The NFL Draft is less than a week away, and the rumor mill is in full swing. With James Gladstone and his front office team readying the war room, here are three bold moves the Jacksonville Jaguars could make next weekend:
Splash trade for an impact player on defense
When it comes to the NFL Draft, James Gladstone does not hail from a front office
tree that bought into common convention with regards to talent acquisition. Whilst under Les Snead at the Los Angeles Rams, the braintrust routinely dealt away first round selections for veteran talent, and were aggressive moving around the board when talent was there to be taken.
Gladstone immediately brought that philosophy to the East Coast, when this time last year he swung the biggest trade of the draft to move up and grab Travis Hunter. Hunter flashed before suffering a season-ending injury, and whether or not the talented two-way star will justify the outlay is yet to be determined. But the consequences of that trade will be front and center on Thursday night, with the Jaguars currently without a first-round selection.
The problem? The Jags, as a whole, are in a much better place this year than they were twelve months ago. Under Liam Coen and his coaching staff they have opened a playoff window that they will want to take advantage of, and probably feel they are one or two key additions away from cementing themselves as postseason regulars. Having bottom-heavy draft capital doesn’t help you in grabbing one of those blue-chip prospects that can make sure 2025 wasn’t just a flash in the pan.
Considering the free agency agency, it’s clear that impact players are a higher priority on defense than on offense. This is a prediction that has been suggested throughout the draft process; the thought of mortgaging the future hasn’t sat well with some Jaguars fans, and I’m not sure Gladstone has the ability to get into the top fifteen. But should one of the premier cornerbacks or defensive linemen slip down the board into the twenties, I would be shocked if they weren’t on the phone trying to get into the first round.
Small school focus?
Since arriving in Jacksonville 16 months ago, Gladstone and Coen have been up front about the qualities they look for when adding to the roster. The phrase ‘intangibly rich’ has been frequently used, and a premium on traits over production has also been a core principle. Drafting remains an art as much as a science for all teams – and good luck is also helpful – but identifying particular characteristics as non-negotiables does make it easier to look outside the obvious places for talent that can help your team.
Whilst with the Rams, Gladstone was part of a front office unafraid to head to the FCS ranks to find prospects that fit the profile they were looking for. Linebacker Troy Reeder (Delaware) was an undrafted rookie that is now back with the Rams and has a Super Bowl ring to go with 335 tackles in a seven season career. Samson Ebukam (Eastern Washington) spent four years in LA, racking up 159 tackles and 14 sacks. And they went to the same school for Cooper Kupp, an All-Pro, Offensive Player of the Year who has hoisted the Lombardi twice and could legitimately claim to be the best receiver in the league at his height.
With a lot of Day 2 and Day 3 capital to play with, you can expect the Jaguars to take some chances on talent that might be flying under the radar in this draft class. Particularly ones at position of need, such as Charles Demmings (cornerback, Stephen F. Austin), Kaleb Proctor (defensive tackle, Southeastern Louisiana) and linebackers Erick Hunter (Morgan State) and Christian Thomas (Maine). Last year I imagine there was some Googling in Duval County when Tulane’s Caleb Ransaw came off the board; get your phone at the ready next weekend too – there could be some surprises.
Day 3 QB
Okay. If the last two observations weren’t bold enough for you, hopefully this one will raise a few eyebrows. Nobody is saying the Jaguars are looking for the heir apparent to Trevor Lawrence. And Nick Mullens seems set to be his backup once again in 2026. But Mullens has only thrown five passes in the last two years, and behind him sits just Carter Bradley, a quarterback who has sat on practice squads since leaving South Alabama in 2023.
If the Jaguars want some stability behind Lawrence, now seems to be the obvious time to make a move in the draft. The quarterback class might be short on elite talent, but there are names down the board that will be familiar to those who enjoy the college game. Perhaps someone in the mould of QB1, with the ability to make all the throws and break contain and ad lib with their arm and their legs when necessary? Again, the Jags won’t be shy in targeting someone with traits over production – and with a franchise quarterback already in place, there is room for both development and error here.
Could Behren Morton be the next Brock Purdy? The Texas Tech QB is one of a handful of gunslingers known to have taken a Zoom meeting with the Jaguars in the last month, has some athleticism to his game and has shown toughness in key spots. That’s a skillset Coen can work with. Even if Morton heads elsewhere over draft weekend, Day 3 will see a new face in the quarterback room.
