Why Jaguars Will Be Fighting History With No. 56 Pick

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Few teams have as much ammo entering the 2026 NFL Draft as the Jacksonville Jaguars, which is saying something considering they don't have a first-round pick.

With the Jaguars' first-round selection going to the Cleveland Browns via the Travis Hunter trade, the Jaguars' top pick in April's draft, as of today, is No. 56. It is important to add that presently-speaking caveat, because we could certainly see the Jaguars picking elsewhere as a result of a trade by the time the day comes.

With that in mind, the Jaguars should be aware of one thing if they stay at No. 56: the history of the slot, which has been less than kind to teams over the years.

No. 56 History

The success or lack thereof when it comes to draft slots is little more than a coincidence, but the history of the No. 56 pick has been so much more miss than hit that there certainly seems to be something to the chances of landing a difference-maker at the selection.

This doesn't mean Jaguars general manager James Gladstone would rather have the No. 199 pick than the No. 56 pick just because that is where Tom Brady was drafted, but the not-so-recent history of the No. 56 pick has been brutal for a few decades now.

Since the 2000 NFL Draft, only two players drafted with the No. 56 pick have ever made a single Pro Bowl: Osi Umenyiora (2003) andd Cody Whitehair (2016). And the two of them only made a combined three Pro Bowls, though Umenyiora made quite the difference for the New York Giants during two different Super Bowl runs.

Indianapolis 2/5/2012 New York Giants defensive end Osi Umenyiora (72) hits New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) on the final drive of Super Bowl XLVI at Lucas Oil Stadium. | TYSON TRISH / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Otherwise the No. 56 pick has produced picks like Sam Williams, D'Wayne Eskridge, Mecole Hardman, Duke Dawson, and other names largely lost to the history books. Last year's pick at the spot was Chicago Bears offensive lineman Ozzy Trapilo who looks like he could at least have a chance at being a solid starter.

The Bears funny enough landed another solid player at No. 56 a few years ago inTyrique Stevenson, though he has yet to become a top-tier cornerback. Otherwise, the No. 56 pick's history is littered with picks that just didn't pan out.

That isn't to say the Jaguars should sell the No. 56 pick for nothing. But the lack of quality players normally found in that range should at least be considered as the Jaguars move forward.

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