The 2025 season for Jacksonville was a major turnaround from the previous years. The new head coach, Liam Cohen, led the team to a 13-4 regular season.
The offense, led by quarterback Trevor Lawrence, showed flashes of explosiveness but struggled with protection and red-zone efficiency. Injuries along the offensive line disrupted continuity, and the lack of a true game-breaking receiver allowed defenses to compress the field.
Defensively, Jacksonville remained aggressive but inconsistent. While the pass rush generated pressure at times, the secondary gave up too many chunk plays, particularly against elite quarterbacks. The main goal for this draft is to bolster the offensive line, provide additional consistent pass-rush support, and add a dynamic running back.
Jaguars Draft Picks:
As for the 2026 draft, the Jaguars have eleven total picks, including five in the first four rounds.
- Round 2: Pick 56
- Round 3: Pick 81
- Round 3: Pick 88
- Round 3: Pick 100
- Round 4: Pick 124
- Round 5: Pick 164
- Round 5: Pick 166
- Round 6: Pick 203
- Round 7: Pick 233
- Round 7: Pick 240
- Round 7: Pick 245
For Jacksonville, winning the 2026 NFL Draft comes down to one thing: maximizing Trevor Lawrence’s window. That means committing fully to either protecting him or surrounding him with elite playmakers.
Jaguars Positions of Need:
If the Jaguars walk away with a legitimate RB1 and at least one plug-and-play offensive lineman, the offense could take a major leap. Pair that with a smart addition in the secondary, and Jacksonville can finally close the gap between being competitive and being a true playoff threat.
- RB
- OL
- CB
Key Draft Targets for Jaguars:
Jadarian Price – Running Back – Notre Dame
Price is an explosive, all-purpose running back who made an impression at Notre Dame as a rusher. He also earned All-American honors as a returner in 2025.
Price’s status as second fiddle to Jeremiyah Love has dropped his overall prospect rank into the mid-second round range, but he should be a value add regardless and could take over a backfield that Travis Etienne vacated.
Gennings Dunker – OT – Iowa
The Jaguars’ protection problems could be chalked up, in part, to lack of depth. Dunker would be a versatile add; although he played tackle for almost his entire career at Iowa, ESPN projects that he could translate to guard if necessary. ESPN has him ranked as the 51st-overall prospect, meaning he’s right in the range of the Jaguars’ first selection.
Chris Johnson– CB – San Diego State
Chris Johnson is a versatile cornerback who can help stabilize the secondary and limit explosive plays. He was named Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year in 2025 and for his career amassed six interceptions, 152 tackles, and 105 solos.
Johnson has a plethora of experience for a Day 2 prospect and the Jaguars would be wise to select him if he is available.
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