Who Should I Start? Emari Demercado or LeQuint Allen Jr.

Thursday, April 23, 6:07 AM

Jacksonville Jaguars running back LeQuint Allen Jr. handled only 33 touches as a seventh-round rookie in 2025, but he found the field with regularity for what he offered as a pass protector. Among qualified halfbacks, only Denver's Tyler Badie had a better pass blocking grade according to PFF, and it was actually Allen, and not the more highly touted Bhayshul Tuten, who saw the team's second-most total running back snaps behind the recently departed Travis Etienne Jr. Jacksonville signed Chris Rodriguez Jr. to a two-year, $10 million deal, but he profiles more as a between the tackles plodder whose four targets and three receptions in 2025 both marked career highs. While Rodriguez will have an obvious role on early downs and near the goal line, Etienne's 47 vacated targets will likely be divvied up between Allen and Tuten, and with the former coming into the league with one of the best receiving profiles in a loaded 2025 rookie running back class, it would stand to reason that he can turn the trust he's already earned from his coaches into an expanded role in the passing game. Where things could get interesting is in this week's NFL Draft, where the Jaguars hold 11 picks and could still consider running back a top need. While the position does not profile as a strength of this draft class, Allen's positioning in the room is already tenuous as a late-round pick himself, and any selection at the position could block his path to even the minor breakout some are calling for.