3 Draft Challenges James Gladstone and Jaguars Must Avoid

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The 2026 NFL Draft is just a few weeks away, and few teams hold as many cards as the Jacksonville Jaguars.

General manager James Gladstone has 11 picks at his disposal, giving him a chance to aggressively attack the draft and give the Jaguars' roster a youthful shot in the arm. With that said, there are some potential roadblocks the Jaguars will have to make sure they avoid. Here are three below.

FOMO

Jan 4, 2026; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars executive vice president of football operations Tony Boselli and general manager James Gladstone look on after the game against the Tennessee Titans at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Travis Register-Imagn Images | Travis Register-Imagn Images

The Jaguars won't officially be on the clock until the No. 56 pick, a result of the Travis Hunter trade from a year ago. Had the Jaguars not traded their first-round pick, they would be picking No. 24. Having to wait until nearly the end of the second round to make the first selection of the year is likely going to be a bit agonizing for all involved, especially as top players come off the board during Day 2.

With that said, it would be tough to say the Jaguars would be wise to go flying up the draft board. Getting back into the first round should not be a conversation unless some team is desperate to move down at a shockingly low cost. Moving up in general is not an inherently bad idea, but some restraint should be shown.

Needs over talent

Jacksonville Jaguars general manager James Gladstone speaks during a press conference next to head coach Liam Coen at the Miller Electric Center, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

This one is an oldie, but a goodie. The biggest mistakes teams make is when they draft for need over talent (look at the Jaguars' 2020 first-round for two examples). With that said, the Jaguars showed last year that this is not a pitfall for them. Safety was not a pressing need when they made Caleb Ransaw their second-highest pick, and Wyatt Milum was a backup his entire rookie year.

This is not a Jaguars-specific worry as much as it applies to evey team. With that sad, the Jaguars would be wise to remember it, even if it comes down to choosing between one player at akey area of need and one player at an area of strength.

Ignoring the pass-rush

james gladston — Mar 30, 2026; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars general manager James Gladstone during the 2026 NFL Annual League Meeting at the Arizona Biltmore. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

As we just noted, the Jaguars should not put needs ahead of talent. With that said, it seems unlikely in this draft class and with 11 picks that the Jaguars and Gladstone will not be able to find a prime chance to add to their pass-rush. Even with Travon Walker signing a massive deal on Friday, the Jaguars need to add more to their pass-rush depth.

We saw the Jaguars leave last year's draft with no investments in the pass-rush other than potentially Jalen McLeod. They did sign multiple undrafted rookies, two of whom made the roster, and three veterans after the draft to take edge snaps. This time, they should capitalize in the top-100 instead.