Jaguars Day 2 Mock Draft: How James Gladstone Can 'Level Up'

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Day 2 of the 2026 NFL Draft is set to kickoff in a few hours, and things are certainly set to be interesting for the Jacksonville Jaguars on Friday.

Holding 11 draft picks, Jaguars general manager James Gladstone has a chance to make a splash over the next two days. That includes four picks on Day 2, starting at No. 56 and concluding with a trio of third-round picks.

“I think there's a good chance to really level up. I think one of the big things that I look back to last year is the depth of the roster as a whole being a really critical piece so that when we did experience windows in which there were heavier injuries or attrition that there wasn't some version of a critical fall off at any one position," Gladstone said at the end of round one on Thursday night.

"I think that that helped our cause and certainly I think that with what we have lying in front of us, not only tomorrow, but on day three of the draft and even following the seventh round and undrafted college free agency, those are sort of the fringe edges that you can win in a lot of ways and make differences in what is going to be a long season. So, I think that that's something that we're certainly excited about focusing on.”

With that in mind, here is our Day 2 mock draft for the Jaguars, featuring a big move up the board as Gladstone and the Jaguars continue to look for ways to be bold and aggressive. Thursday night was the first night in franchise history the Jaguars sat out of the first-round. Let's see if tonight will make things more exciting to make up for the wait,

TRADE: Jaguars Send No. 56, No. 88, No. 245 to Kansas City Chiefs for No. 40, No. 109

Round 2, No. 40: Ohio State DT Kayden McDonald

I know. Trading up 16 spots for a nose tackle? But hear me out on this one before you discount it completely. For starters, the Jaguars could perform a trade like this with the Kansas City Chiefs, who need more draft ammo, and not lose too much value. They give up a third round pick but still have two others to work with. By moving up to No. 40, the Jaguars can take advantage of some holdover first-round talent and avoid the impending Day 2 talent drop off that normally happens around the 50s.

Why is Kayden McDonald my target? Simply put, I believe he is easily one of the best players still on the board after the first-round. He is the second-best defensive tackle in the draft by the consensus board, trailing just Peter Woods, and comes in at No. 29 overall. There are a number of interesting nose tackles left after only three-technique types were drafted on Thursday, but McDonald is a tier or two above anyone else.

McDonald only had one year as a starter for Ohio State, but he showed legit Pro Bowl and even All-Pro potential as a run-stuffer. A powerful and violent defender, McDonald has more explosiveness and better movement skills than most nose tackles, giving him more pass-rush potential than you would expect in an elite run-defender.

The Jaguars have a bigger need on their depth chart right now for a nose tackle than a true gap-shooter, and McDonald would give them a potentially dominant one-two punch with DaVon Hamilton on base downs. This is the Jaguars projecting for the future, while still adding the draft's best run defender to the NFL's best run defense.

Round 3, No. 80: Nebraska RB Emmett Johnson

We made the prediction before yesterday's draft kickoff that the Jaguars would leave the draft weekend with Nebraska running back Emmett Johnson. We are sticking with our projection of Johnson to the Jaguars, and have them selecting him with their first third-round pick after the McDonald trade-up.

Do the Jaguars have bigger needs than running back? Without question. Offensive line, edge, linebacker, and tight end all stand out more than running back, but the Jaguars will not draft by needs. I believe this is a range that would make sense for Johnson in this draft considering the weakness of the Day 2 running back class, and he checks a lot of boxes the Jaguars like.

The fit would be interesting because he is a proven and explosive zone runner who can also catch the ball out of the backfield, but that is what the Jaguars also have in Bhayshul Tuten. Still, the Jaguars look prepared to explore every option possible to build up the running back room and ensure their rushing attack improves compared to last season.

Round 3, No. 100: Georgia TE Oscar Delp

The Jaguars could go in a number of directions here. Taking a running back early on pushes some other needs down the board, and this would be a natural spot for the Jaguars to address the trenches on either side of the ball. With that said, it feels like there is a drop off at tight end after Osvar Delp, and his fit with the Jaguars is too seamless to pass up at this point in the draft. Between him and Johnson, Liam Coen would certainly be a happy man.

Delp is a throwback in-line tight end who spent the bulk of his Georgia career attached to the offensive line. His strong blocking ability and physical nature will give him a chance to make an impact at the next level, but he also has more ability and upside as a receiver than most tight ends with his resume and deployment.

The Jaguars need to get more dynamic at the tight end position behind star tight end Brenton Strange, and this is one smart way to do it. Delp would give the Jaguars a boosted passing game, while offering no downside as a run blocker in Liam Coen's scheme.

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