Jaguars' Arik Armstead Earns Votes in ESPN Ranking of Top Defensive Linemen

The Jacksonville Jaguars added a potential game-changer along the defensive line this season, scooping up the former San Francisco 49ers defensive lineman Arik Armstead in free agency.

And while Armstead didn't find himself in the top-10 of a recent ESPN ranking of the 10-best defensive linemen based on votes from up to 80 executives, scouts and coaches, he did ultimately receive votes in the panel and found himself just outside the honorable mentions. Ultimately, 21 players were listed, showing Armstead is entering the season as a top-end defensive tackle.

Armstead, who was drafted in the first round by Jaguars general manager Trent Baalke in San Francisco in 2015, has spent the last nine seasons with the 49ers.

Armstead only appeared in 12 regular season games last year due to injuries, though he still finished with five sacks and nearly 60 pressures.

In nine seasons, Armstead started 97 games and appeared in 116, recording 33.5 sacks, 43 tackles for loss, and 88 quarterback hits. 

"He’s a great player, part of a great defense. Not only his ability on the field but his leadership as well, holding that whole room to a standard," Jaguars linebacker Foyesade Oluokun said in April.

"Being able to be an example and then coming in and seeing what he sees we need to do differently, trying to implement things he knows works in the whole defense.”

Armstead has already been lauded by the Jaguars' staff and locker room for his veteran presence and leadership, with him being the best example of the Jaguars adding experienced veterans from winning teams during the offseason.

“I think what we’ve been through the last two years, I think these players are understanding that you can’t just wait, you can’t wait around. We were sitting there at 8-3 and we had a chance to keep our foot on the gas and keep pushing," Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson said in April.

"This is why you’re seeing, some of the players we’ve gone out and brought to this team, Trent mentioned it, these guys are winners. They’ve been in the AFC or NFC Championship games, they’ve been deep, Arik [Armstead] was in the Super Bowl. We need more guys like that. We have a young football team, but the culture is heading in the right direction and just having more guys like that on your roster, who have been there and have done it, can help the players. Even coaches can help the players kind of punch through that wall. It’s my job that we continue to push and push hard, get over that hump.”

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