Week 1 of the 2026 regular season is here, and on theJacksonville Jaguars' initial 53-man roster are nine rookies.
While roles can change throughout the course of the season, let's project how each player could be utilized in the early going.
TE Nate Boerkircher
Boerkircher will see the field in two tight end sets, lined up alongside of Brenton Strange. He could also spell Strange here and there throughout a game, taking some of the workload off his plate. Boerkircher will likely be primarily used as a blocker, although in short-yardage situations or in the red zone he could be a target in the passing game.
DT Albert Regis
Regis will fill a rotational role at defensive tackle, specifically as the backup nose tackle behind DaVon Hamilton. Regis' impact may not always show up on the stat
sheet, but his ability to clog running lanes and eat up blocks can create opportunities for others.
OL Emmanuel Pregnon
Pregnon appears to be on his way to being a Day 1 starter, taking over at left guard, with Ezra Cleveland at right guard. We will see how things shake out once Patrick Mekari returns, but for now, Pregnon will play a key role.
DB Jalen Huskey
The bulk of Huskey's snaps are likely to come on special teams, although in Anthony Campanile's defense, which utilizes three-safety looks relatively often, he could look to get Huskey on the field in certain situations. Huskey brings size and length to the secondary and was all over the field during the preseason.
DE Wesely Williams
Williams' role early on may be small. We know that at the top of the DE depth chart are Josh Hines-Allen, Travon Walker, and BJ Green. Behind those three, Danny Striggow's experience may give him the early edge over Williams when it comes to playing time.
DE Bryan Thomas Jr.
An undrafted rookie who made the Jaguars' 53-man roster, Thomas could see a similar workload as Green and Striggow did in 2025, with most of his early snaps coming on special teams.
TE Tanner Koziol
If the Jaguars are in three tight end sets, Koziol will see the field. He could also be paired with Strange to provide an added pass-catching presence from 12 personnel.
WR Josh Cameron and CJ Williams
Both wideouts impressed over the summer, but their weekly workload could depend on how active Travis Hunter is in one offense. If Hunter is mostly playing defense, then that opens up opportunities for Cameron and Williams to rotate in behind the Jaguars' top three wideouts. Cameron and Williams' roles on offense may not be big, but could be steady.
This article originally appeared on Jaguars Wire: Projecting early roles for Jaguars 9 rookies on roster
