JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Jacksonville Jaguars have a big week on their doorstep.
The 2026 NFL Draft is set to be a pivotal moment for the Jaguars and general manager James Gladstone. While the franchise does not have a first-round pick, the Jaguars are have 11 selections and four picks in the top-100 — a significant impact can be made here.
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
But as the Jaguars and Gladstone navigate the draft, what is one thing they can’t afford to mess up? We break it down below.
What the Jaguars Can’t Miss
No matter what the Jaguars do this weekend, they can’t pass up a chance to give their pass-rush depth a serious shot in the arm. With the Jaguars having two big-money edge rushers in Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker, Jacksonville will need to use young and cheap talent to supplement the unit. They have two such players in second-year defenders Danny Striggow and B.J. Green, but more help would be a positive thing.
Nov 23, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars general manager James Gladstone against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
If there is one thing that is true about the 2026 draft, it is that the edge rush group is the deepest in the entire class. There are 17 edge rushers in the consensus board’s top-100 players, bested only by the 18 players at wide receiver. With the Jaguars needing rookie contracts in their defensive end room, this is the perfect year to attack the defensive end position.
Ever since taking Walker No. 1 in 2022, the Jaguars have simply not drafted many pass-rushers. They had 13 picks in 2023 and did not select a true edge rusher unless you count Yasir Abdullah, a career linebacker and special teamer. In 2024, the Jaguars took a defensive end with their final selection in seventh-rounder Myles Cole, who played eight career games.
Nov 23, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars general manager James Gladstone against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Last year, the Jaguars did not draft a true edge rusher (Jalen McLeod, like Abdullah, is a strong side linebacker). They instead opted to add names like Dawuane Smoot, Emmanuel Ogbah, and Dennis Gardeck after the draft. They also signed a number of undrafted defensive ends, with Striggow and Green included.
This time around, though, the Jaguars can not and should not consider letting another draft go by without adding pass-rush depth. This is a draft where the Jaguars’ needs manage to match perfectly with the strengths of the draft class. The Jaguars have their stars, but even stars need some support.
Jan 4, 2026; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars executive vice president of football operations Tony Boselli and general manager James Gladstone look on after the game against the Tennessee Titans at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Travis Register-Imagn Images | Travis Register-Imagn Images
The two most recent Super Bowl winners did so off the depth of their defensive line. The Jaguars took a step toward addressing that depth last week with the trade for defensive tackle Ruke Orhorhoro but that is far from the last step the Jaguars should take. With the way this class is set up, the Jaguars can not afford to kick the can down the road.
Jacksonville’s defense did a tremendous job last season, but the next step is to become a unit that consistently gets to the quarterback. This is the way the Jaguars can do that, in 2026 and for years beyond.
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