What the Jaguars Need Out of the 2026 NFL Draft

The Jacksonville Jaguars don't own their first-round pick this season. Regardless, what should they be hoping for out of their draft class?

Sep 21, 2025; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars general manager James Gladstone on the field during pregame against the Houston Texans at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Travis Register-Imagn Images | Travis Register-Imagn Images

The Jacksonville Jaguars made an aggressive move to trade up and take Travis Hunter second overall in last season's draft. It's still too early to tell if they won or lost that trade, but the silver lining is they didn't give up a top pick.

Hunter's inclusion on the team didn't directly result in them winning the AFC South, but that trade was made with the intention of getting better now. 2025 was an immensely successful season. What do they need out of the draft to keep that momentum going?

Best Case Scenario

Jan 11, 2026; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen before an AFC Wild Card Round game against the Buffalo Bills at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Melina Myers-Imagn Images | Melina Myers-Imagn Images

Ryan Smith writes for Pro Football Focus, and he wrote an article breaking down the best-case scenario for every team in the AFC in the draft. For the Jaguars, what they need out of their draft is to add depth along the defensive line.

"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. 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", said Smith.

Nov 23, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars defensive tackle Arik Armstead (91) against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

While he wasn't a pass-rusher all the time, potentially missing out on Devin Lloyd's production next season will also dramatically reduce the effectiveness of their defensive line. The edge is covered with two stars, but they lack that push up front that was helped out by Lloyd speeding in from the linebacker position.

"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".

Nov 1, 2025; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Georgia Bulldogs defensive lineman Christen Miller (52) reacts after making a tackle against the Florida Gators at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Travis Register-Imagn Images | Travis Register-Imagn Images

Christen Miller isn't projected to be a first-round pick, and if the Jaguars see him continuously fall down the draft board, they may even want to trade up for him. James Gladstone has shown in his small time in Jacksonville that he isn't afraid to trade for players they need, and Miller is the type of prospect they need for their defensive line.

He has exceptional height and strength, and would be the perfect replacement for either Arik Armstead or DaVon Hamilton.

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