Jacksonville Jaguars 2026 NFL Draft Needs, Picks & Depth Chart

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No matter how well they did in free agency, all 32 NFL teams head into the 2026 NFL Draft with holes to fill on the roster.

Leading into the draft, we will identify the top needs for every team and break down the depth chart position by position.

What are the Jaguars' top positions of need heading into the 2026 NFL draft?

Jacksonville Jaguars Needs: Top Positions of Need in 2026

1. Defensive Line
2. Edge Rusher
3. Offensive Line

Explore all of our 2026 NFL Draft content:

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Jacksonville Jaguars 2026 Draft Capital

The Jaguars have the 22nd-most draft capital according to our Sharp Football Draft Value.

Our Sharp Football Draft Value is a valuation of draft capital based on a combination of average performance delivered and average dollars earned on second contracts.

Jacksonville Jaguars Mock Draft Predictions

Find out who our top-rated experts expect the Jaguars to draft:

• Brendan Donahue's 2026 NFL Mock Draft – Complete first round breakdown from the #2 most accurate mock drafter over the last five seasons.
• Ryan McCrystal's 2026 NFL Mock Draft – Complete first round breakdown from the #20 most accurate mock drafter over the last five seasons.

Jacksonville Jaguars Offense: Depth Chart, Analysis & Draft Needs

Rich Hribar breaks down the offensive depth chart by position for the Jacksonville Jaguars, identifying areas where the team could improve in the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft.

Quarterback

1. Trevor Lawrence
2. Nick Mullens
3. Carter Bradley

Liam Coen quickly turned around the Jaguars.

The Jaguars won 13 games in his first season as head coach, their most since 1999.

The Jaguars went 9-1 after their Week 8 bye, winning eight straight games with a league-best +153 point differential over that winning streak.

Jacksonville scored 2.83 points per drive over that period, fourth in the league.

Before their bye, the Jaguars were averaging 1.71 points per drive, which was 27th in the league.

A big part of that was a turnaround for Trevor Lawrence.

Jacksonville gained 10 or more yards on 31.4% of its passing plays over that run, third in the NFL.

Before that, they had a gain of 10 or more yards on 23.3% of their passing plays, which was 25th.

After the bye, Lawrence averaged 7.9 yards per pass attempt (7th) with a 6.6% touchdown rate (4th).

Before that, Lawrence was averaging 6.3 yards per pass attempt (26th) with a 3.5% touchdown rate (26th).

Lawrence also set career highs with 359 yards rushing and 9 touchdowns on the ground for the season.

Lawrence will look to build off the best stretch of football for his career coming into 2026.

He is under contract through 2030, with the first restructuring window opening after 2028.

Running Back

1. Bhayshul Tuten
2. Chris Rodriguez
3. LeQuint Allen
4. DeeJay Dallas
5. Ja’Quinden Jackson

This running game produced counting stats in 2025, but not much efficiency.

Jacksonville running backs combined for 20 touchdowns (7th in the league), but only 114.9 yards from scrimmage per game (22nd).

Their backfield averaged 4.1 yards per rush (22nd) with a 37.3% success rate (23rd), producing a run of 10 or more yards on 9.1% of runs (22nd).

Travis Etienne took the crux of the work, handling 69.7% of the backfield touches, a rate that was ninth in the NFL.

After the Jacksonville Week 8 bye, Etienne rushed for 3.6 YPC (24th out of 32 backs with 100-plus attempts) with a 31.9% success rate (30th).

He failed to gain any yardage on a league-high 25.8% of his attempts over that span.

With Etienne leaving free agency, the Jaguars do not have much proven production left on the roster.

Bhayshul Tuten was selected in the fourth round last spring.

There were moments during his rookie season when Tuten pushed Etienne for a backfield split, but they were always fleeting.

He played 21% of the offensive snaps as a rookie, turning 93 touches into 386 yards (4.2 yards per touch) and 7 touchdowns.

Out of 65 running backs with 50-plus rushing attempts last year, Tuten’s 3.7 yards per rush ranked 52nd.

He had a run of 10 or more yards on 6% of those attempts (58th).

Despite the lack of chunk-gain runs, Tuten turned 27.7% of his runs into a first down or touchdown (12th) with a 47% success rate (8th).

That disparity in efficiency metrics was due to his role, as he was used as a short-yardage clasher for the majority of his rookie season.

26 of Tuten’s touches (27.9%) were inside the red zone.

Only Chris Rodriguez had a higher red-zone touch rate (28.7%) and as many overall touches as Tuten this season.

Tuten faced eight or more defenders in the box on 39.8% of his runs compared to a 31.2% rate for Etienne.

Tuten was an explosive back out of college, so opening up his role outside of the red zone should lead to more explosive runs.

The Jaguars added Rodriguez to the roster, giving Jacksonville a potential combo for the power-back role.

Over three years in Washington, Rodriguez produced 974 yards and 10 touchdowns on 204 touches.

He is coming off his best season, rushing for 500 yards with 6 touchdowns.

Last year, Rodriguez rushed for 3.46 yards after contact per rush, which ranked eighth out of 49 running backs with 100 or more runs.

He posted a 48.2% success rate (3rd) with a run of 10 or more yards on 11.6% of his attempts (12th).

28.6% of his runs resulted in a first down or touchdown (4th).

That was while 59.8% of his runs came against eight or more defenders in the box, the highest rate in the league for a back with 100-plus attempts.

Front offices usually talk up a player they just signed, but Coen’s praise for Rodriguez comes from experience.

In 2021 at Kentucky with Coen as the offensive coordinator, Rodriguez popped for 1,440 total yards and 12 touchdowns.

Tuten can have an extended workload in 2026, while the Jaguars could view him and Rodriguez as interchangeable power-back options.

Neither back has much experience as a pass catcher.

Rodriguez has 6 receptions in the NFL.

Tuten entered the NFL as a raw player in the passing game and had issues with ball security as a prospect, two problem areas for him as a rookie.

He struggled in pass protection at Virginia Tech and had a limited role as a rookie in the passing game.

Tuten ran a route on only 15.4% of the dropbacks in his games played and logged only 21 snaps in pass protection.

He also lost 2 fumbles on 93 touches.

Rodriguez has fumbled once on his 204 early-career touches.

The lack of a passing game role for Tuten and Rodriguez opens the door further for LeQuint Allen to have a larger role in his second season.

Allen managed only 33 touches for 148 yards and a rookie, but he was an excellent pass protector in college and was already used in that regard over Tuten last season.

Allen played 61 pass blocking snaps as a rookie (Etienne was at 83).

The Jaguars have said that they are “content” with this running back room entering the draft, but the lack of proven top-down NFL production leaves the window cracked for another back to be added to the depth chart.

Wide Receiver

1. Brian Thomas
2. Jakobi Meyers
3. Parker Washington
4. Travis Hunter
5. Austin Trammell
6. Tim Jones
7. Chandler Brayboy

I am opening this up with Travis Hunter, since so much of where the Jaguars are now as a passing attack stems from the point of midseason last year when Hunter was lost for the year.

As a rookie, Hunter caught 28 of 45 targets for 298 yards and a touchdown over seven games.

Starting the season slowly, Hunter was ramping up as a full-time receiver in the offense.

In his three games before his injury, Hunter went from 67% to 78% and 87% of the offensive snaps.

In Week 7, he caught 8 of 14 targets for 101 yards and a touchdown against the Rams in London.

Going into the bye week after that game, there was significant buzz on Hunter taking over as the feature target of the passing game for the rest of the season.

He then suffered a season-ending LCL injury in practice.

The loss of Hunter played a role in Jacksonville trading for Jakobi Meyers, who also received an immediate three-year contract extension after the trade.

Hunter’s injury also opened the door for Parker Washington.

Before Hunter’s injury, Washington had 17 catches for 207 yards and a touchdown over those seven games.

He then led the team with 640 yards receiving for the rest of the season on 41 receptions with 4 touchdowns.

Hunter’s injury was a real “sliding doors” moment for him and this offense.

Early reports this offseason indicate that Hunter will primarily play cornerback in 2026, moonlighting on offense.

While his actual role on offense is to be determined and likely nebulous, as it stands today, he is a good bet to still be behind Brian Thomas, Meyers, and Washington in terms of playing time at wide receiver while those players are active.

Meyers caught 42 of 61 targets for 483 yards and 3 touchdowns after joining the Jaguars.

He has only cleared 50 yards receiving in three of those nine games, but led the team with 7 end zone targets.

The addition of Meyers meant more for this offense as a whole, getting the wide receiver room in the right place.

Meyers played more Z with the Jacksonville Jaguars than with the Raiders.

He went from a 59% slot rate with the Raiders to a 29% slot rate with the Jags.

That move allowed Thomas to move to the primary X position, and sent Washington into the primary slot role.

All three dabbled in the slot, but this transition improved the offense.

Meyers played 73% of his snaps out wide when all three receivers were on the field together.

Thomas is coming off a down second season in the league.

After averaging 75.4 yards per game as a rookie, he posted 50.5 yards per game last season.

After catching 10 touchdowns in 2024, he had 2 last season.

Thomas had 8 drops after 6 during his rookie season.

He battled wrist and shoulder injuries over the front half of the season, while struggling to find a fit in Coen’s offense that was built more around intermediate crossing routes.

With all three wideouts on the field together, Thomas averaged 15.6 air yards per target but also is third among the trio with a target on 17% of his routes, compared to 20.8% for Meyers and 25.5% for Washington.

Thomas will look to find the middle ground between his rookie season and his second year in the league.

As a first-round pick last year, the Jaguars have control of him for at least two more seasons and a potential fifth-year option after 2027.

Washington has had the best season of his early career in 2025.

After being targeted on 11.9% and 13.3% of his routes in his first two seasons, Washington was targeted on 23.3% last year.

He averaged 2.08 yards per route run after 0.75 as a rookie and 1.02 in his second season.

With all of Washington, Meyers, and Thomas on the field together, Washington had a team-high 31% target share with 3.17 yards per route run.

Washington played 63% of his snaps from the slot when all three receivers were on the field together.

He ended the year on a tear.

Over his final four games played, including the postseason, Washington had games of 6-145-1, 8-115-0, 5-87-1, and 7-107-1.

Washington enters 2026 in the final season of his rookie contract.

Tight End

1. Brenton Strange
2. Quintin Morris
3. Hunter Long
4. Patrick Herbert

Brenton Strange had his best season since entering the league, catching 46 passes for 540 yards and 3 touchdowns over 12 games played.

Strange has raised his receptions and yardage every year in the NFL.

He was targeted on 19% of his routes (TE14) with 1.71 yards per route run (TE4).

Strange is also in the final year of his rookie contract.

The Jaguars do not have a tight end signed for 2027 at the moment, which puts them in a good position to add an option during the draft.

Offensive Line

LT: Cole Van Lanen, Walker Little, Kilian Zierer
LG: Ezra Cleveland, Cooper Hodges
C: Robert Hainsey, Jonah Monheim
RG: Patrick Mekari, Wyatt Milum, Sal Wormley
RT: Anton Harrison, Chuma Edoga, Ricky Lee

The Jaguars had several breakouts on offense last season, but one of the more surprising ones was Cole Van Lanen.

Through four years in the NFL, Van Lanen had only started three games.

He made 10 starts for the Jaguars last season, taking over at left tackle as Walker Little struggled.

Van Lanen stepped in and ranked 17th among offensive tackles in overall grade last season per Pro Football Focus.

He allowed a 5.9% pressure rate compared to an 8.1% pressure rate from Little.

That play netted Van Lanen a three-year contract this offseason.

Right tackle Anton Harrison had his best season as a pro, as well.

The Jaguars picked up Harrison’s fifth-year option for 2027 this offseason.

With the tackles in place, the interior of this line still can be upgraded.

Robert Hainsey ranked 26th among centers in overall grade per PFF last season.

Patrick Mekari ranked 74th among guards.

Ezra Cleveland was their best interior lineman, but he is also an unrestricted free agent after this season.

Jacksonville Jaguars Defense: Depth Chart, Analysis & Draft Needs

Raymond Summerlin breaks down the defensive depth chart by position for the Jacksonville Jaguars, identifying areas where the team could improve in the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft.

Defensive Line

1. DaVon Hamilton
2. Arik Armstead
3. Matt Dickerson
4. Maason Smith
5. Keivie Rose

The Jaguars held up well against the run in 2025, allowing just 3.9 yards per carry to running backs (4th) and ranking in the top 10 in both yards before contact allowed and yards after contact allowed on those runs.

Despite that success, this defensive front looks like a need.

DaVon Hamilton and Arik Armstead led the defensive line in snaps last season.

Armstead was second on the team with 5.5 sacks with an 11.1% pressure rate, and Hamilton tied for the team lead with 9 run stuffs.

Both are out of contract after this year, and Matt Dickerson is only on a one-year deal after returning this offseason.

A 2024 second-round pick, Maason Smith has not been able to carve out anything more than a rotational role through two years.

Jacksonville has no long-term stability at defensive tackle, and they could use upgrades at the top of the depth chart.

Edge Defenders

1. Josh Hines-Allen
2. Travon Walker
3. B.J. Green II
4. Danny Striggow

The Jaguars ranked 19th in pressure rate (36.2%) last season and 27th with just 32 sacks.

Josh Hines-Allen continues to be an elite pass rusher, ranking fifth among qualified defenders in pressure rate, though he was limited to 8 sacks.

Travon Walker signed a four-year extension this offseason, keeping him under contract through 2030.

That locked up the top of the depth chart, but there is no established depth on the edge.

Though nominally a linebacker, Dennis Gardeck can help out the pass rush as he did last season.

The Jaguars could also bring back Dawuane Smoot or Emmanuel Ogbah, who remain free agents.

However it happens, they have to add more options on the edge.

Linebacker

1. Foyesade Oluokun
2. Ventrell Miller
3. Dennis Gardeck
4. Jack Kiser
5. Yasir Abdullah
6. Jalen McLeod
7. Branson Combs

Devin Lloyd left in free agency, opening a big hole in the linebacking corps.

Foyesade Oluokun has been a solid starter for a long time, and he should hold down a starting spot this year.

With Lloyd gone, the Jaguars will need more from 2023 fourth-round pick Ventrell Miller, who showed well on limited snaps last season.

Dennis Gardeck is a versatile option who can serve as the No. 3 after re-signing this offseason.

The Jaguars also have Jack Kiser, a 2025 fourth-round pick who could see a bigger role in year two.

Lloyd leaving means this linebacking unit is unsettled, but it also does not stick out as a pressing need, especially when positional value is added into the equation.

Cornerback

1. Montaric Brown
2. Travis Hunter
3. Jourdan Lewis
4. Jarrian Jones
5. Keith Taylor
6. Christian Braswell
7. Keni-H Lovely
8. Jabbar Muhammad

The Jaguars had an elite pass defense in 2025, ranking third in yards per attempt allowed (6.2) and fourth in EPA per pass allowed.

Greg Newsome left in free agency, but the Jaguars re-signed Montaric Brown to a three-year contract.

Brown is coming off the best season of his career, allowing just 5.6 yards per target and a 74.3 quarterback rating in coverage.

There has been a lot of offseason noise about Travis Hunter, and the general consensus is he will play more on defense in year two.

Hunter did not get a ton of coverage snaps before suffering his season-ending knee injury, but he put up good numbers on that limited sample.

Jourdan Lewis and Jarrian Jones offer two quality options to cover the slot, and Jones can offer cover on the outside, as well.

A 2024 third-round pick, Jones has allowed just a 73.3 quarterback rating in coverage through two seasons.

The Jaguars could look to add depth at corner, depending on how they plan to utilize Hunter, but there is already good talent in this group.

Safety

1. Antonio Johnson
2. Eric Murray
3. Caleb Ransaw
4. Rayuan Lane III
5. Cam’Ron Silmon-Craig
6. Trevian Thomas

Andrew Wingard left in free agency, opening up a lot of snaps at safety.

Antonio Johnson is coming off a breakout season and should be in position to handle one of the starting spots while also bringing the versatility to play deep, in the box, or even in the slot.

He is heading into the final year of his rookie deal, which opens up some longer-term questions.

Eric Murray started 12 games last season and could be the favorite for the No. 2 job, but 2025 third-round pick Caleb Ransaw will push for that spot after missing his rookie season with a foot injury.

Both Murray and Ransaw should play regardless of who earns that No. 2 spot after we saw some big nickel looks from the Jaguars last season.

2025 sixth-round pick Rayuan Lane is also waiting in the wings after a limited role as a rookie.

The best-case scenario for the Jaguars would be Johnson and Ransaw turning into a quality young safety duo, but there is uncertainty in this group, especially if the Jaguars want to continue using three safeties.

2026 Depth Chart Analysis & Team Needs for All 32 NFL Teams