Jaguars DE Danny Striggow: Year 2 Means Big Expectations For No. 24 Most Important

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The Jacksonville Jaguars' defense is headlined by one of the best edge defender duos in football in Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker, but that doesn't take away the importance and value of No. 24 on our list of the most-important Jaguars entering the 2026 season.

Second-year defensive end Danny Striggow lands at the No. 24 spot, coming in one spot ahead of No. 25 cornerback Jarrian Jones. After making the roster as an undrafted free agent last year, Striggow's role is set to expand in year two.

Striggow played in 10 games as a rookie, starting two and recording 14 tackles, three quarterback hits, and half a sack. On special teams, he recorded two tackles and one fumble recovery. Entering a new season, Striggow is now set to go from intriguing backup to the heavy favorite to be the Jaguars' No. 3 defensive end.

Why Danny Striggow is So Important

The Jaguars have been looking for a reliable No. 3 edge defender for years now. They tried Dawuane Smoot and Emmanuel Ogbah last year to mixed results, and who could forget when they tried to make Arik Armstead a defensive end as a bit in 2024. It might be a bit surprising to say it, but Striggow is one of the best candidates to fill the role that the Jaguars have had in years.

Hines-Allen and Walker will always lead the Jaguars' pass-rush as long as they are on the roster, but the No. 3 defensive end role is still an important one to fill. It means a lot of snaps on early downs against the run and also means being one injury away from starting in Anthony Campanile's defense in someone's place. Striggow is someone the Jaguars clearly trusted in that role as the year went on, and that should only expand this season.

danny striggo — Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Danny Striggow (92) warms up before an NFL football matchup, Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025, at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. The Seahawks defeated the Jaguars 20-12. | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

“Yeah, you guys could see it when he plays. He's a hard charging guy. He's a guy that plays with great fundamentals," Campanile said about Striggow last year.

"He's doing what he's been coached to do, what he's being coached to do every day. And his effort jumps out and I think his teammates really appreciate that about Danny. He's put so much work into this to get to where he is. And he's earned everything, which I think the guys really respect and value that about Danny too.”

Danny Striggow' Strengths and Weaknesses

Striggow's strength comes as a physical edge setter. He plays a power-based game that helps him set the width of the pocket as a pass-rusher before he converts speed-to-power or his bullrush. He is also effective on stunts and pass-rush games, especially when it comes to setting picks for his fellow pass-rushers.

Striggow's physical prescence makes him a plus-impact player against the run, which is where he really shines. Striggow is one of the better run-defenders on the roster and played a big part in making sure the run defense didn't take too much of a step back without Travon Walker at 100% throughout the second-half of the season.

With that said, Striggow is not exactly a quick-twitch and explosive edge rusher. He will get sacks with his power and effort, but he is not someone who is going to make a ton of plays in space and win purely with his speed. He is able to compensate in other ways as a pass-rusher, but there are specific ways he will look to defeat blockers

What Happens if the Jaguars Need to Replace Danny Striggow

If the Jaguars have to replace Striggow in the lineup at any time, they can at least lean on the fact that they have several other young defensive ends who should be able to step up to the plate. B.J. Green flashed in a big way as a pass-rusher last year thanks to his explosive ability toget off the line and flatten around the corner, while the Jaguars invested two picks in rookie defensive ends with Wesley Williams and Zach Durfee.

The defensive end who makes the most sense to step in and play a similar role to Striggow would be Williams, who the Jaguars traded up to select in the fourth-round of April's draft. The Duke product has a similar skill-set to Striggow due to his ability to set the edge against the run, win with power and effort as a pass-rusher, and be deployed in a few different spots along the defensive line.

Why We Ranked Danny Striggow Here

The Jaguars' offseason strategy at defensive end has only made Striggow more important. The Jaguars had veteran defensive ends Emmanuel Ogbah and Dawuane Smoot leave the roster in March on expiring contracts, while the only additions the Jaguars made at defensive end were either Day 3 rookies in Wesley Williams and Zach Durfee or a handful of undrafted defensive ends.

Unless the Jaguars make some kind of move for a veteran pass-rusher, all signs point to Striggow being the top backup behind Hines-Allen and Walker. That might not mean a ton of third-down pass-rushing reps, but it does mean an extensive role on early downs as a rotational defender and stalwart against the run. As far as defensive backups go, few on the roster are more important than Striggow.

struggo — Nov 23, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars defensive lineman Danny Striggow (92) against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Striggow fits the Jaguars' defense and culture like a glove. In the likely event that they do not make a move at defensive end, he is set to be an even bigger piece to what the Jaguars do on defense than he was a year ago. That says a lot about him considering where he started his career as an undrafted free agent.

"He is unrelenting on himself to get it right and you see that, that's kind of what jumped out in camp watching him," Campanile said last year.

"And in the offseason, he's a guy that wants to get it right, going to do everything he can to get it right, do the extra and it’s paying dividends for him. But so much of that is, I don't want to say how hard he is on himself, but how much he demands from himself is probably a better way to say that.”

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