Duval's Future Stars: 3 Jaguars Rookies With the Highest Ceilings

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The Jacksonville Jaguars are a team known for taking swings, and this was still the case in last week's NFL Draft -- even if the swings looked different.

Jaguars general manager James Gladstone was still bold with his process, even if it did not requiee any blockbuster trades like last draft. Gladstone and the Jaguars stuck to their board and made 10 picks after entering the weekend with 11 selections, and their only trade ups came in the fourth- and sixth-round.

With that in mind, this does not mean the Jaguars did not target a few high-ceiling prospects who, if they hit, could end up being true difference-makers for the Jaguars in one aspect of the game or another.

So, which Jaguars rookies have the highest ceilings if they end up with their best-case scenario? We break down three below.

IOL Emmanuel Pregnon

The most obvious name to mention for the Jaguars is third-round guard Emmanuel Pregnon, and that is for good reason. Pregnon was considered by many to be a top-50 selection, and the fact he fell to the No. 88 pick was one of the bigger surprises of Day 2. The Jaguars can now be set to benefit from Pregnon's slide, even if the rookie guard does not start right out of the gate.

The Jaguars' guard situation could look a lot different after 2026 considering the state of the contracts for Ezra Cleveland and Patrick Mekari, who are my best guesses at who will be the Jaguars' Week 1 starters. Even in the event Pregnon essentially takes his rookie year as a redshirt year like Wyatt Milum did last year, he could enter next offseason as a clear starter.

With his blend of size, explosiveness, and experience, Pregnon offers the Jaguars a true high-floor, high-ceiling option at guard. He is more of a pure people-mover than any other guard on the roster, and he could follow in the footsteps of a similar guard in Kansas City Chiefs' Trey Smith. That is a legitimate ceiling for Pregnon, and it is up to the Jaguars to help him reach it.

WR Josh Cameron

The Jaguars have seemingly been looking to add a utility man to their receiver room all offseason, and they ended up potentially finding exactly that with sixth-round receiver Josh Cameron. Cameron projects as an outside receiver who has the ability to win in the red-zone and contribute to the running game as a blocker on the perimeter, while he may have untapped potential as a big slot option as well.

But it is beyond receiver where Cameron can help the Jaguars. While the former running back did not test at the combine, all evidence from his college career suggests he is a special athlete who could end up being a difference maker as a return man. Not many returners are built with Cameron's size and ability to break tackles, which makes him a unique option to be the Jaguars' long-term return man as Parker Washington and Bhayshul Tuten get expanded roles on offense.

As a receiver, it feels reasonable to believe Cameron could offer the Jaguars many of the same things Jake Bobo was being considered for. On special teams is where Cameron could truly turn out to be a different type of talent and, potentially, one of the best picks of the Jaguars' draft clas.

EDGE Zach Durfee

I considered making Jaguars' second-round pick Nate Boerkircher the pick here because I do think he has untapped upside as a pass-catcher, largely due to how the Aggies' offense was structured. With that said, my final pick is going to be Washington pass-rusher Zach Durfee, who the Jaguars took in the seventh-round with their ninth overall selection.

Durfee is a player who tested well during the draft process and has impressive pass-rushing metrics to go with his college resume. While he had a winding college career, the former walk on and captain has the chance to be a legit option as a sub-package pass-rusher for the Jaguars' defense. This was a role undrafted defensive end B.J. Green was able to fill last season, and it stands to reason Durfee could get the same chance this year.

That is not to say Durfee is bound to be some kind of Maxx Crosby-level home run, but I do think he has the traits as a pass-rusher to produce far beyond where his draft slot was. If he can become a productive part of the pass-rush rotation like his ceiling suggests, then he will make a big impact.

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