Projecting the Jaguars' Week 1 Starters After the NFL Draft

While the Jacksonville Jaguars returned plenty of their starters from a year ago, do thinks look any different now after the 2026 NFL Draft?

The Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen spoke about year one and year two as the head coach during the annual pre-draft luncheon press conference in the media room at the Miller Electric Center Thursday April 9, 2026 in Jacksonville, Fla. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union] | Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- With the 2026 NFL Draft officially in the books, the Jacksonville Jaguars' roster looks quite different.

The Jaguars drafted 10 new rookies over the course of the 2026 draft, starting with Texas A&M tight end Nate Boerkircher and ending with Middle Tennessee State linebacker Parker Hughes.

Dec 20, 2025; College Station, TX, USA; Texas A&M Aggies tight end Nate Boerkircher (87) celebrates a first down against the Miami Hurricanes during first quarter of the first round game of the CFP National Playoff at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

When considering what kind of roles the Jaguars' 10 new draft picks will play, it is worth considering what Jaguars general manager James Gladstone said on April 9 about how he views rookies.

"When you're talking about first-year players, typically that's the expectation, finding a way to contribute and offer a positive impact. It can be a little bit more challenging on the early end of a season as a rookie or even towards mid-season to really feel that come to life," Gladstone said. "In the instances that it does, that's great. That's usually above the expectation, especially when you're talking about pick 50 and beyond, which is where we find ourselves at this point."

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

So with the Jaguars having reshaped their depth chart on both sides of the ball, who looks like they are slotted to be a Week 1 starter, and whose job is in trouble? We break it all down below.

Offense

Pos.	Player
QB	Trevor Lawrence
RB	Chris Rodriguez Jr.
WR	Brian Thomas Jr.
WR	Jakobi Meyers
Slot WR	Parker Washington
TE	Brenton Strange
LT	Cole Van Lanen
LG	Ezra Cleveland
C	Robert Hainsey
RG	Patrick Mekari
RT	Anton Harrison

As expected, there are not many open jobs here. Let's go through them unit-by-unit.

Quarterback goes without saying, while my gut instinct right now says that Chris Rodriguez Jr. will lead the Jaguars in carries, just over Bhayshul Tuten. I believe the Jaguars will use multiple running backs to fuel the rushing attack, but if I had to pick a starter for the Jaguars and Week 1 I think I would say it is Rodriguez.

Jacksonville Jaguars running back Bhayshul Tuten (33) returns a kick off return during the first quarter in an NFL football AFC Wild Card playoff matchup, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. Bills lead 10-7 at the half over the Jaguars. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union] | Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Jaguars drafted two receivers late on Day 3 with Josh Cameron and CJ Williams, but it is obvious who the Jaguars' starting receivers are set to be. It is worth noting that Travis Hunter will still have a role on offense, but I would expect Parker Washington to have a larger share of the slot receiver role, at least on a full-time basis.

There are some moving pieces when it comes to the offensive line. You can pencil in Robert Hainsey and Anton Harrison as undisputed starters, while the left tackle situation has a lot riding on whether Cole Van Lanen is healthy. I think Ezra Cleveland wins one guard spot over Wyat Milum and/or rookie Emmanuel Pregnon, while I believe the Jaguars give Mekari another crack at the starting job.

I believe Nate Boerkircher will have a clear role as the TE2, but Brenton Strange is another starter who is already locked into his spot. In short: no rookie starters.

Defense

Pos.	Player
DE	Josh Hines-Allen
DE	Travon Walker
NT	DaVon Hamilton
3T	Arik Armstead
MLB	Foyesade Oluokun
WLB	Ventrell Miller
SLB	Dennis Gardeck
CB	Travis Hunter
CB	Montaric Brown
Slot CB	Jourdan Lewis
FS	Eric Murray
SS	Antonio Johnson

The Jaguars added five rookies to the defensive side of the ball, but just like on offense, none should be expected to start in Week 1. The highest-selected defender, defensive tackle Albert Regis, will clearly play a backup role behind DaVon Hamilton. Perhaps Ruke Orhorhoro can push Arik Armstead for the starting job, but the defensive line looks like it will be the same starting unit as a year ago.

With the Jaguars not selecting a linebacker until their final selection, it is also clear that Ventrell Miller is set to be the starter in 2026. It is big shoes to fill after the year Devin Lloyd had, but it is also clear that Miller is the unquestioned best option as of today. Perhaps the Jaguars sign a veteran linebacker next week, but there are not many questions here.

As for the secondary, the Jaguars have more talented players than they do open starting spots. Jarrian Jones is a starting-level cornerback and Caleb Ransaw was a top selection by the Jaguars a year ago, but they still look like backups as of now.