The first 32 picks of the 2026 NFL Draft has come and gone, and for the first time in franchise history, the Jacksonville Jaguars did not make a Round 1 selection. General manager James Gladstone and the front office opted not to trade back into Round 1, preferring to hold onto their 11 “at-bats” in Rounds 2-7.
Four of those 11 selections are scheduled for Rounds 2-3: Nos. 56, 81, 88, and 100. Based on SB Nation’s best available prospects, Jacksonville is especially well-positioned for Friday night’s
second round.
There was an offensive focus during Thursday night’s first round. 10 offensive linemen went off the board, as well as six pass-catchers, two quarterbacks, and two running backs. Despite pre-draft chatter of a run on pass rushers, just nine defensive linemen were taken.
The top three players available by SB Nation’s big board are Tennessee CB Jermod McCoy, Washington WR Denzel Boston, and Clemson CB Avieon Terrell. After that, there are a handful of intriguing DL options.
- No. 26: Missouri EDGE Zion Young
- No. 32: Texas A&M EDGE Cashius Howell
- No. 33: Clemson EDGE T.J. Parker
- No. 43: Texas Tech DT Lee Hunter
- No. 51: Georgia DT Christian Miller
- No. 52: Illinois EDGE Gabe Jacas
- No. 54: Oklahoma EDGE R Mason Thomas
- No. 62: Michigan EDGE Derrick Moore
It might be a tad far-fetched to expect Ohio State DT Kayden McDonald to fall all the way to No. 56 overall — though the Jaguars could always trade up for him — but the rest of those names should be within striking distance.
Beyond the remaining group of pass rushers, there’s also a cluster of linebackers who could captivate Jacksonville.
- No. 34: Georgia LB CJ Allen
- No. 35: Texas Tech LB Jacob Rodriguez
- No. 40: Texas LB Anthony Hill Jr.
- No. 50: Cincinnati LB Jake Golday
Or, after watching the division rival Houston Texans trade up in Round 1 to draft Georgia Tech G Keylan Rutledge, perhaps the Jaguars will focus on Oregon G Emmanuel Pregnon or Texas A&M G Chase Bisontis.
Only a few more hours until we find out!
Check out Big Cat Country’s draft home page for our extensive coverage, and let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
