Tyson Alaalu came from Hawaii to the University of California, and from there, he became one of the many star Polynesian players to enter the National Football League.

Chris Naeole played his first five seasons in pro football with the New Orleans Saints before signing with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2002. 

Selected in the fifth round (144th overall) of the 2014 NFL Draft, Telvin Smith didn't have to venture far from home to launch his professional career. Fresh off anchoring Florida State's defense during their 2013 BCS National Championship campaign, the Valdosta, Georgia native brought rare, sideline-to-sideline speed and instantly injected energy into Jacksonville's linebacker corps.

Despite being undersized for an NFL weakside linebacker, Smith erased any concerns about his frame through relentless diagnostics and elite closing speed. He became an automatic tackling machine, racking up over 100 combined tackles in each of his five seasons in Jacksonville. His speed enabled him to drop effortlessly into coverage, shoot gaps on blitzes, and chase down ball carriers across the turf.

Smith's high point came in the memorable 2017 season. Serving as a primary engine for the aggressive "Sacksonville" defense, he recorded 102 tackles, three interceptions, and returned a fumble 52 yards for a touchdown. His dynamic play earned him a Pro Bowl invitation and Second-Team AP All-Pro honors while helping guide the Jaguars to an AFC South title. In the postseason, he raised his game even further, returning a Ben Roethlisberger fumble 50 yards for a score in Jacksonville's thrilling 45–42 divisional round victory over Pittsburgh.

Smith backed that up with a career-high 134 combined tackles in 2018. However, his football journey took a sudden, tragic turn in May 2019 when he unexpectedly announced he was stepping away from the game at age 28 to focus on his personal life. Subsequent legal troubles and off-field incidents permanently closed the door on a comeback.

Over his five-year career, Smith had 587 combined tackles (446 solo), 52 tackles for loss, 9.0 interceptions for 130 return yards and two touchdowns, 26 passes defended, six fumble recoveries (one touchdown return), 7.5 sacks, and five forced fumbles.

Selected third overall in the 2014 NFL Draft out of UCF, Blake Bortles landed in Jacksonville carrying the weight of a franchise desperate for a savior. The 2013 AAC Offensive Player of the Year brought ideal physical tools—a prototype 6-foot-5 frame, a strong arm, and deceptive mobility—and was thrust into the fire earlier than planned during his rookie year. That introductory campaign brought steep growing pains, as he absorbed 55 sacks and threw 17 interceptions while throwing just 11 touchdowns.

His sophomore season in 2015 produced a statistical explosion that teased superstar potential. Operating a high-octane passing game, Bortles set Jaguars single-season franchise records with 4,428 passing yards and 35 touchdown passes. Yet that production came with heavy volatility; he also led the NFL in interceptions (18) and sacks taken (51). He backed up that wild ride by throwing for 3,905 yards in 2016 and 3,687 yards in 2017, demonstrating durability while quietly proving to be an effective weapon on the ground as a scrambler.

The absolute high-water mark of the Bortles era arrived during the magical 2017 campaign. While a dominant, sack-happy defense carried the primary identity of the "Sacksonville" squad, Bortles executed his role as a game manager to near perfection. He steered Jacksonville to a 10–6 record, an AFC South division title, and a memorable postseason run. In the playoffs, he played mistake-free football, defeating Buffalo and outdueling Pittsburgh on the road to push Jacksonville within one quarter of the Super Bowl in the AFC Championship Game against New England.

That playoff run earned Bortles a contract extension, but the momentum evaporated instantly in 2018. Mechanical struggles, turnover issues, and a wave of offensive injuries caused the team to slide, leading to his benching in favor of Cody Kessler. The breakup was finalized in March 2019 when the Jaguars released him shortly after signing Nick Foles. Bortles backed up Jared Goff with the Rams and had brief roster stints in Denver, Green Bay, and New Orleans before officially announcing his retirement in 2022.

In his five seasons in Duval, Bortles threw for 17,649 passing yards, 103 passing touchdowns, 75 interceptions, and 1,766 rushing yards with eight rushing touchdowns.