Will Wyatt Milum Start as a Rookie with the Jacksonville Jaguars?

The Jacksonville Jaguars thought so much of West Virginia offensive lineman Wyatt Milum that they traded up back into the third round to select him 89th overall in the 2025 NFL Draft.

First-year GM James Gladstone was impressed with what he saw from the former Mountaineer at the Reese's Senior Bowl a couple of months ago and even mentioned how Milum performed well against some of the top pass rushers in the country.

"He's matched up with a lot of really high-caliber rushers over the course of his career, whether you go back to [New York Jets DE] Will McDonald or even at Kansas State with the rusher that went to Kansas City and then, yeah, and then Abdul [Penn State DE Abdul Carter] this past year," Gladstone said in his post-draft press conference. "I mean, those were high-capacity rushers, and he showcased a really calm demeanor and poise in pass protection, but also a rough and rugged finish. I mean, that was a cool combination that really jumped out to us and look forward to him being able to provide us with some version of versatility, but also start with the idea that the interiors will, where he'll spend most of his time off the jump.”

Milum began his career at WVU as a right tackle, but made the flip over to left tackle in year two. Now, he'll more than likely slide inside to left guard due to concerns about his arm length, which is a big thing for NFL front offices.

So, will he start?

Probably not on day one.

They have veteran Ezra Cleveland in the fold, who has started 20 games for them over the past two seasons and has logged 69 starts for his career. He's not a high-end starter, and with his contract set to expire following the 2026 season, they'll likely let him walk in free agency. There is also a potential out in his contract following the 2025 season, so if the Jags feel confident about Milum's development a year from now, they can fully turn it over to the West Virginia product then.

Milum is, however, the clear No. 2 option at left guard at the moment, so if Cleveland were to go down with an injury, Milum is the next man up. He may not see a ton of action this fall, but he will most certainly be rotated in.

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