From Receiver to NFL Linebacker | Jacksonville Jaguars News

Jacksonville Jaguars News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now! · Jul 31, 2026 · 1m

From high school All-American to NFL linebacker with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Parker Hughes’ journey is a tale of resilience, reinvention, and rare talent. Once nearly quitting football after struggling at Samford, he was rediscovered by Middle Tennessee State—where coaches saw his football IQ and instincts as a linebacker, not a receiver or running back. His college turnaround was dramatic: overcoming NCAA eligibility hurdles, becoming a defensive leader, and earning just one penalty in nearly 2,000 snaps. He also made history for his hometown, Elizabethton, becoming the first player to win…