Jaguars Advanced Stat of the Week: Maurice Jones-Drew's Historical Comp

One of the great statistical games to play is to find historical comparisons for modern NFL players. It's a fun way to learn about the past and get a sense for where current players stand in relation to the all-time greats.

The Jaguars' most recognizable player is Maurice Jones-Drew. He's always been an unusual back, so it's difficult to find good comparisons to other players. While I would have liked to pick an older player, the best match is someone more recent.

Priest Holmes had an unusual career as well. He had incredible peaks followed by difficulty staying healthy late in his career. Holmes isn't a perfect match for MoJo, principally because he got a later start on his career.

Jones-Drew is only 27 years old, whereas Holmes hadn't yet left Baltimore by age 27. Still, they do have a lot in common.

They are a similar size. Holmes is a touch larger, but not dramatically. They also spent most of their early years splitting carries. Holmes even returned a few kicks, though not nearly as many as Jones-Drew.

Holmes didn't get a carry in his rookie year, but his next six seasons line up almost perfectly with Jones-Drew's. Both men made three Pro Bowls and won a rushing title. Holmes made three All-Pro teams, and Jones-Drew made one.

Both players were excellent receivers, adding a extra dimension to their games. Their volume numbers are virtually identical, though Jones-Drew's were a little more steady.

Jaguars fans are hoping the comparison ends after six seasons. Holmes posted his incredible 27-touchdown season in 2003, but never again posted 1,000 yards. He was good for half of 2004, having put up an incredible 892 yards and 14 touchdowns in just eight games before getting hurt, essentially ending his career as a dominant back.

The one thing in Jones-Drew's favor is that he is four years younger than Holmes at the same point in his career.

Because the Chiefs followed Holmes with Larry Johnson, many people forgot just how dominant Holmes was for a brief span. If they want to remember what he was like, they need only to look at Jones-Drew.