2 Jaguars Who Could Make the Most Important Second-Year Leap in 2026

There are two second-year Jacksonville Jaguars who might be more important than you think.

Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen talks with the media after the Jaguars final Organized Team Activity on Monday, June 15, 2026 at the Miller Electric Center in Jacksonville, Fla. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union] | Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The Jacksonville Jaguars have no shortage of important second-year players.

The Jaguars' 2025 draft class is headlined by one of the biggest names from last year's entire draft class in Travis Hunter. Then there is potential No. 1 running back Bhayshul Tuten and former top-100 picks Caleb Ransaw and Wyatt Milum.

But, if things go as the Jaguars' pass-rush needs them to go, the two most-important leaps the Jaguars see from last year's rookie group could just be former undrafted defensive ends Danny Striggow and B.J. Green.

Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Danny Striggow (92), left, drills on defensive end Quindarius Dunnigan (59) during the first day of minicamp at the Miller Electric Center, Tuesday, June 9, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Striggow and Green and Their Impact

The Jaguars' young defensive end duo certainly flashed last year. The key now, though, is that they will be expected to do more both from a production and role standpoint. They cut their teeth on special teams to start 2025 before earning a spot in the rotation. Now, their spots in the rotation are more likely than not set, and their numbers will have to match that expansion of trust.

In 2025, Striggow recorded 0.5 sacks, six pressures and three quarterback hits, while Green recorded 2.0 sacks, six pressures and two quarterback hits. Their pressure rates were 8.0% and 8.1%, respectively. If Striggow and Green can each develop at the pace expected for a second-year player coming off a promising rookie season, they could end up saving the Jaguars from their most pressing concern -- the pass-rush depth.

Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end BJ Green II (95) talks on the field during the first day of minicamp at the Miller Electric Center, Tuesday, June 9, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The early returns for the Jaguars during their offseason program has, luckily, been exactly that. The Jaguars' staff and the elder statesmen at defensive end in Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker each seem high on what the Jaguars' emerging defensive ends have shown this offseason, with defensive line coach Matt Edwards giving the credit to themselves for the work they have put in.

"Yeah, they've definitely had a really good spring. They continue to improve. I think those two guys have done a great job of identifying what their strengths are, and we're trying to continue to enhance their strengths. We're trying to change or fix any deficiencies in their game, but a lot of the growth that's occurred has been directly correlated to the mindset of those two guys of just continuing to try to get better," Edwards said this week.

"I think if you could rewind a year ago and look at those guys coming into the building, and where they're at now, it's really a testament to the amount of hard work that they've put in to our process and their own individual development. We're just here to try to help them get there as fast as we can."

Jan 4, 2026; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars defensive lineman Danny Striggow (92) fights through a block against the Tennessee Titans at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Travis Register-Imagn Images | Travis Register-Imagn Images

If Edwards and the Jaguars can truly get Green and Striggow to that point, then their ability to impact the Jaguars' pass-rush behind Hines-Allen and Walker could change the trajectory of the entire defense. That is a gamble, of course, but it is one the Jaguars clearly feel confident in considering the only additions they have made at defensive end were two Day 3 rookies in fourth-rounder Vince Williams and seventh-rounder Zach Durfee.

That is not to say Striggow and Green will be more critical week in and week out than players like Tuten and Hunter. But when it comes to how much better the team would be if each rookie improved immensely from a year ago, it is hard to argue that Striggow and Green could have the most important developments of them all.