, #Raiders TE Clive Walford, #Jags WR Allen Hurns, #Colts RB Frank Gore.

Duke Johnson’s TD extended the streak to 15 straight weeks a #proCane has scored a TD in the #‎NFL. Greg Olsen’s TD was also the 500th reception of his career!

Allen Hurns , who sprained his left foot against the Jets on Sunday, was sporting a walking boot Monday, the Associated Press reports.

Per the report, Hurns -- who evidently hurt his foot on Jacksonville's final offensive play Sunday -- underwent an X-ray and a MRI, but neither revealed any major issues. With that in mind, Hurns maintains hopes of playing Sunday against the Ravens, while acknowledging "it's kind of tender right now. I'm not sure how it will play out...but it's going to take an awful lot for me not to be out there. I'll fight through anything to make sure I'm out there."


(cbssports.com)

Allen Hurns snagged five of eight targets for 122 yards and a touchdown in the Jaguars' Week 9 loss to the Jets.

Hurns looked like a man possessed on Sunday. He drew Antonio Cromartie in coverage and routinely dusted him. Some of the highlights included a nice toe tap along the sideline and a 30-yard touchdown on a double move that juked Cromartie out of his shoes late in the first half. He was a consistent problem for the Jets’ secondary. Hurns is quietly developing into an every-week WR2. Expect him to have another big game next week in Baltimore.


(rotoworld.com)

Hurns (ankle/thigh) was limited at Wednesday's practice.

Hurns has been listed on the injury report nearly every week thus far, but he's yet to miss any games, and that trend will likely continue as the Jaguars prep to face the Jets on Sunday. Coming off of a bye week, Hurns' limited status Wednesday is probably precautionary more than anything else. The second-year receiver has caught a touchdown in each of his last five games.


(cbssports.com)

FOUR #‎proCane TDs were scored in Week 7 of the NFL!

#‎Jags WR Allen Hurns (1), #‎Dolphins RB Lamar Miller (2), #Raiders TE Clive Walford (1).

Allen Hurns’ game-winning TD, which was the fifth straight week he had a TD, extended the streak to 13 straight weeks a #proCane has scored a TD in the #‎NFL. Walford’s TD was the first of his NFL career!

For a while in this Jaguars-Bills game over in London, it looked like nobody was going to score. So much for that. Thanks in part to three defensive touchdowns, both teams topped 30 points in the Jags' 34-31 victory Sunday in London.

Buffalo's back-to-back mid-fourth quarter TDs by Marcus Easley (his first career touchdown catch) and Corey Graham (on a pick-six) gave it a 31-27 lead late. Blake Bortles and the Jacksonville offense then had to mount a last-ditch drive to keep from dropping to 1-6.

And mount a last-ditch touchdown drive they did, thanks to this ridiculous catch from Allen Hurns.

Thought the @jaguars were done? This Bortles/Hurns TD would like a word with you. STREAM: https://t.co/ESm4C08w5g https://t.co/vkiaVHvRjO

— NFL (@NFL) October 25, 2015

That's an unreal catch: pic.twitter.com/kAZaYuWYFK

— Cian Fahey (@Cianaf) October 25, 2015

Damn, that's a great catch. pic.twitter.com/gyotVHJ9Nr

— Isaac (@WorldofIsaac) October 25, 2015

(cbssports.com)

THREE #‎proCane TDs were scored in Week 6 of the NFL!

#‎Jags WR Allen Hurns (1), #‎Dolphins RB Lamar Miller, #Panthers TE Greg Olsen.

Lamar Miller’s TD, which was his first of the 2015 season, extended the streak to 12 straight weeks a #proCane has scored a TD in the #‎NFL.

Jaguars wideout Allen Hurns caught just two of his seven targets for 30 yards and a touchdown in the Week 6 defeat to the Texans.

Despite seeing his typical number of targets, Hurns simply couldn't connect with Blake Bortles on a few occasions and failed to haul in a catch of at least 25 yards for the first time this season. He will try to rectify that in Week 7 against the visiting Bills.

It was the fourth straight week Hurns recorded a TD.


(cbssports.com)

FOUR #‎proCane TDs were scored in Week 5 of the NFL!

#‎Jags WR Allen Hurns (1), #‎Colts WR Andre Johnson (2), #Colts RB Frank Gore (1)

Andre Johnson’s TD on Thursday night extended the streak to 11 straight weeks a #proCane has scored a TD in the #‎NFL.

Allen Hurns secured 5-of-6 targets for 116 yards and a touchdown in Jacksonville's Week 5 loss to the Bucs.

Hurns did most of damage in the middle of the field, scoring on 12-yard slant for Jacksonville's first touchdown. He added a 59-yard catch over Bucs CB Tim Jennings on the final drive. Hurns played the entire game and wasn't limited by his ankle injury. He has at least 70 yards and a touchdown in three straight games. Hurns will remain a WR3 for Week 6.


(rotoworld.com)

THREE #‎proCane TDs were scored in Week 4 of the NFL!

#‎Jags WR Allen Hurns (1), #‎Browns RB Duke Johnson (1), #‎Falcons WR Leonard Hankerson (1).

Allen Hurns’ TD extended the streak to 10 straight weeks a #proCane has scored a TD in the #‎NFL.

Duke Johnson scored his first ever NFL TD on a 34-yard pass. Johnson finished the day with 116 total yards and 1 TD. 85 yards receiving, 31 yards rushing.

Allen Hurns caught 11-of-15 targets for 116 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's Week 4 loss to the Colts.

With Vontae Davis shadowing Allen Robinson, Hurns took advantage of a matchup with Colts CB Jalil Brown, who left with an injury in the first half. His touchdown came on an eight-yard second-quarter pass from Blake Bortles. Hurns played through an ankle issue for most of the game, but didn't miss any time. He has at least 60 yards in all four games and touchdowns in back-to-back weeks. Hurns will be a WR3 for Week 5 against the Bucs.


(rotoworld.com)

Hurns has been dealing with a thigh injury the last two weeks, but hasn't missed any time. With Allen Robinson likely to draw Colts CB Vontae Davis in coverage, Hurns is on the WR3 map.

RotoGrinders.com Daily Slant: Assuming Allen Robinson draws Vontae Davis (PFFs #2 ranked corner in 2014) in coverage, Hurns would be the benefactor of added looks. Blake Bortles hasn't shown enough to inspire confidence that he can feed the ball to Robinson in tight coverage. Davis didn't act as a shadow CB much in 2014 and could spend time on both Robinson and Hurns, but Robinson is expected to see more of Davis. Hurns is still cheap across the industry and is a very nice high-upside GPP play.


(rotoworld.com)

EIGHT #‎proCane TDs were scored in Week 3 of the NFL!

#‎Colts RB Frank Gore (2), WR Phillip Dorsett (1), #‎Panthers TE Greg Olsen (2), #‎Jags WR Allen Hurns (1), #‎Browns WR Travis Benjamin (1), #‎Seahawks TE Jimmy Graham (1).

Frank Gore's first TD extended the streak to 9 straight weeks a #proCane has scored a TD in the #‎NFL.

Phillip Dorsett scored his first ever NFL TD, and Frank Gore scored his first TD as a Colt.

Allen Hurns caught 2-of-4 targets for 70 yards and one touchdown in the Jaguars' Week 3 loss to the Patriots.

With the Jaguars getting stomped 30-3 in the third quarter, Hurns ran a pretty simple route down the right seam and got behind Malcolm Butler for a 59-yard touchdown when Butler tried jumping the route. It was the lone highlight of the day for the Jaguars. Hurns will remain on the WR4 radar Week 4 against the Colts.


(rotoworld.com)

Allen Hurns totaled 68 yards on four catches in the Jaguars' Week 2 win over the Dolphins.

Hurns caught all four of his targets. Being the No. 2 option on a team that will probably have to throw the ball to stay in games most weeks isn’t such a bad thing, but the Jags will struggle to support more than one fantasy relevant pass catcher. That was Allen Robinson on Sunday.


(rotoworld.com)

Jaguars wide receiver Allen Hurns said Wednesday that Carolina cornerback Josh Norman was only half right with his comments about the wild scrum that took place after Hurns fumbled in the second quarter of the Jaguars-Panthers game Sunday.

Norman said he gouged Hurns in his eyes fighting for the ball and that Hurns recovered the fumble even though the officials gave the ball to the Panthers.
“He didn’t gouge my eyes,’’ Hurns said. “I had a shield on.’’

But Hurns said Norman was right that he did recover the ball.

“I came up with the ball,’’ he said. “I’m not sure why they didn’t give us the ball. It was a referee’s decision. I was surprised. When I got up, I thought we had the ball.’’

Neither the TV replays or the Jaguars’ videotaped showed conclusively whether Hurns got the ball. Norman was given credit for a fumble recovery he said he didn’t deserve. He said he got the ball and then lost it in the scrum. Hurns said Norman did knock the ball out when he was running after catching a pass.


(jacksonville.com)

Hurns caught 5-of-7 targets for 60 yards in the Jaguars 20-9 loss to the Panthers in Week 1. (ESPN)

Fantasy Impact: With Allen Robinson bottled up for much of the afternoon, Hurns was a consistent threat on the outside. The second-year WR flies under the radar because of playing in Jacksonville, but could definitely be a lottery ticket play in DFS leagues. If he is available on your waiver wire, scoop him up and stash on your bench.


(fantasypros.com)

With fellow second year receiver Marqise Lee sidelined due to hamstring injury, Allen Hurns has continued to impress coaches throughout camp.

Fantasy Impact: Despite often being the forgotten man throughout the offseason (Allen Robinson hype, Julius Thomas signing, etc.), the undrafted free agent out of Miami led all Jaguars receivers in both yards and touchdowns in 2014. If Allen Hurns locks up the Z reciever spot opposite Allen Robinson, the combination of opportunity and deep threat ability may make him a borderline flex consideration throughout the season.


(fantasypros.com)

The Jacksonville Jaguars wisely made some huge investments on the offensive side of the ball to help ensure that Blake Bortles has a much better sophomore season, but the steps forward from their second-year wide receiver trio of Allen Robinson, Allen Hurns, and Marqise Lee could prove to be even more important than the signing of possible No. 1 target Julius Thomas.

This morning, the Florida Times Union’s Ryan O’Halloran gave some more unsurprising praise to Robinson for his impressive work in training camp, and he also confirmed that Hurns continues to run as one of the starting wide receiver in two-wide sets. This, of course, means that he continues to be over the more touted and physically gifted Lee, who would have been a first-round pick in the 2014 draft had he not had injury concerns.

Lee, in addition to the injury issues, also had drop and consistency issues as a draft prospect, and those marred his elite playmaking ability and smooth route-running. He flashed both of those at times as a rookie, but those flashes were few and far between. He finished his first season in the league with a 54.4% catch rate, as per Advanced Football Analytics, failing to make the most of his 68 targets.

Meanwhile, Hurns immediately looked like the biggest UDFA steal of the class by putting up 110 receiving yards and two touchdowns in Week 1 against the Philadelphia Eagles easily-torched secondary. Hurns’s star faded after that, but he still managed to look like a promising find by finishing with 51 receptions for 677 yards, six touchdowns, and a hefty 13.3 yards per reception as the offenses’s main source of playmaking juice.

Hurns had some negatives to mull over as a rookie, as he dropped seven passes, as per Pro Football Focus, and was 70th out of 90 qualifiers in yards per route run. But on the bright side, Hurns had a lower drop rate than Lee and averaged slightly more yards per route run than his more touted rookie counterpart. And when it comes to efficiency, he did well on a “per target” basis with a team-leading 7.0 yards per target to overcome his 52.6% catch rate.

Lee and rookie Rashad Greene, whose ability to get open in college was a treat to watch, will give Hurns plenty of competition, but the 6’3″, 195-pound Miami product is well on his way to being the team’s No. 2 wide receiver again as a sophomore after receiving 97 targets last year. Those targets will go down as Thomas and Robinson get targets (Robinson will surely have more than 77 targets thrown his way), but Hurns continues to lead the way over Lee, whose consistency and injury issues have been the story.

There’s a chance Lee could blossom in the preseason and may just be dealing with a run of bad health, but Allen Hurns is getting closer and closer to locking up that No. 2 job. He’s an intriguing player due to his relatively high yards per reception and semi-respectable yards per target marks as a rookie, and only Robinson looked more impressive last season when examining the Jaguars wide receivers last season.

As it stands right now, it looks like Hurns will be the “Z” to Robinson’s “X” in two-wide sets before kicking inside in three-wide sets, which will allow Lee to move to the outside. But in a run-heavy offense that figures to turn to Thomas and Robinson frequently (they are clearly the team’s two most talented pass-catching weapons) when Bortles steps back to pass, Hurns, again, can’t expect to have a high volume of targets headed his way in 2015.

Like Lee, Hurns has his own consistency issues to work out, but it wasn’t surprising to see a UDFA disappearing from stretches of games as a rookie. He clearly doesn’t have the athletic ability that Lee does, but he does have a good size-speed combination and is a more productive and less injury-prone player than the former USC star. Lee has the upside, but Hurns has the leg up.


(nflspinzone.com)

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Football season is just around the corner.

The Jacksonville Jaguars open their 2015 training camp Friday, July 31, with players reporting to camp the day before.

One of the major story lines heading into camp will be the development of the the group of second-year receivers in Allen Robinson, Allen Hurns and Marqise Lee.
Robinson and Lee represent a pair of 2014-second-round draft picks. So there were some relatively high expectations for their rookie seasons. Hurns on the otherhand, went undrafted in 2014 out of the University of Miami.

Hurns had a relationship with, who at the time was the Jaguars offensive coordinator, Jedd Fisch, leading the to the team bringing him in as an undrafted free agent. The move turned out to pay off in a big way for the Jaguars as Hurns was the surprise rookie for the team in 2014.

Hurns was among the league leaders in receiving for all rookies in 2014, appearing in all 16 games for the Jaguars, starting eight, grabbing 51 passes for 677 yards and six touchdowns. He was ninth among all rookies in receptions, eighth in yards, and tied for sixth with Buffalo's Sammy Watkins in touchdowns.

Hurns has been working privately during the offseason with fellow second-year Jaguars, Robinson and quarterback Blake Bortles. They are working to build off the chemistry the three of them, along with Lee, established in 2014.

The addition of a dynamic pass catching tight end, Julius Thomas, and the most prolific receiver in Florida State history in rookie Rashad Greene, paired with Hurns and the rest of the second-year receivers, means Bortles should have plenty of weapons to work with in the fall.

Hurns will be a vital part to improving the Jaguars offensive attack in 2015.


(firstcoastnews.com)

You know where I never want to find myself? In a pile full of NFL players fighting for a loose football. Especially if Panthers cornerback Josh Norman is in that pile.

During the Panthers' 20-9 win over the Jaguars on Sunday, Norman had himself quite the day. For starters, he picked off Blake Bortles and returned it to the house. And, prior to the interception, Norman forced Allen Hurns to fumble. Then, he recovered the fumble after your typical pile of bodies formed around the loose football.

Actually, I'm not so sure "normal" is an accurate descriptor of the fumble pile. Instead, let's allow Norman to describe it himself (via Black and Blue Review):

"I can't even describe it to you. It was like being in the doghole, trying to get out of there. Fight, fight, fight. Trying to grab the ball, digging in folks' eyes and everything; eye-gouging. I think Hurns didn't like that too well. He was pushing and I went somewhere else and I had to understand it was the game and can't go out there like that."

So, it seems that Norman resorted to gouging Hurns' eyes on Sunday. Except, despite trying to poke out Hurns' eyeballs, Norman didn't really recover the football!

"I seen the ball and said screw that. I'm not going to tackle him; I'm going for the ball. I'm going down with a violent strike and that's what happened. It was on the ground and we picked it up and I ended up getting it then losing it on the ground, but don't tell the referees that. No. 88 ended up recovering it, but we got the ball still. Bene [Benwikere] jumped on it, too."

Memo to the league: Avoid Josh Norman in fumble piles. Also, make sure he actually recovers the football.


(cbssports.com)

According to The Florida Times Union's Ryan O'Halloran, Allen Hurns will enter training camp ahead of Marqise Lee. (Florida Times Union)

Fantasy Impact: Lee was disappointing last season and started 2014 with a hamstring injury. Allen Hurns right now simply gives the Jags a better chance to win. Lee isn't worth drafting in standard formats at the moment.



(fantasypros.com)

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Quarterback Blake Bortles isn't the only Jacksonville Jaguars player putting in some extra work over the next six weeks. A couple of his top targets are too.

Second-year receivers Allen Robinson and Allen Hurns are heading to the University of Minnesota to participate in Larry Fitzgerald's annual offseason camp. The two will work with other NFL receivers and quarterbacks on such things as route running, receiver-specific drills, and agility, speed and strength workouts. It's led by Fitzgerald, the Arizona Cardinals' All-Pro receiver.

It will be the first trip to the camp for Robinson and Hurns. Robinson wanted to attend last year, but missed most of OTAs with a hamstring injury and the Jaguars felt it was better he not attend. Former Jaguars players Cecil Shorts and Mike Brown attended in 2014.

Robinson said he's excited to work with Fitzgerald, who has 909 career receptions in 11 seasons with the Cardinals.

"I think that's the main thing, to go out there with an elite group like that just challenging each other and learning a lot from some vets," said Robinson, who caught 48 passes for 548 yards and two touchdowns as a rookie before missing the final six games with a stress fracture in his foot. "That's a pretty elite group of receivers going out there so when you're going out there with the best, take something out of it and learn from the vets and try to improve yourself."

Hurns said he's looking forward to learning how Fitzgerald and some of the league's other receivers take care of their bodies during both the season and the offseason.

"It's always nice to see what others are doing so you can pick things up," said Hurns, who led the Jaguars in receiving yards (677) and receiving touchdowns (six) last season.


(espn.com)

With all Allen Hurns' accomplished his rookie season, you would excuse him if he allowed himself to begin to feel a least a little comfortable with his status in the NFL. After going undrafted in 2014 all Hurns did was become Jacksonville's most productive wide receiver as rookie.  

But for Hurns, there is no complacency. Not with the sting of going undrafted still serving as inspiration.

“That fire is always going to be within from a motivation standpoint,” Hurns said, according to the team's website.

To that end, Hurns spent six weeks during the offseason running routes by himself at a local Jacksonville high school. Jaguars receivers coach Jerry Sullivan says the work Hurns put in refining his route tree is evident during OTAs.

“He’s all about doing the little things,” Sullivan said.

Hurns, who caught 51 passes for 677 yards and a team-best six touchdowns last season, is committed to getting better. One way he plans to do that is by staying on the field. In contrast to Jacksonville's other two second-year receivers, Marqise Lee and Allen Robinson, Hurns hasn't been hampered by injuries.

“I pride myself on that,” Hurns said.

And while the former University of Miami standout has gone from longshot to offensive mainstay, he says he'll never forget how he got there.

"That’s one thing that will always be with me," Hurns said. "People say it doesn’t matter once you get into the league, and it really doesn’t, but at the end of the day there are times you think about it. Not getting drafted, it’s always going to stick with you.

“There are going to be days you’re going to wake up and it’s going to give you that fire.”

With that fire still going, it's clear to his coach what Hurns is after.

“He’s not satisfied to be just a player,” Sullivan said. “I think he wants elite status.”


(foxsports.com)

The Jaguars’ wide receiver said he doesn’t like publicly discussing numbers or goals specifically, either, but that whole time-tested theory about a player improving from Year One to Year Two in the NFL?

Hurns definitely buys into that.

And he said that’s definitely what the coming offseason is about.

Hurns, perhaps the surprise player of the Jaguars’ rookie draft class this past season and definitely a player who earned a key role in the offense moving forward, said the offseason is about preparing for a future he believes is bright – for himself, and for the organization.

“I’m not going to put any numbers out there, but I just know this is just the beginning,” Hurns said recently in the wake of a 2014 season in which he set a franchise rookie record for receiving touchdowns. “I feel like it’s going to be greater later.”

Hurns’ beginning was good. Very good.

That’s particularly true considering he wasn’t just a rookie receiver this past season, but an undrafted rookie receiver on a team that also included two second-round draft pick rookie receivers.

Hurns, who played collegiately at the University of Miami, signed with the Jaguars as an undrafted free agent shortly after the 2014 NFL Draft. He was familiar with the offensive scheme, having played for offensive coordinator Jedd Fisch for two seasons at Miami, and he immediately took advantage of that familiarity.

While Marqise Lee and Allen Robinson, the Jaguars’ second-round selections, missed much of the offseason program with injuries, Hurns participated in the drills and entered training camp very much in the receiving rotation.

He led Jaguars receivers with 14 preseason receptions for 232 yards and a touchdown, and despite his collegiate free agent status there was no mystery surrounding him when the Jaguars trimmed the roster late in the preseason.

Hurns started the regular-season opener, catching four passes for a season-high 110 yards against the Philadelphia Eagles and scoring touchdown passes on his first two NFL receptions. He finished the season playing in all 16 games – the only receiver in the Jaguars’ front-line rotation to do so – and started eight games, catching 51 passes for 677 yards and six touchdowns.

“I think I established myself, but there have been ups and downs,” he said. “I feel I could have made a lot more plays.”

Up next for Hurns:

Improving, which he said specifically means adding weight to his 6-feet-1, 195-pound frame and continuing to improve as a route-runner. That last part is an area he said he improved as a rookie while working with wide receivers coach Jerry Sullivan, but he said it remains a focus.

“Since I got here, Coach Sullivan has done a tremendous job helping me improve my routes,” Hurns said. “I felt like that’s what separated me this season as far as going against veteran defensive backs. I want to work on that, because I know how much it worked.”

Hurns said that sort of improvement doesn’t happen by simply showing up for the offseason and organized team activities in mid-April.

“Once OTAs come I want to be ahead of the game as far as staying in shape and working on my route-running,” he said.

Hurns will enter next season as a key member of not only a young, talented receiving trio that includes Lee and Robinson, but as a key part of an offense that will feature a new coordinator along with a quarterback, Blake Bortles, entering his second season as a starter.

He also will enter it knowing something he didn’t know this time a year ago – that he absolutely, positively can play in the NFL. That means the short-term future is about improving, and Hurns said his short-term past should help with that.

“It’s just the beginning,” Hurns said. “I’ve shown that I can play in this league and now I know what to expect. I feel like it’s only going to get better from here as far as having a year under your belt and knowing what to expect as far as taking care of your body, knowing what coverages to expect and getting familiar with things.
“Your confidence just grows as you get familiar with those things.”

And while Hurns said he is confident he can improve, he said that’s just as true of the offense and a team that he said has only started to mature and grow.

“We had three wins,” he said. “I’m not very pleased with that. You see the opportunity there as far as our offense. We’ve got a lot of potential, a lot of guys making plays, but at the end of the day, we haven’t put up many points. I feel like it’s just the beginning of what we’re going to get done.”


(jaguars.com)

Allen Hurns caught six passes for 70 yards in the Jaguars' Week 15 loss to the Ravens.

He and Marqise Lee each saw nine targets behind Cecil Shorts' team-high 11 looks. Hurns' biggest catch was a 27-yard grab down the seam in the second half before getting popped at the end of the play by S Will Hill. Hurns is hit-or-miss without a ton of upside in this horrific offense. He's a WR5.


(rotoworld.com)

proCane Rookie Jaguars WR Allen Hurns has 6 receiving TDs this season. No other #NFL undrafted rookie has more than 2 in ‘2014. Additionally on Sunday Hurns set a new Jaguars Rookie record for TD receptions in a season with six.

Rookie wide receiver Allen Hurns had the Jaguars' only touchdown during a 27-13 loss Week 14 against the Texans. Hurns, who was targeted a team-high 10 times, finished with five catches for 36 yards.

Hurns opened the scoring with a 4-yard touchdown catch late in the first quarter. It was his sixth touchdown reception and first in four games.

The Jaguars are back in action Week 15 at Baltimore.


(cbssports.com)

Coach Gus Bradley said Allen Hurns, not Marqise Lee, will replace Allen Robinson (foot) in the starting lineup.

Hurns will start opposite Cecil Shorts and play just about every snap, with Lee functioning as the No. 3. It's a role we'd have more excitement about if Hurns had more consistency and Blake Bortles wasn't so error-prone. Shorts is the one more likely to see volume and take advantage of the garbage-time stats that will inevitably come. Hurns, expected to get cleared off his concussion in time for Week 12 at Indy, is a WR4.


(rotoworld.com)

Jaguars wide receiver Allen Hurns has one more step to go in his recovery from a concussion before being cleared for full activity, accorind to The Florida Times-Union. Hurns went through individual drills Monday as the Jaguars returned from their Week 11 bye.

“I feel like I’m back on track,” Hurns said Monday, adding that he expects to play when the Jaguars (1-9) play the AFC South-leading Indianapolis Colts (6-4) at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis Sunday at 1 p.m.

Hurns has one more step before being fully cleared in the NFL’s concussion program, the team announced.


(cbssports.com)

NEWS UPDATE
Hurns was officially diagnosed with a concussion Tuesday, and an update on his status will be released Monday.

ROTOWIRE FANTASY ANALYSIS
Hurns will have some time to recover from his head injury with the Jaguars on bye in Week 11, and it remains to be seen if he will miss any further action. However, fantasy owners will likely have to wait until next week to find out exactly where he stands health-wise.

Thanks for all the prayers I appreciate it, I will be just fine

— Allen Hurns (@A1hurns) November 10, 2014

(rotowire.com)

Jaguars wide receiver Allen Hurns diagnosed with a concussion and did not return to the game against the Cowboys.

Hurns was sandwiched between two defenders when going for a catch in the third quarter, taking a hit to the helmet from linebacker Anthony Hitchens. He stayed down on the ground to get treatment before walking off the field.cond quarter with injured ribs and was questionable to return.


(jacksonville.com)

Receiver Allen Hurns is turning out to be one of the better bargain finds in the NFL. He's certainly already established himself as one of the best undrafted players in Jaguars history.

Hurns' five touchdowns are tied with Matt Jones and Justin Blackmon for most by a rookie receiver in team history and he has seven games remaining to break the record. He also sits atop the team charts for most receiving yards in a single season by an undrafted player (466) and most touchdowns in a single season by an undrafted player.

Hurns has 29 catches for 466 yards and five touchdowns. Within the next several weeks he can take over top spots on several charts. He needs:

- Four receptions to move into first place on the list of most receptions by an undrafted player in a single season in team history
- Eleven receptions to move into first place on the list of most career receptions by an undrafted player in team history.
- Sixty-nine receiving yards to move into first place on the list of most receiving yards by an undrafted player in team history.

Hurns is second among all rookie receivers in the NFL in average per catch (16.1) and receptions of 20 or more yards (nine, tied with Carolina's Kelvin Benjamin and Buffalo's Sammy Watkins). Cleveland's Taylor Gabriel has the best per-catch average among rookies (19.2) and Tampa Bay's Mike Evans has the most catches of at least 20 yards (10).


(espn.com)

WATFORD, ENGLAND ­— Allen Hurns isn’t going away.

That’s excellent news for the Jaguars.

The undrafted rookie receiver continues to become one of the biggest gems in franchise history. Hurns caught seven passes (on nine targets) for 112 yards and two touchdowns in Sunday’s 33-23 loss at Cincinnati.

However, those stats don’t tell the full story of Hurns’ impact. On three of his catches, including both scores, Hurns had to make an impressive adjustment on the ball to out-fight Bengals defenders for the reception.

Every player took notice, even on the defense.

“He’s been making plays all year, but to see him fight like that gives the defense energy,” defensive tackle Roy Miller said. “To see a young guy play like that is exciting. He’s a fighter. He’s going to be a great player in this league. He already has some of that grit a receiver needs to be a great player.”

Miller wasn’t the only lineman impressed. Right tackle Austin Pasztor praised Hurns’ physical play as well. He had a unique vantage point on the deep throws.
“It’s always weird,” Pasztor said. “You’re blocking and then your man lets up because he sees the ball thrown. We’re all just watching the ball for the last few seconds. You see the ball in the air and you’re like ‘Oh, is he going to catch that one?’ Then, Hurns makes incredible plays. Both touchdown catches he had were awesome.”

Hurns enters Sunday’s game against Dallas (6-3) at Wembley Stadium with 29 catches for 466 yards and five touchdowns this season. As a team, the Jaguars (1-8) have 16 touchdowns.

Hurns spent part of Tuesday participating with other teammates in an NFL Play 60 event with roughly 100 children at a local field. The former Miami standout was all smiles, but certainly didn’t leave any Cincinnati defenders grinning.

“The main thing the receivers were told all last week was fight for the ball,” Hurns said. “If the ball is in the air, we’ve got to come down with it. We can’t let defenders pick the ball off. So, we wanted to be really aggressive on those plays.”

The 6-foot-3, 195-pound Hurns is now making an aggressive push to eclipse all of Justin Blackmon’s team records for a rookie receiver.

If Hurns catches 36 passes for 400 yards and one touchdown over the final seven games, he’ll have bested Blackmon in every category.

Blackmon also owns the franchise’s rookie record for yards per catch at 13.5 with a minimum of 20 receptions. Hurns is currently averaging 16.1. Not only does that far out-distance Blackmon’s mark, but the total is 4.8 yards more than any Jaguars player this season with at least 10 catches.

Hurns already has nine catches that have gained at least 20 yards, four more than any other player. The Jaguars have 26 completions of 20-plus yards this season.

“His will to want to get the ball is really strong,” Jaguars receiver Cecil Shorts said. “The coaches want us to go up and get the ball and he did a good job of that on Sunday.”

Hurns snapped a five-game scoring drought against Cincinnati. His receivers coach, Jerry Sullivan, showed his approval.

“He said it was a long-time coming since I was in the end zone,” Hurns said. “He was very pleased that I got back in the end zone and back in my groove.”
Now, we’ll see whether a trip to London or the Cowboys can disrupt Hurns.

“I was able to sleep most of the time I was on the plane,” Hurns said. “The time change hasn’t settled in yet, but I’m getting acclimated well. It’s a great feeling to be over here and it’s something I’ve never experienced.”

Dallas ranks 15th in pass defense and has given up a middle-of-the-pack 14 touchdown passes this season. Jaguars rookie quarterback Blake Bortles will likely try to find Hurns deep again against Dallas after seeing him win three 50-50 balls against the Bengals.

“I have a lot of chemistry with Blake,” Hurns said. “He has that trust in me that I’m going to make those plays and I trust that he’s going to get me the ball. So when the ball was in the air, I knew I had to make those plays for him.”


(staugustine.com)

Jaguars rookie wideout Allen Hurns paced the team with seven catches for 112 yards and two touchdowns Week 9, the second time this season he's gone over 100 yards with two scores. He also did it in the opener.

Hurns made terrific adjustments to underthrown passes on his 40- and 18-yard touchdowns, both coming in the second half. In each case the ball could have been intercepted.

Hurns drew a team-high nine targets and is up to five scores this season. He'll play the Cowboys in London in Week 10.


(cbssports.com)

Jaguars receivers coach Jerry Sullivan has over 40 years of coaching experience. When he speaks, it’s worth the time.

Sullivan met with reporters Wednesday and offered the following nuggets.

On Hurns:

“I thought Allen Hurns had three really outstanding plays in the game. He made a 10-yard gain on a third down out of a 2-yard pass. He did a great job against a tough coverage. We had third-and-14 and he made a 17-yard gain. He did some good stuff. He was everybody’s favorite guy early in the year and he kind of faded away and went a little bit unnoticed, but I thought he did really well the other day.”
Hurns had three catches for 49 yards against the Dolphins.


(jacksonville.com)

There are 15 players in the Pro Football Hall of Fame who went undrafted, two more than the number of busts in Canton of former No. 1 overall draft picks.
I love that stat. It shows how inexact the draft process is and the high-quality players that, for whatever reason, have fallen through the cracks.

I don't know if Jadeveon Clowney, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, will ever find his way to Canton, but I do know there were plenty of really good undrafted players who have already made an impact in the first half of their rookie seasons.

Currently, there are 74 undrafted rookies on active 53-man NFL rosters. The Indianapolis Colts have the most with six, followed by the Carolina Panthers and Dallas Cowboys with five each. Here are my top 11, ranked in alphabetical order:

Jacksonville Jaguars WR Allen Hurns (Miami)
If you did the 2014 NFL Draft today, Hurns would probably be taken in the third or fourth round. He has good size (6-foot-1, 195 pounds), long arms and big hands. He's not terribly fast, but runs well after the catch and adjusts well to the ball. He is second on the Jaguars with 45 receptions for 354 yards, and leads the team in TD receptions with three. He'll play a long time in the league at a starter's level.

See the rest of the top undrafted free agents here.


(nfl.com)

Jaguars wide receiver Allen Hurns wasn't much of a factor in the passing game as his team fell to Miami 27-13 in Week 8.

Hurns came down with a pair of 20-yard receptions -- once in the second quarter and again in the third quarter. He was targeted four times and finished with three catches for 49 yards on the day. He has 354 receiving yards and three touchdowns through eight games.

The Jaguars will face the Bengals in Cincinnatti in Week 9.


(cbssports.com)

Allen Hurns caught 2-of-4 targets for 18 yards in the Jaguars' Week 6 loss to the Titans.

Although Hurns was demoted off the Jaguars' first team, he played early, securing a 10-yard pass from Blake Bortles on the game's opening drive. After an error-filled Week 5 game, however, Hurns again committed a miscue on a third-quarter route where he slipped, and Blake Bortles' pass was intercepted by Titans CB Blidi Wreh-Wilson. We didn't see much of Hurns after that. Hurns can be comfortably dropped in 12- and 14-team fantasy leagues.


(rotoworld.com)

Jaguars wide receivers Allen Robinson and Allen Hurns were quarterback Blake Bortles' favorite targets during a 17-9 loss Week 5 vs. Pittsburgh.

Both players were tied for a team-high 11 targets. However, neither player had a noteworthy performance.

Robinson led the team with five catches for 51 yards, while Hurns finished with four catches for 26 yards. Neither player had a touchdown.

The Jaguars are back in action Week 6 at Tennessee.


(cbssports.com)

While the Jacksonville Jaguars are expected to be without wide receivers Marqise Lee and Cecil Shorts Sunday in their home game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, they’ll still have a few big bodies in rookies Allen Robinson and Allen Hurns for rookie quarterback Blake Bortles to throw to.

While many of you should already know quite a bit about Robinson being as he is Penn State product who was drafted in the second round back in May, it’s Hurns who actually currently leads the Jaguars in receiving yardage with 254 yards through four games.

During his weekly talk with the media Thursday, Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau let it be known that Hurns, an undrafted free agent out of Miami, is a receiver that can deliver big plays for the Jaguars.

“They have a lot of big strike plays. Their one receiver (Hurns) is I think second in the league in yards per catch,” said LeBeau. “They’re getting the ball up the field. That’s what we can’t allow.”

The 6-1, 195 pound Hurns is averaging 21.2 yards per catch so far this season and five of his 12 catches have gone for 21 or more yards. When you consider that the Steelers defense has already allowed 14 pass plays of 20 yards or more in their first four games, you can see why Hurns might not be easily contained Sunday.

During his senior year at Miami, Hurns led the Hurricanes in receiving with his 1,162 yards and six touchdowns on 62 receptions in 13 games played. While not a blazer, 96 of Hurns’ 254 receiving yards so far this season have come after the catch.


(steelersdepot.com)

1. Bills OT Sentreal Henderson, Round 7 (237 overall)
Henderson slid to the seventh round because of off-the-field issues, not because of talent. The Bills took him and he outplayed second-round pick Cyrus Kouandjio for the starting right tackle job. Credit Cordy Glenn for taking Henderson under his wing and helping him stay clean. Henderson didn't play well in Sunday's loss at Houston, but he played very well in the first three games. He could easily play left tackle if something ever happened to Glenn. I had him going in the first round, 15th overall, in my 2014 draft do-over.

2. Jaguars WR Allen Hurns, undrafted
Hurns is probably the player in the 2014 draft class who has surprised scouts the most. I had him listed on my priority free agent list after the draft but only 16th among the wide receivers. He has 12 catches for 254 yards and three touchdown, and is second in the NFL in average yards per catch (21.2). Done all over, he could be a third-round pick.

See the rest of the rankings here


(nfl.com)

Allen Hurns secured 5-of-6 targets for 68 yards in the Jaguars' Week 4 loss to the Chargers.

Undrafted rookie Hurns got wide open against the Chargers' secondary for a first-half gain of 44 yards. There was nobody even in his area, but Hurns fell down and could not quite crawl into the end zone. So Toby Gerhart executed the goal-line score a few plays later. Due to Marqise Lee and Cecil Shorts' hamstring injuries, the arrow is pointing up on Hurns' playing time and usage. Through four games, he's on pace for 48 catches, 1,016 yards, and 12 touchdowns. There's an obvious regression alert on his yardage and scores. Hurns will be a dicey WR3 when the Jaguars take on the Steelers' weak defense in Week 5.


(rotoworld.com)

The Jaguars lucked out  a little bit with undrafted free agent Allen Hurns. In the game for no logical reason in the 4th quarter, Allen Hurns’ injury appeared to be serious, but we now know he’s just day-to-day. With Cecil Shorts already out and rookie Marqise Lee dealing with nagging injuries, the Jaguars are running out of wide receivers. Hurns has probably been the Jaguars best offensive player so far in 2014 and he looks to be a guy who can contribute consistently if he stays healthy.


(blackandteal.com)

Allen Hurns proved he could run with some heavyweight All-Pros while training his past few offseasons at the University of Miami with Hurricane receiving legends Andre Johnson, Reggie Wayne and Santana Moss.

Sunday, the undrafted Jacksonville Jaguars rookie showed he might be the next one in a distinguished line of standout receivers from "The U."

The 6-3, 195-pound Hurns set the school's single-season record with 1,162 receiving yards last season. After reuniting with former Miami offensive coordinator Jedd Fisch on the receiver-desperate Jaguars, Hurns jumped out in Sunday's historic NFL debut against the Philadelphia Eagles with four catches, two for touchdowns, totaling 110 yards.

Starting because veteran Cecil Shorts remains sidelined by a nagging hamstring strain, Hurns became the first player to notch a pair of touchdown catches in the first quarter of his NFL debut.

How has life changed?

"I'm getting a lot of attention, a lot of text and phone messages from my former U.M. teammates like (Cleveland Browns receiver) Travis Benjamin,'' Hurns told USA TODAY Sports. "I talk to Santana every other week. He told me, 'I'm doing a great job. Just keep it up.'

"I just have to continue to improve. My focus is on the Washington Redskins Sunday."

The question Hurns begged with his impressive debut that included a 46-yard reception in Sunday's 34-17 Jaguars loss was how does such a talented playmaker slip through the comprehensive scouting thresher?

"I really don't know,'' Hurns said. "All I know is that I use it for motivation every day when I wake up.''

That Hurns got behind cornerback Cary Williams on a post pattern for a 34-yard touchdown to lift the Jaguars to a 7-0 lead was no surprise to quarterback Chad Henne, who learned to trust the sure-handed, precise-route runner who led all receivers with 232 preseason receiving yards.

"I don't know how he didn't get drafted,'' Henne said. "He has all the records at the University of Miami, which is a pretty prestigious school with receivers and talent. He just knows and understands the system and has showed it on the field.

"I'm really excited about his development and where we can go with him. If he keeps making those plays, he's going to be one of our go-to guys.''

Especially with so many guys gone. Hurns jumped at the chance general manager Dave Caldwell and coach Gus Bradley gave him to make a receiver-thin roster reeling from the indefinite suspension of Justin Blackmon for his latest violation of the league's substance-abuse policy and the suspension the first four games of slot receiver Ace Sanders. The Jaguars were further depleted by injuries to Shorts and rookie Allen Robinson during training camp. And Hurns took advantage by catching Bradley's eye.

But what helped most in his bid to stick was that his former Hurricanes offensive coordinator Fisch implemented Miami's system last season as Jaguars offensive coordinator. Hurns can play all three receiver spots.

"Knowing coach Fisch's system gave me a great head start,'' Hurns said. "Especially as a rookie, knowing his playbook took a load off me. When you're coming to the line, you don't have to worry about what route do I have to run and what coverage or anything like that.

"I was able to just go out there and play fast.''

The best intangibles Hurns brings are his work ethic and that chip he carries after hearing the names of 33 drafted receivers and getting passed over despite workouts for the Indianapolis Colts, Houston Texans, Carolina Panthers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

"I'm very thankful to Dave Caldwell and Gus Bradley for the opportunity,'' Hurns said. "They took a lot of pressure off. They didn't say, 'You have to beat out this or that guy.' They just let me focus on getting better every day.

"It means a lot that Chad Henne trusted me enough Sunday to get me the ball in key situations.''

At one point, the Jaguars were tied 17-17 after Hurns' 21-yard scoring catch.

"We showed we can do some good things,'' Hurns said. "Now we just have to show we can finish strong.''


(usatoday.com)

By now, we shouldn’t expect anything less from the Jacksonville Jaguars. Still, after he posted 110 yards and two touchdowns last week against the Eagles, Jaguars wide receiver Allen Hurns was on target to be everyone’s next big fantasy star.  Not only did he rack up over 100 yards and pull in multiple touchdowns, Hurns also managed to post that statline by only hauling in four passes on nine targets. His yards per catch was a whopping 27.5.

But, one week later, he’s off to a bit of a rough start. And so are the Jaguars.

On the Jaguars second offensive play from scrimmage, quarterback Chad Henne located a wide-open Hurns down the field. Hurns, isolated and streaking down the field, had already burned his defender, DeAngelo Hall. He was poised to open up the game with a 76-yard touchdown pass.

And for the second straight week, the Jaguars appeared to be on their way to an early lead. Of course, the Jaguars eventually blew a 17-point lead against Philadelphia last week, but hey, who is counting?

On this particular play, the throw from Henne was there; the green space ahead of Hurns was there. It appeared all the glory for Hurns was there. Unfortunately for Hurns and Jaguars fans everywhere, the catch was not there.


Look at that bobble. I’m pretty sure I can count three legitimate attempts at the ball right there.

On the very next play, Henne was sacked by Brian Orakpo and Jason Hatcher and the Jaguars were forced to punt. Not quite the kind of start Gus Bradley was hoping for. Then again, opening up a game with a big lead hasn’t worked out for the team so far this season, so maybe the Jaguars are simply trying to find a new way to lose.

Apparently, this way includes dropping 76-yard touchdown bombs and disappointing fantasy owners everywhere.


(si.com)

JACKSONVILLE, Florida — Jacksonville Jaguars receiver Allen Hurns doesn't want to be a one-week wonder.

Hurns caught four passes for 110 yards and two touchdowns — both in the first quarter — in Sunday's season-opening loss at Philadelphia.

A 6-foot-3 rookie from Miami, Hurns became the first player in NFL history catch two TD passes in the first quarter of his NFL debut.

Hurns and the Jaguars (0-1) insist it wasn't a fluke.

"This league is a show-me league," Hurns said Wednesday as the team prepared to play at Washington (0-1). "You can't do it just one week. You've got to do it every week. You don't want to just do it Week 1 and then you go missing after that."

Hurns has stood out since signing with Jacksonville as an undrafted free agent in May.

Having played under Jaguars offensive coordinator Jedd Fisch at Miami, Hurns knew the playbook cover to cover before he even took a snap in Jacksonville.
"That eliminated all the thinking," Hurns said. "I knew all the routes. I knew all the terminology. I wasn't like, 'Oh, what do I have on this play?'"

Hurns set a single-season school record in 2013 with 1,162 yards receiving, breaking the mark held by Leonard Hankerson. It was a breakout year for sure, but not enough to get him drafted.

He expected to be selected during the second or third day of the draft. Instead, he watched as 33 receivers were chosen during the three-day, seven-round event.

Hurns was disheartened to say the least.

"It was very frustrating," he said.

College and NFL teammate Stephen Morris offered a little more insight, saying the two even recalled their angst over breakfast Wednesday morning.
"He still wakes up and tells himself he'll never know what it felt like to be drafted," Morris said.

As it turned out, it may have been best for Hurns to be a free agent.

Jacksonville Jaguars' Allen Hurns (88) scores a touchdown as Philadelphia Eagles' Nate Allen (29) hangs on during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 7, 2014, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Instead of ending up on a team as a late-round pick and having to learn a new offense and find a niche, he chose to sign with Jacksonville and reunite with Fisch.

It didn't bother him that Jacksonville had two returning starters in Cecil Shorts III and Ace Sanders. And it didn't bother him that Jacksonville had just used second-round picks on fellow receivers Marqise Lee and Allen Robinson.

All Hurns e wanted was a decent chance at making the team.

"Once I got here, I realized I was blessed for this opportunity and I'm trying to take advantage of that," he said.

Hurns started making plays in organized team activities, and after numerous receivers were sidelined with injuries, he really started getting noticed while running with the first-team offense.

He made even more progress during training camp while filling in for injured receivers Shorts and Robinson.

"Constant improvement," Fisch said. "We were excited about him during the draft process and now he's continuing to improve and really hasn't disappointed us at all."

Certainly not in the opener.

With Shorts out because of a hamstring injury, Hurns started and caught a 34-yard touchdown on Jacksonville's second possession and added a 21-yard on the next drive. He made an acrobatic catch on the second one, spinning and grabbing a slant thrown well behind him, before breaking through two tacklers near the goal line and diving into the end zone.

"He understands defenses and how to attack them," quarterback Chad Henne said.

Hurns is a perfectionist, too, which is why two dropped passes in the second half overshadowed all his early success — at least in his mind.

"Those were plays I should have made," he said. "At the end of the day, I dropped two passes. If I would have made those two plays, I would have had a hell of a game."

Still, it was a heck of an opener.

Now, though, Hurns wants it to lead to bigger things and not just be his career highlight.

"He might not have another two-touchdown, first-quarter game, but he's going to be productive," Morris said. "He's not going to be one of those guys who's here for one week and then doesn't show up again. It's going to be every week, week-in, week-out."


(therepublic.com)

No doubt two of the hottest names on the waiver wire Tuesday will be Allen Hurns and Isaiah Crowell. Both are undrafted rookies so unsurprisingly both are unknown commodities, but make no mistake, neither Hurns or Crowell are your typical undrafted rookies.

But the question is, should you burn high waiver wire priorities on either or both or are they this year's Kevin Ogletree (Akbar Gbajabiamila's words not mine!), a guy who in 2012 exploded in Week 1 for eight catches, 114 yards and two touchdowns but would largely be unheard from again.
My quick answer: Invest heavily in Hurns and yes, invest in Crowell as well, but expect that to be the long play.

We'll start with Hurns who went to the U and believe it or not, last year set Miami's single-season record for receiving yards, having passed such luminaries as Andre Johnson and Michael Irvin. Hurns collected 62 catches for 1,162 yards and six touchdowns. (Yes, I know, 1,162 is really the record. I thought it was more as well!) Visual evidence here.

Not only does Hurns have the big-school pedigree and the production, but more importantly he has the size and hands to play at a high level. He's 6-foot-3 and just shy of 200 pounds. I.e. prototypical NFL size ladies and gentlemen.

His overall draft stock was undoubtedly hurt by his measurable athleticism as he ran a pedestrian 4.55 40-yard dash and didn't blow anyone away with any of his other combine results either.

Another cause for concern, and maybe more impactful on his draft status, is a long history of injuries. According to the Florida Times-Union, Hurns tore a meniscus in his knee in high school, a shoulder labrum his sophomore year at Miami, and then a suffered a concussion and a broken thumb his junior year.
The setbacks could have broken many a player, but by all accounts, Hurns is a good kid and was named Miami's team MVP, not just because of his stats but because of his attitude as well.

"Pretty much, the injuries kept me positive because once you go through that, it humbles you in a lot of ways," Hurns told the Florida Times-Union.

And if Hurns was a stock, his arrow would be and has been pointing upwards. He got healthy his senior year, produced, then went to Jags camp, impressed, and as the preseason wore on he got stronger. His efforts were highlighted by a seven-catch, 118-yard effort with a touchdown in his third preseason game.
And even though Jags' running back Toby Gerhart warned the fantasy community to watch out for Hurns (fast forward to the 2:10 mark), we didn't listen. And then Sunday happened and holy smokes.

His first NFL catch was a 34-yard touchdown strike from Chad Henne. His second professional catch was also a score, but this time he adjusted beautifully to a ball thrown hard behind him, spun and fought off TWO defenders to fight his way into the end zone.

Maybe I buried the lead here a bit, but the reason Hurns chose Jacksonville and the reason the rookie is picking up the offense so quickly is because of Jags' offensive coordinator Jedd Fisch.

Fisch was Hurns' offensive coordinator at Miami his sophomore and junior seasons.

It's always tough to trust rookie wideouts but the reason I like Hurns is the same reason I like Kelvin Benjamin. It's a passing league and the balls have to go somewhere right? Who else does Jacksonville have? Justin Blackmon is out, Cecil Shorts is banged up and just average anyways, Hurns is essentially competing against fellow rookies Marquis Lee and Allen Robinson. I like them odds.

Add with confidence as an immediate flex starter in 12-team leagues and an awesome bye week, fill-in guy for everyone else with the upside to be a legit WR2.


(nfl.com)

Every Tuesday we will wrap up the all the action from the previous week’s NFL action.

The Streak: Four proCanes scored (Allen Hurns (2 TDs), Greg Olsen (1 TD), Travis Benjamin (1 TD), Lamar Miller (1 TD)) to extend the TD Streak to 7 straight weeks a proCane has scored an NFL touchdown. As reminder the record is 149 straight weeks.

Allen Hurns, Jaguars: Hurns caught four passes for 110 yards and two touchdowns. He became the first undrafted rookie to catch two touchdowns in his first game since the New York Giants’ Bobby Johnson in 1984. Two catches, two touchdowns, Hurns became the second NFL rookie to ever do that, joining Detroit’s Charles Rogers. Hurns also ended up playing the 2nd most amount of snaps among WRs behind Antonio Brown. Hurns has out-produced both receivers the Jaguars selected in the second round of the NFL draft in May. Not bad for an undrafted rookie

Andre Johnson, Texans: Johnson moved past Redskins legend Art Monk into 16th place in NFL history in receiving yards. Johnson, who hauled in six passes for 93 yards, has 12,754 yards in his 12 professional seasons.

Frank Gore, 49ers : Gore just the 29th running back in NFL history to reach the 10,000-yard mark, and just the 10th to eclipse the milestone with one franchise. With a four-yard run in the third quarter, Gore became one of just three active running backs in the 10,000-yard club. He is also just the second #proCane to do it; Edgerrin James ranks 10th all-time with 12,279 yards.

Devin Hester, Falcons: The Falcons promised to use Hester also as a WR this season, and so far they have fulfilled that promise. Hester caught 5-of-6 targets for 99 yards in the Falcons' Week 1 win over the Saints.

Seantrel Henderson, Bills: Henderson, who was drafted in seventh round of the year’s NFL Draft started his first NFL game in week 1 beating out 2nd round Bills draft pick Cyrus Kouandjo.

Greg Olsen: 8 catches, 83 yards, 1 TD
Allen Bailey: 2 tackles, 1 sack, 1 TFL
Reggie Wayne: Back from injury: 9 catches, 98 yards
Vince Wilfork: Back from injury: 2 tackles

Expect Allen Hurns to rank among the week's hottest pickups, but before you race to the wire to claim him, consider just how improbable his Week 1 performance was. Among NFL wide receiver debuts, Hurns' 23 fantasy points tied for sixth all time:

Wide receivers in NFL debuts:
1. Anquan Boldin (Cardinals), 2003 Week 1, 31 points versus Lions.
2. Louis Lipps (Steelers), 1984 Week 1, 30 points versus Chiefs.
3. Jim Brim (Vikings), 1987 Week 3, 29 points versus Packers. He was a replacement player during the three-week player strike.
4 (tied). Bobby Johnson (Giants), 1984 Week 1, 25 points versus Eagles.
4 (tied). Rick Upchurch (Broncos), 1975 Week 1, 25 points versus Chiefs.
6. Mike Siani (Raiders), 1972 Week 1, 23 points versus Steelers.

What makes Hurns stand out among this group was that he went undrafted, putting him in exclusive territory. Among the 10 greatest debuts from wide receivers in fantasy terms, six came from players during the 1987 strike. Only four undrafted wide receivers since that 1987 strike year managed at least 10 fantasy points in their debuts, and their rest-of-year stories are rather diverse:

1. Doug Baldwin (Seahawks), 2011, 14 points versus 49ers Baldwin did enjoy two better games than this in 2011, scoring 19 points in Week 5 and 15 in Week 14, and he averaged 6.2 fantasy points per game en route to 99 total, good for 38th at the position.

2. Danario Alexander (Rams), 2010, 13 points versus Chargers His was the only one that didn't occur in Week 1 -- his debut occurred in Week 6, as he bounced between free agency, the practice squad and active roster partly due to injury concerns in college -- but he couldn't replicate the performance the rest of the year, twice scoring nine points (Weeks 12 and 16) but ultimately totaling just 34 fantasy points in eight games all year.

3. Andre Brown (Dolphins), 1989, 11 points versus Bills He's not the ex-New York Giant, he's the University of Miami wide receiver who played for the Miami Dolphins from 1989-90. Brown scored 16 fantasy points in Week 8 and 13 in Week 11, averaging 5.5 points per game during the year but missing three contests.

4. Oronde Gadsden (Dolphins), 1998, 10 points versus Colts His point total came on one 44-yard TD catch. He failed to crack double digits in any of the Dolphins' next six games, before emerging as a viable fantasy option after that. Gadsden managed three more double-digit games -- 12 in Week 9, 16 in Week 12 and 11 in Week 17 -- and averaged 6.4 points per game for the season.

Hurns made the Jacksonville Jaguars' roster on the strength of his preseason -- in particular his seven catches for 113 yards and a score during their third game -- and earned his opening-week start after Cecil Shorts was scratched with a hamstring injury. Whether Hurns' opportunity will remain as large following Shorts' return is the question; Week 2 might be the best test. After all, after catching four of his five targets for 110 yards and both of his scores before halftime, Hurns went without a catch on his three targets during the second half.


(espn.com)

PHILADELPHIA | When you talk to a veteran about a rookie in August, usually you will hear a familiar phrase.

Something to the effect of: “We’ll have to see him do it when it counts.”

Jaguars rookie receiver Allen Hurns showed he can do it when it counts Sunday. Hurns continued his unlikely climb on the offensive priority list in the team’s 34-17 loss to the Eagles.

The former University of Miami standout caught four passes for 110 yards and two touchdowns. He became the first undrafted rookie to catch two touchdowns in his first game since the New York Giants’ Bobby Johnson in 1984.

These weren’t garbage time catches either. Hurns helped the Jaguars grab a 17-0 lead at halftime.

“He’s a baller and he’s only going to get better,” Jaguars tight end Marcedes Lewis said. “He doesn’t let the pressure get to him. He was amazing.”

The 6-foot-3, 195-pound Hurns scored his first touchdown showing his speed and crisp route running. He easily beat cornerback Cary Williams on a post pattern that quarterback Chad Henne was a bit late on throwing. Hurns slowed but was still able to catch the ball in the end zone, despite Williams pushing him down as the ball arrived.

On Hurns’ second scoring grab, he ran a shorter post route and Henne threw the ball significantly behind him. Hurns made the adjustment to reach back and catch the ball. He then kept enough speed and power to drag safety Nate Allen and linebacker DeMeco Ryans the final three yards into the end zone.

Two catches, two touchdowns. Hurns became the second NFL rookie to ever do that, joining Detroit’s Charles Rogers.

Hurns seems to be a gift from the football gods to amend for years of bad karma for the Jaguars when it comes to disappointing receivers.

To Henne’s credit, he quickly built a strong chemistry with Hurns in the early stages of the offseason program.

“I kind of figured out all along that he’s a playmaker,” Henne said. “He showed today that he is. We’re going to keep giving him opportunities.”

Henne’s trust in Hurns is so strong that with the offense backed up at its 1-yard line, he threw deep. Hurns responded with a 46-yard grab down the sideline, a gain that led to a field goal.

“I’m really excited about his development and where we can go with him,” Henne said. “If he keeps making those plays, he’s going to be one of our go-to guys.”

He already is.

Hurns hasn’t been fazed at any stage of his first several months in the NFL. He led the NFL with 232 receiving yards in the preseason.

Sure, there were rookie moments for Hurns. He dropped two passes in the second half. One was on a deep sideline route on a ball perfectly delivered by Henne. On another, Hurns got drilled over the middle as the ball arrived.

Those were the plays Hurns remembered most. He never smiled in his postgame press conference up on the podium in front of dozens of reporters.
He had made history, but you would have never known it.

“I am not too excited about it at all,” Hurns said. “I feel like I can improve even more. There were two catches that I know I could have caught that is getting to me a little bit, but I know I can learn from them.”

Hurns has out-produced both receivers the Jaguars selected in the second round of the NFL draft in May. Lee caught six passes for 62 yards in his debut. However, three of those catches (for 36 yards) were in the final minute with the Eagles leading by 17.

Robinson, who missed every preseason game with a hamstring injury, caught one pass for no gain.

The (good) dilemma for the Jaguars is that it’s difficult for an offense to have four wide receivers getting a bunch of targets. Veteran Cecil Shorts remains the team’s top option for now when he’s able to play. The Jaguars also must continue to push Lee and Robinson to develop into the players they envisioned when they invested so highly in them.

One of those three could have to take a back seat at some point. Hurns shows no signs of not being an impact player for the offense.

After one game, he stands 756 yards and four touchdowns away from owning the team's rookie records in both categories.


(jacksonville.com)

Jaguars UDFA Allen Hurns is expected to open the season as the team's No. 3 receiver, behind Cecil Shorts and Marqise Lee.
Shorts is the X and Lee the Z receiver in two-wide sets. In the three-wides, we suspect Lee will move inside to the slot, with Shorts and Hurns on the outside. Hurns beat out Mike Brown for the No. 3 role, although he will soon be pushed by recovering second-rounder Allen Robinson (hamstring). Despite Hurns' big August, Robinson is by far the superior stash in Dynasty leagues.


(rotoworld.com)

Lost in the shimmering glow radiating from Blake Bortles' preseason performance has been the play of another Jacksonville Jaguars rookie: Allen Hurns.

Twelve receivers were taken in the first two rounds of the 2014 NFL Draft, including two in the second by the Jags themselves in Marqise Lee and Allen Robinson. The undrafted Hurns has outperformed them all.

In three preseason games, Hurns has 13 catches for 230 yards (leading all receivers) for a 17.7-yard average. Playing with the starting unit in last week's preseason game, Hurns looked fantastic, going for 113 yards on seven catches and a touchdown.

"He has good instincts and is really driven," Bradley said, per The Florida Times-Union. "We saw it in OTAs -- some of the quarterbacks said they really like him. They felt like this guy is a diamond in the rough. Just trust us on this. He has some talent. I think the cool thing for him was it was against the ones. He went out there and performed at that level."

While preseason stats and hype mean nothing once the real games start, Hurns has shown he should be on the field from the jump. Considering the Jaguars' injury concerns and the lack of a No. 1 playmaker, Hurns has displayed a rapport with his quarterbacks, an ability to run NFL routes and make catches in traffic.

In an offense full of youth, Hurns already looks like a keeper.


(nfl.com)

Five receivers were selected in the first round of May's draft.

None are having as productive a preseason as Jaguars undrafted rookie Allen Hurns, a former Miami standout.

Actually, no receiver in the NFL can touch Hurns' preseason output. The 22-year-old Hurns has caught 13 passes for a league-best 230 yards and one touchdown through the first three preseason games. He's averaging 17.7 yards per catch. Hurns has 45 more receiving yards than any other player in the league.

Jaguars coach Gus Bradley has been impressed with Hurns' play, but also the manner in which he has handled his early success.

"Really good," Bradley said. "I just talked to him in the locker room [Sunday]. He just feels that there are so many other areas that he can get better at. I think for him he just wants to do everything right, not to let his teammates down. He goes out there at practice. He wants to be perfect. He doesn't want to be in the wrong place and almost a perfectionist in many ways."

The 6-foot-3, 195-pound Hurns shined in the third preseason game at Detroit on Friday, catching seven passes for 113 yards and a touchdown. Most of his production came against Detroit's first-team defense.

"He has good instincts and is really driven," Bradley said. "We saw it in OTAs – some of the quarterbacks said they really like him. They felt like this guy is a diamond in the rough. Just trust us on this. He has some talent. I think the cool thing for him was it was against the ones. He went out there and performed at that level."


(jacksonville.com)

Of course Allen Hurns was mad.

Hurns thought he would be selected somewhere in the middle of May’s NFL Draft after finishing his senior season at the University of Miami with the school’s single-season receiving record (1,162 yards). But as he sat at home and watched the three-day event, he saw 33 other wide receivers get drafted instead of him.

He grew upset as the sixth round went on, but hoped nobody picked him in the seventh and final round. Going undrafted would mean he could choose which team he would play for, and that might mean reconnecting with former UM offensive coordinator Jedd Fisch, now the offensive coordinator in Jacksonville.

After the draft, Hurns received offers from other teams, including Dallas and Houston, but signed with the Jaguars. He knew the offense there, and he had noticed that their roster was lacking in established veterans at the position, increasing his chances of making the team.

Going undrafted motivated Hurns, and it allowed him to select the perfect place for him to channel his frustration.

And choosing Jacksonville turned out to be an even better decision than Hurns could know. Second-round pick Allen Robinson and Cecil Shorts III have been sidelined with leg injuries, while Ace Sanders has been absent from camp and is suspended for the first four games of the season. That has meant more opportunities for Hurns, and he has taken advantage.

Through the first three exhibition games, Hurns has 13 catches for 250 yards and a touchdown.

“It’s unfortunate the injuries we had at wide receiver, but because of that, it creates opportunity,” Jaguars coach Gus Bradley told the media earlier in training camp. “Allen Hurns got reps with the ones, and you saw him go against our corners and he caught our eye, and now he’s really catching our eye.”

Hurns said other players have come to him during camp to ask about the playbook, and added that his experience with the scheme has helped him be more versatile.

“At any time, I could play all three [wide receiver] positions because I was in Coach Fisch’s offense,” he said. “I feel like coming in knowing the playbook takes a lot of pressure off.”

Hurns survived the first round of required cuts Tuesday, as Jacksonville released receivers Lamaar Thomas, Ramses Barden and Kenny Shaw to get down to 75 players as the NFL requires. All teams must announce their final 53-man roster by 4 p.m. on Saturday.


(miamiherald.com)

There are currently 90 players on each NFL roster and each team has to get down to 75 by next Tuesday and then to the final 53 a week from Saturday.

The undrafted rookie free agents are all trying to beat the odds because only a handful of them usually make the opening day roster.

Last year, the Jaguars had just three make it – defensive tackle Abry Jones, linebacker LaRoy Reynolds and long snapper Carson Tinker – even though they were rebuilding the roster.

This year, there appears to be only one undrafted rookie – wide receiver Allen Hurns – who doesn’t have to sweat out the final cuts although at least three others, tight end D. J. Tialavea, cornerback Rashaad Reynolds, and tackle Josh Wells, who’s currently injured, appear to have a shot at making it.

Hurns had one major thing going for him when he signed with the Jaguars after the draft. He was familiar with offensive coordinator Jedd Fisch’s offense because Fisch spent two years at the University of Miami as the offensive coordinator when Hurns was there.

The Miami native then got a rare opportunity with the Jaguars because so many of the receivers went down with injuries that he was thrust into the starting lineup for the first two preseason games.

Coach Gus Bradley said, “It’s unfortunate the injuries we had at wide receiver, but because of that, it creates opportunity. Allen Hurns got reps with the ones and you saw him go against our corners and he caught our eye and now he’s really catching our eye doing a nice job.’’

Hurns has made big plays in each of the first two preseason games, catching a 24-yarder against Tampa Bay and a 45-yarder on the final play of the first half in Chicago.

For the two games, he has leads the team in catches (six), receiving yardage (117), average per catch (19. 5 yards) and longest catch (45).

Bradley said, “Sometimes with these rookies, you’re looking for the maturity level. You’re looking for how they grasp the offense. How well do they come into a whole new environment, how well do they compete? And it seemed like he was ahead of the curve and he was intriguing.’’

He then impressed the coaches with his play on the field.

Bradley said his reaction “Wow, this kid’s got some talent.’’

Bradley added, “By the end of the OTAs [organized team activities], he was almost like a diamond in the rough. He’s done some pretty good things and he’s really taking advantage of his opportunities. I think a big thing is that he can play multiple [receiver] positions.’’

Wide receiver coach Jerry Sullivan said, “He’s got great football IQ. He’s very coachable and faster than you think. He has strong hands, a tough kid, blocker and he’s getting better as a route runner.’’

When Sullivan was asked about his potential, he said, “Potential isn’t any good unless you’re doing it and he’s doing it.’’

Of his thoughts when he first saw him, Sullivan said, “I never get into a lot of prejudgment. I just kind of watch them and see what they do. How they respond. You can get into over judging guys and who’s supposed to do this and that. I just watch and see what they can do. He has a real inner urgency into wanting to excel. He’s very calm and listens to what you have to say and then tries to implement it. That coachability is so important.’’

Hurns has also impressed his fellow wide receivers.

Cecil Shorts said, “He’s very smart, a hard worker, very humble. He understands what he needs to get done and does it. He has a hunger to get better. He has improved tremendously from when he first got there.’’

Kerry Taylor said it helped that Hurns spent two years in the offense in Miami so he could concentrate on the challenge of learning techniques when he arrived in Jacksonville.

“He has all the physical tools. He’s real coachable. He does everything the coaches ask of him. When you have all those tools and work hard, you can do everything,’’ Taylor said.

And Hurns has good rapport with QB Chad Henne.

“I really like him,’’ Henne said. “He’s been in this offense for three years [counting the two in Miami]. He’s coming into his own. He runs routes, is quarterback friendly. He understands where to be in the right situations. He’s made some really big plays this preseason, so we keep pushing him along and getting him better each and every day. If he’s there for the taking, we give him the ball. He’s very good getting off press coverage and getting open for the quarterback.’’

At Miami last year, he was named the team’s MVP as he played in 13 games, started 11 an caught 63 passes for 1162 yards.

But he was had some injury issues in college, including tearing the labrum in both shoulders, and he’s not a speed burner. He was invited to the combine and labeled a late round pick, but wound up getting bypassed in the draft.

He said the snub was “very devastating’’ but he said it “gave me motivation and kept me humble.’’


(jacksonville.com)

Undrafted wide receiver Allen Hurns is not only making a case to earn a spot on the Jacksonville Jaguars' 53-man roster, but he could find himself earning meaningful regular-season snaps if he keeps playing at his current level.

Against the Chicago Bears in the second week of preseason action, Hurns flashed playmaking potential on a national stage.

But for those who have been watching him through Jaguars training camp, he's already begun to make a name for himself.

Always look for undrafted FAs who may make it. Here at #Jaguars at least 2 in position for it: WR Allen Hurns (Miami) & OL Josh Wells (JMU)

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 12, 2014

The former University of Miami receiver got his shot early on in the Jaguars' mandatory minicamp when rookies Marqise Lee and Allen Robinson as well as veteran Cecil Shorts were sidelined with injuries.

On June 19, receiving time with the first-team offense, he made a one-handed catch on a Chad Henne pass in a red-zone 11-on-11 drill that impressed his teammates.

"Allen Hurns had a heck of a camp," Henne told Fox Sports Florida's Ken Hornack. "He's a big, strong receiver and understands the offense ... Just a really reliable guy."

At practice on August 1, Henne squeezed the ball into a tight window and Hurns made the grab, as seen in this Vine from the team's Twitter:

Henne to @a1hurns. #JagsCamp https://t.co/TRRTVrKBVq

— Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) August 1, 2014

After Ace Sanders' suspension was announced and Tandon Doss sprained his ankle, the door opened a little wider for Hurns, who earned the start alongside Lee against the Bears on Thursday.

At 6'3" and 195 pounds, Hurns is one of the tallest receivers currently on the Jaguars' roster. He led the Hurricanes in receptions (62) and receiving yards (1,162) in 2013, and was second in scoring with six touchdowns.

NFL.com indicates he ran a 4.55-second 40-yard dash at the combine and posted a 31-inch vertical jump.

His pedestrian speed is part of what caused him to tumble out of the draft, but the Jaguars don't need him to be a burner to be successful.
Without top speed, if Hurns can prove he's a reliable option on quick slants and has the hands to catch anything thrown his way, he can make a serious case for a spot on the 53. 

Hornack notes Hurns has learned all three receiver positions used by the Jaguars, which becomes a huge advantage while Robinson remains out with a hamstring injury. Ryan O'Halloran of the The Florida Times-Union reported that Robinson may not be available for "a few more weeks." Shorts missed the preseason action against Chicago as well.

Spending two years with Jacksonville offensive coordinator Jedd Fisch in Miami has also given Hurns a leg up through camp. "I had a good relationship with Jedd Fisch," he told Hornack. "I know his playbook. So coming in, that put me a step ahead."

Hurns was Jacksonville's leading receiver Thursday evening against Chicago, finishing the night with four receptions for 74 yards, including a 45-yard bomb from Blake Bortles with one second to go in the second quarter.

In the first half, Hurns helped the Jaguars convert two third downs, including one from Henne for 10 yards on 3rd-and-8 at the Chicago 19-yard line that set up a six-yard Lee touchdown.

ESPN.com's Michael DiRocco expects the Jaguars to carry six receivers into the regular season. With Shorts, Lee and Robinson as virtual locks for the top three spots, and Mike Brown having a solid offseason, Hurns is proving himself worthy of one of the two remaining spots.


(bleacherreport.com)

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- It's not as bad as it was in June for the Jacksonville Jaguars receivers, but it's getting close.

Two more went down on Thursday -- Tandon Doss (severely sprained right ankle) and Allen Robinson (right hamstring tightness) -- which leaves the team with only eight healthy receivers. Only three have caught a pass in a game, and one of those has only appeared in two games.

That's not exactly the best environment in which to groom your future franchise quarterback, but it is an opportunity for some younger players to make their case for the final roster spots.

That's what happened during the team's nine organized team activities (OTAs) and three-day minicamp. At one point the Jaguars were without seven receivers because of various injuries, which forced the few remaining healthy bodies to increase their workload. Allen Hurns, Chad Bumphis and Kerry Taylor were the three who benefited the most.

Hurns, an undrafted rookie from Miami, wasn't getting many reps until the injuries started to pile up. The more work he got, the more he impressed the coaching staff, and he eventually earned a spot on the training camp roster.

Bumphis spent time on practice squads in Miami and Denver before signing with the Jaguars on Dec. 9. Like Hurns, he wasn't expected to get much work but found himself running with the first team because of the injuries.

Taylor, whom the Jaguars signed off Arizona's practice squad on Nov. 4, caught 19 passes and started four games. By the end of minicamp he was the team's top receiver. He has had a good start to this camp and likely will get most of the first-team reps, along with Mike Brown, because of the injuries.

"I guess if there's any positives in any of [the injuries], I guess maybe that [extra reps for young receivers] is it," said Brown, who is the most experienced healthy receiver (32 catches in 13 games). "But there's kind of a lot of camp left, a lot of opportunities to learn for all of us. We'll get better each and every day. We'll go out there and compete and whichever way the cards fall is the way we'll have to play it."

The Jaguars will most likely lean the most on Marqise Lee, who like Robinson was a second-round draft pick. The former USC standout has earned praise from quarterback Chad Henne for playing with the poise of a veteran when it comes to understanding routes and coverages.

"We just had a lot of help," Lee said. "Mike, Cecil [Shorts], Ace [Sanders], they were on our backs from the get-go as far as just helping us and make sure we know what we have to do as far as play-wise. That's basically what they're doing right now and that's why we're looking a little bit more comfortable than we were in OTAs because we're finally getting it a little bit, thanks to them."

As long as he can stay healthy, that is.


(espn.com)

Is there an undrafted rookie who could be a surprise survivor? The best candidate would be receiver Allen Hurns, who benefited from the rash of injuries at receiver during OTAs and minicamp. Hurns got a significant amount of reps -- much more than he would have gotten had the team not been without seven receivers at one point -- and he earned a training camp invite. His familiarity with Fisch's offense from their time at Miami obviously helped, too. If he is to make the team then it will mean one of the other veterans -- likely Kerry Taylor or Tandon Doss -- won't.


(espn.com)

Despite setting a University of Miami single-season record for receiving yards as a senior, the 6-foot-3 Hurns never heard his name announced at the podium in New York in May. But when second-round picks Marqise Lee and Allen Robinson were sidelined by injuries throughout the Jaguars' organized team activities and minicamp, Hurns often found himself working with what might be viewed as the first-string offense. Coach Gus Bradley raved about what he saw from him.


(foxsports.com)

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Before becoming the first wide receiver in NFL history with five seasons of at least 100 catches, Wes Welker wasn't even one of the 255 players drafted in 2004.

Allen Hurns has a long way to go before reaching anything close to that sort of lofty status with the Jacksonville Jaguars. But based on what he showed during their organized team activities and this week's three-day mandatory minicamp, the undrafted free agent from the University of Miami stands an excellent chance of sticking around for some time to come.

With veterans Cecil Shorts III and Tandon Doss both sidelined by calf injuries and second-round draft picks Marqise Lee (ankle) and Allen Robinson (hamstring) also out, Hurns has gotten plenty of work with what could be regarded as the first-string offense. The one-handed snag he made Thursday of a pass from Chad Henne in a red-zone 11-on-11 drill was just the latest case of him leaving a positive impression with teammates and coaches.

"Allen Hurns had a heck of a camp," Henne said. "I'm excited to see what he does in training camp once we get the pads on. He's a big, strong receiver and understands the offense .... Just a really reliable guy."

"Obviously we wish they could have practiced," coach Gus Bradley said of the four injured receivers. "But in the OTAs and the minicamp, you're trying to evaluate everybody. And I will say it has given us a chance. A guy like Hurns has stepped up because of it."

Hurns, who had 60 receptions for 1,138 yards and six touchdowns with the Hurricanes as a senior, is following a path similar to fellow Jaguars wide receiver Mike Brown. One big difference is that Brown was a quarterback in college when he was signed in 2012.

"Coming in as an undrafted free agent, you're not looking to get that many reps," Hurns said. "But when some guys go down and you get an opportunity, you've got to make the most of it."

Stephen Morris, his quarterback at Miami, was among the additional free agents signed last month by the Jaguars. But that wasn't as much of a determining factor to Hurns as the presence of offensive coordinator Jedd Fisch, who held the same position with the Hurricanes for two years (2011-12).

"I had a good relationship with Jedd Fisch," he said. "I know his playbook. So coming in, that put me a step ahead. Also, I looked at their roster and saw they had a lot of guys coming in that were new and not that many veterans."

With Justin Blackmon still suspended by the league and his return to the Jaguars very much in doubt, Shorts and Brown are their only remaining wide receivers from before the hiring of Bradley. The only position coach left on the staff of the team that went 2-14 in 2012 is wide receivers coach Jerry Sullivan.
Hurns' attention to detail has earned him praise in the past several weeks.

"He's a great listener," Shorts said. "Coach Sullivan comes to him and tells him a certain route technique, and he goes out there and does it."

"I take pride in that," Hurns said. "As a receiver, I don't like making mistakes, because one mistake can cause interceptions and things like that. So I just look up to Cecil and listen to my coaches. That helps me a lot."

The 6-foot-3, 195-pound Hurns has learned all three wide receiver positions used by the Jaguars. Even with Shorts, Doss, Lee and Robinson expected to be ready when training camp opens in five weeks, that versatility should make him an asset.

Any stigma he might have had after going undrafted is now a thing of the past.

"It adds a lot of motivation when you're not drafted," he said. "You always see yourself as being drafted. But once you get here, it all goes out the door. You're just working to be the best person you can."

"I don't know what the other 31 teams were thinking," Shorts said. "But I know one thing: He's doing a great job. He's not worried about whether he was drafted or not drafted or whatever. He's out there having fun. He's out there competing, which is our culture."

Hurns hasn't decided whether to go back to Miami and work with Morris in the weeks ahead or stay in Jacksonville. One event which is definitely on his planner is a camp July 6-11 in Minnesota run by Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald. Shorts attended that last season with several of his Jaguars teammates.

Bradley cut short the final day of minicamp as a reward for what he described as "a more mature team than we were last year." The Jaguars went 4-12 a year ago and, following the release Thursday of defensive end Jason Babin, have only two players older than 30 -- kicker Josh Scobee and defensive end Chris Clemons.

"We've got to transfer from excellent football to football excellence during training camp," Bradley said. "That's our objective."


(foxsports.com)

Wide receiver Allen Hurns, an undrafted free agent from Miami, has really benefited from the extended playing time he has gotten because of the injuries at receiver. At one point seven receivers were out, and though Mike Brown and Ace Sanders have returned Hurns continues to get reps with the first-team offense. "Allen Hurns has really caught our eye [as] a guy that can play multiple positions [at receiver]," coach Gus Bradley said Wednesday. "We'll see how he handles it when we put the pads on." Hurns made a couple of nice catches during 11-on-11 drills. He's intriguing because of his size (6-foot-3, 196 pounds), which would make him the team's second-biggest receiver behind Allen Robinson (6-3, 210) if he were to make the 53-man roster.


(espn.com)

During his first three years at the University of Miami, Allen Hurns was a part-time starter and a full-time visitor to the training room.

Actually, it started in high school when Hurns tore the meniscus in his knee.

And with the Hurricanes, there was labrum surgery after the 2011 season and a concussion and broken thumb during the 2012 season.

But finally healthy last year, Hurns played all 13 games and had 62 catches for a UM single-season record 1,162 yards and six touchdowns.

“I felt early on it was going to be a good year because it was the first time I had an offseason. I was always delayed because of surgeries and injuries,” he said.

Hurns (6-2, 198) ran the 40-yard dash in 4.55 seconds at the scouting combine and wasn’t one of the 33 receivers drafted.

Hurns signed with the Jaguars even though they drafted Marqise Lee and Allen Robinson in the second round, hoping his familiarity with offensive coordinator Jedd Fisch (Miami’s play-caller during Hurns’ sophomore and junior years) helps him make an impact during camp.

Hurns said he never went through a down period after any of his injuries.

“Pretty much, the injuries kept me positive because once you go through that, it humbles you in a lot of ways,” he said. “Each time, it gave me motivation to bounce back and work harder. I just kept thinking about how the game had been taken away from me.”


(jacksonville.com)

Miami (FL) UDFA WR Allen Hurns signed with the Jaguars due to his familiarity with OC Jedd Fisch, the Hurricanes' old offensive coordinator.
As did Miami (FL) QB Stephen Morris. Hurns (6-foot-1 1/4, 198) made 26 starts for the 'Canes, racking up 121 career catches for 1,891 yards (15.6 YPR) and 14 touchdowns. He was a second-team All-ACC selection as a senior. Hurns ran 4.55 at the Combine with an underwhelming 31-inch vertical and 10-foot broad jump. A lightweight college deep threat who lacks ideal long speed and physicality to his game, Hurns would do well to become a contributing NFL wideout. The odds are ultimately against it.


(rotoworld.com)

David Gilbert and Luther Robinson – signed NFL contracts Monday.

Gilbert signed a contract with the Tennessee Titans where he will play outside linebacker, which is moving to a “hybrid” 3-4 defense. Gilbert had tried out for the Titans last week, as did AJ Highsmith who was not signed.

Luther Robinson signed a rookie deal with the Green Bay Packers, where he is listed as a defensive end.

Here is the full list of NFL proCane Rookies and where they have signed.

RG Brandon Linder: drafted 3rd round, 93rd overall by Jacksonville
P Pat O’Donnell: drafted 6th round, 191st overall by Chicago
OT Seantrel Henderson: drafted 7th round, 237th overall by Buffalo
QB Stephen Morris: signed with Jacksonville
WR Allen Hurns: signed with Jacksonville
Basketball player Erik Swoope: signed with Indianapolis to play TE
TE Asante Cleveland: signed with San Francisco
OG/C Jared Wheeler: signed with Carolina
FB Maurice Hagens: signed with Atlanta
DT Justin Renfrow: signed with Arizona
LB Jimmy Gaines: signed with Buffalo
S A.J. Highsmith: had Tennessee tryout, but was not signed, will workout with San Francisco
S Kacy Rodgers II: will try out with Kansas City this weekend
LB Tyrone Cornelius: will try out with Washington this weekend
DT Curtis Porter: signed with Oakland
DE Shayon Green: signed with Miami

Three NFL proCanes were drafted this past weekend during the NFL Draft, while 11 other proCanes signed Free Agent Contracts.

3rd Round, 93rd pick overall: Brandon Linder, Jacksonville Jaguars.
6th Round, 191st pick overall: Pat O’Donnell, Chicago Bears
7th Round, 237th pick overall: Seantrel Henderson, Buffalo Bills

Free Agent Signings:

Stephen Morris, Jacksonville Jaguars
Allen Hurns, Jacksonville Jaguars
Maurice Hagens, Atlanta Falcons
Jared Wheeler, Carolina Panthers
Justin Renfrow, Arizona Cardinals
Shayon Green, Miami Dolphins
Jimmy Gaines, Buffalo Bills
AJ Highsmith, San Francisco 49ers
Curtis Porter, Oakland Raiders
Asante Cleveland, San Francisco 49ers
Erik Swoope, Indianapolis Colts

One scout said he was impressed that Allen Hurns’ yards per catch jumped dramatically from 11.2 as a junior to 18.7 as a senior. “Maybe he’s a No. 4 or No. 5 receiver,” the scout said. “I would consider him in the fifth, sixth round.”

Mayock said Hurns’ issue “is that he's got average size and speed. I don't see him separating in man‑to‑man press coverage very easily.  He's not overly big or fast.  So how does he fit in?  He's got to be crafty; he's got to run great routes.”


(miamiherald.com)

Though it's certainly low on the positions of need, the Bengals may still be in the market for a receiver late in this year's NFL Draft. While A.J. Green. Marvin Jones and Mohamed Sanu are likely opening the 2014 season as the starting three.

After that, Brandon Tate, Cobi Hamilton Ryan Whalen and Dane Sanzenbacher will battle for 3-4 more roster spots. Tate, Whalen and Sanzenbacher all have just one year left on their deals, do adding a late-round or undrafted WR would be ideal.

Could Miami's Allen Hurns be on the Bengals' radar?

According to Sun Sentinel writer Christy Chirinos, Hurns had a private workout with the Bengals, in which he felt he "dominated" the workout. He'll need to dominate all of his workouts, as most projected him as a late-round or undrafted prospect.

In 2013, Hurns played in all 13 games at receiver, making 11 starts and leading the team in receptions (62) and receiving yards (1,162) and second on team with six TD receptions. He set single-season school record with 1,162 receiving yards, breaking mark previously held by Leonard Hankerson, and his 62 receptions are the third-most in single-season at UM.



But there are a lot of holes in Hurns' game. He's not a great route-runner, and he has far too many drops. Watching his tape, it's clear he's too inconsistent to warrant anything more than a late 6th-round pick. It didn't help that he played with the enigmatic Stephen Morris.

Speaking of which, Morris is working with QB guru Tom House, the same person tutoring Andy Dalton this offseason. It may be a chance for Morris to talk to Dalton about Hurns and what he can bring to the Bengals, or it may be nothing more than a coincidence.

That said, the Bengals are very quiet and particular when it comes to who they host for private workouts. Hurns will be a name to watch in the 6th and 7th rounds and afterwards if he goes undrafted.


(cincyjungle.com)

Allen Hurns, trying to improve his 40-yard dash time, ran a 4.55 Thursday — the same he time he turned in at the combine. “A lot of people want to characterize you on your 40-yard dash and things like that, but I want to show teams I can do it all,” Hurns said.

Hurns said he felt like he dominated private workouts for the Texans and Bengals. He said he has been training with Pete Bommarito along with 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick and Browns receivers Greg Little and Josh Gordon and gained six pounds from the end of the season (he weighs 198 now) while trimming his body fat down from 5.3 to 4.2 percent.


(miamiherald.com)

Five Miami Hurricanes have accepted invitations to participate at the 2014 NFL Scouting Combine, while will be held Feb. 22-25 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. The four-day combine will be televised live on NFL Network.

QB Stephen Morris, OG Brandon Linder, OT Seantrel Henderson, WR Allen Hurns and P Pat O'Donnell will be among the more than 300 prospects evaluated by all 32 NFL teams. Linder, Henderson and O’Donnell will work out on Feb. 22, while Morris and Hurns will work out Feb. 23.