Why Jaguars' Allen Robinson Can Be NFL's Breakout WR of 2015

On the worst offense in the NFL, with the lowest-rated quarterback in the NFL, a second-round rookie receiver—who was not even supposed to be the best second-round rookie receiver on the roster—proved he has what it takes to make it in the NFL.

During the first 10 games of his NFL career, Allen Robinson piled up 81 targets, 48 catches, 548 yards and two touchdowns. Despite only getting eight official starts, per Pro-Football-Reference.com, Robinson finished a very close second or third on the Jacksonville Jaguars in all four categories.

Had his rookie campaign not ended with a broken foot, Robinson was on pace to finish with 77 catches and 877 yards. Each mark would have been a much bigger number than what any other Jaguars pass-catcher put up—not to mention a franchise rookie record, per Pro-Football-Reference.com.

John Raoux/Associated Press

Incredibly, the 6'2", 210-pound Penn State product hasn't even turned 22 yet.

If that were all there was to it, Robinson would be just as overlooked this summer as he was last fall. Wideout is a position with one of the steepest learning curves in the game. Add in the concerns about his quarterback, Blake Bortles, and it would take a major leap of faith to tab Robinson as a potential breakout star.

Or, it would take a great leap forward.

Robinson's dazzling performances in workouts have teammates, coaches, media and fans raving about his ability.

"He's been unbelievable," Bortles told Mark Long of the Associated Press at the close of minicamp. "He's definitely a threat now in the red zone. He's physical. He can run and do everything out in the open field, so he's been fun to throw to." 

The "fun" Bortles and Robinson have been having in these workouts has made waves on Twitter; ESPN.com's Mike DiRocco wrote that it's "evident" Robinson is the Jaguars' best receiver and was "the most impressive offensive player on the field." 

Head coach Gus Bradley sees a tremendous physical talent for whom the level is just a mindset shift away.

"The challenge is for him to play angry," Bradley told Long. "To play where he's competing to get the ball, competing in all his routes. I think he is extremely competitive. He's got a 40-plus vertical jump, and we want to be able to throw it up to him and I know he's going to come down with the ball. I believe he has that and hopefully we see that."

Let's take a little closer look at what Robinson did well in 2014—and where aggression can help him break into the ranks of the AFC's most dangerous wideouts in 2015.

The Week 3 matchup against the Indianapolis Colts was the ignominious end of the Chad Henne era in Jacksonville and the start of...well, something else. Late in the game, already down 30-3, Robinson faced an impossible challenge:

Credit: NFL Game Rewind

In a meaningless game, in a must-pass situation, on an island against Pro Bowl cornerback Vontae Davis in press-man coverage, Robinson has to release cleanly to the outside and beat Davis deep. He gets step one taken care of, but not step two:

Credit: NFL Game Rewind

Here's where Bortles decides to throw. Robinson is off the line cleanly, but Davis is a step ahead of him and in perfect position. Bortles puts up a nice touch pass and sees if Robinson can make a play—something he did surprisingly often for an embattled rookie, and something he has the physical talent to do well.

On this throw, Bortles' room for error is very small, and he's asking the world of Robinson. Robinson doesn't deliver:

Credit: NFL Game Rewind

Robinson allows Davis to ride him all the way out to the sideline, and Davis hand-checks him to keep him from fighting back inside and going over the top. Trying in vain to get back to the ball, Robinson slips and falls—and the ball drops into Davis' arms as if he were the intended receiver.

This was always a low-percentage throw—but if Robinson hadn't ceded position to Davis, he would at least have had a shot and might have drawn a flag. Instead, it's a dagger of an interception (dagger No. 7 or 8 at that point).

Evaluating Robinson's 2014 play is difficult because so many of the Jaguars' pass plays were either wretchedly executed or thoroughly improvised. Further, Robinson only played 524 snaps on the year, per Pro Football Focus. One exciting theme that repeatedly showed on limited film: Bortles' blossoming trust in Robinson.

More and more of these hopeful shots went Robinson's way. More importantly, he seemed to have a knack for being where the scramble-happy Bortles needed him. Many of Robinson's big gains on the year were on extended plays, or earned with after-the-catch derring-do.

Phelan M. Ebenhack/Associated Press

On his first career touchdown, against the Cleveland Browns in Week 7, he sat down in a hole in the Browns' zone, caught a zipped pass from Bortles, pantsed cornerback Buster Skrine and simply ran through the very talented Browns secondary for a 31-yard score. It's those kinds of individual efforts, where Robinson just needs Bortles to get him the ball on time, that can jump-start the Jaguars' scoring efforts.

As these two build their chemistry this offseason with more of those viral-Vine high-point catches, Robinson could be the Hines Ward to Bortles' Ben Roethlisberger: Drawing a huge share of targets and making the most of them.

With the revamped running back group and addition of red-zone tight end Julius Thomas, the Jaguars offense should at least be competent enough to let Robinson shine—and if 2014's film is any indication, Bortles is going to give him every opportunity to do just that.