One Big Name for Jaguars to Cross Fingers for at No. 56

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The Jacksonville Jaguars won't know what the draft market looks like at No. 56 overall until they are nearly on the board. With that in mind, there are certainly options the Jaguars should hope and wish for with their first pick.

The Jaguars don't pick until late in the second-round as a result of the Travis Hunter trade, making the No. 56 pick the most important offseason asset the Jaguars have. And when it comes to the Jaguars' top selection, there are a few names who stand out as best-case scenarios.

Best-Case Scenario

With the state of the defensive tackle market, the Jaguars won't have a lot of chances to land a top-notch defensive tackle this offseason. They have some capable options on the roster, but they need to add to the position group to take the defense to the next level.

"The Jaguars defense's strength is on the edge with Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker, but the interior defensive line could use some more depth. Jacksonville is another team that does not hold a first-round pick in this year’s draft due to the trade with the Cleveland Browns for Travis Hunter last year, so it will look to improve the unit on Day 2 of the draft," PFF said.

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

"Arik Armstead is still a quality starter but is 32 years old and has seen his PFF overall grade steadily decline since the start of 2023. DaVon Hamilton earned a career-high 72.6 PFF grade in 2022 but has not topped the 55.5 mark in the three years since.

The Jaguars were reportedly interested in Quinnen Williams at the trade deadline last year, reflecting the reality that they have accepted their defensive tackle need. With that in mind, there are no Williams-level players set to become free agents, nor are teams lining up to trade defensive tackles of that caliber.

That means the Jaguars will likely have to look toward the draft to find a game-changer in the middle of their defense. And without a first-round pick, the Jaguars look like they will be out of range to take Clemson's Peter Woods or Florida's Caleb Banks. That means the Jaguars may have to pin their hopes on the No. 56 pick.

And when it comes to that next tier of defensive tackles, Georgia's Christen Miller might be one key name to watch. His pass-rush production has yet to meet his physical tools, but he is an elite run-defender and capable of playing up and down the defensive line.

"Christen Miller may not make it to the Jaguars in the second round but would be an ideal landing spot if he fell to them as a 6-foot-4, 310 pound defensive tackle that was elite when defending the run in 2025 (90.2 PFF run-defense grade) while also showing the ability to rush the passer at a high level with a 11.3 pass-rush win rate from the interior," Pro Football Focus said.

There aren't a lot of enticing defensive tackle options this year. There are talented players, but few X-Factors. While Miller has not proven himself to that degree yet, he is a name the Jaguars should certainly circle if he falls to No. 56 come April.

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