The Jacksonville Jaguars made their intentions clear on Monday. In a single day, they traded for safety Jessie Bates III, defensive tackle Davon Godchaux, and defensive tackle Jordan Davis – three moves clearly aimed at winning now. The cost shows up in the future draft columns, which are now considerably thinner than normal.
Here is exactly what Jacksonville has left, where the rest went, and why the blueprint looks so familiar to anyone who watched general manager James Gladstone’s former team operate.
Where the 2027 Picks Went
- First round: Sent to the Philadelphia Eagles, along with a 2029 second-round pick, for defensive tackle Jordan Davis
- Second round: Sent to the Atlanta Falcons, along with a 2028 fifth-round pick, for safety Jessie Bates III
- Sixth round: Previously sent to the New York Giants in August for offensive lineman Daniel Faalele.
Assuming no offseason trades, the 2027 Jaguars draft will result in consecutive years without a first-round selection for Jacksonville. Jacksonville’s 2026 first-round pick went to Cleveland as part of the 2025 package that moved the Jaguars up to No. 2 to select Travis Hunter.
Jacksonville 2027 Draft Inventory
2027 Draft Picks (7)
- Round 3
- Round 4
- Round 5
- Round 5 (projected compensatory pick: LB Devin Lloyd)
- Round 6 (projected compensatory pick: RB Travis Etienne)
- Round 6* (projected compensatory pick: CB Greg Newsome)
- Round 7
Compensatory picks are not awarded until the offseason, so those selections remain projections until the weeks before the draft.
*The Godchaux wrinkle
The Jaguars sent the Saints a conditional 2028 sixth-round pick for Godchaux. However, that pick can become a 2027 sixth-rounder if certain performance conditions are met. Since Jacksonville no longer owns its own 2027 sixth, any 2027 sixth it eventually acquires would go to New Orleans, per reports. In practice, that means one of the projected compensatory sixth-round picks could be gone. At worst, the Jaguars would still have one left over if projections hold.
Rams Philosophy Hard To Ignore
Jaguars GM James Gladstone spent nine seasons with the Los Angeles Rams, beginning in 2016 as a senior assistant to general manager Les Snead and working his way up to the team’s director of scouting strategy. Head coach Liam Coen also worked for the Rams. The Rams’ approach under Snead is famous for their “F— them picks” philosophy. Los Angeles went so far as to go seven straight years, 2017 through 2023, without a first-round pick, and two of those seasons without a first or second-round selection (2018 and 2022).
Stars Over First Round Possibilities
This season the Rams traded a 2027 first-round pick, plus Jared Verse and later-round picks, for linebacker Myles Garrett, and previously sent a 2026 first for cornerback Trent McDuffie. Jacksonville has now done the same with Hunter and Davis.
Overall, Los Angeles traded a first-round pick away nine times in 10 drafts, and the Jaguars are clearly believers in this process. The preference for locking in bona fide talent now, over the prospect of a first-round selection in the 20-32 range, seems to be a core tenet in both front offices.
A Thinning 2027 Board?
It’s quite possible that the Rams and Jaguars both view this 2027 draft class similarly; a class that was once thought to be extremely deep on top-end talent one year ago now has shown some concern about proving that depth on the field. Multiple top prospects, primarily the quarterback class, have somewhat struggled, which could push up talent in other position groups in this class. The Rams are down to four 2027 picks:
- Round 2
- Round 4
- Round 5
- Round 6
The Jaguars’ list is clearly similar, though not exactly the same, with no first or second round pick for Jacksonville.
Day 3 Reliance
When the Rams had no first-round pick in 2023, they still landed Kobie Turner and Byron Young in the third round and Puka Nacua in the fifth. That kind of Day 3 value is the bet Gladstone is clearly making, with five to six Day 3 selections still in the bank for 2027. Slight differences also exist in how each team landed on their 2027 draft inventory. The Rams kept a second-round pick in 2027, while Jacksonville has none. Jacksonville, though, holds more total selections once compensatory picks are counted.
Duval’s Day 3 Promise
Jacksonville 2025 Day 3/UDFA Contributors
- RB Bhayshul Tuten (starter)
- DE B.J. Green II
- DE Danny Striggow
- LB Branson Combs
- S Rayuan Lane
- RB LeQuint Allen
Jacksonville 2026 Day 3/UDFA Contributors
- WR Josh Cameron (starter*)
- TE Tanner Koziol
- DE Bryan Thomas Jr
Bottom Line
Jacksonville, operating as a year-in and year-out playoff team, is betting that proven talent beats draft uncertainty. With a defense that already ranks fifth against the run and second in scoring entering trade deadline week, the Jaguars are clearly All-In on 2026. If the Rams’ draft-and-develop model holds, Gladstone’s late-round picks (and undrafted free agency) will have to do the heavy lifting in 2027 and beyond. The Jaguars will find out whether that works soon enough, but the early results are promising.
