Jaguars will be first-round bystanders a year after trading up to land Travis Hunter
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — The Jacksonville Jaguars are facing their longest wait ever in the NFL draft.
The Jaguars don’t have a first-round pick for the first time in franchise history after trading up three spots to select two-way star Travis Hunter second overall last year.
It means general manager James Gladstone and coach Liam Coen won’t be on the clock until late in the second round, at No. 56.
Excruciating? Not even close.
Gladstone and Coen were part of a Los Angeles Rams draft in 2022 in which they had to wait until the penultimate pick of the third round (No. 104) to make their first selection.
“We were having a blast hanging out at the beach house,” Coen recalled.
Added Gladstone: “We get to cut that in half a little bit. … You’re always going to stay agile. You’re never bored. You’re always thinking through what we might be able to do. I think that mental gymnastics certainly is an engaging element regardless of where your first pick point is.”
When the Jaguars do join next week’s draft, they will have 11 total selections, including four in the top 100. No one would be surprised to see them package some of those picks to move up from No. 56, but they also have pressing needs at several positions.
Coming off a 13-4 season that included winning the AFC South, Jacksonville lost running back Travis Etienne and linebacker Devin Lloyd in free agency. They replaced Etienne with former Washington running back Chris Rodriguez, who signed a two-year deal to compete with second-year pro Bhayshul Tuten.
Need
Defense tops Jacksonville’s list. The Jaguars have a pair of former fourth-round linebackers — Ventrell Miller (2023) and Jack Kiser (2025) — who should get a chance to replace Lloyd. But fellow inside linebacker Foye Oluokun turns 31 this summer, creating the possibility the team could add two new pieces in the middle of the defense.
Jacksonville also could use help at defensive tackle — someone to replace 32-year-old Arik Armstead — a safety with the potential to start in 2027 and additional pass rushers behind starters Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker.
On the other side of the ball, the team is looking for a backup tight end, at least one offensive lineman, a receiver to work behind Jakobi Meyers, Brian Thomas Jr. and Parker Washington, and maybe a developmental quarterback since Nick Mullens is entering the final year of his contract.
Don’t need
The Jaguars appear to be in solid shape at cornerback despite letting veteran Greg Newsome II leave in free agency. In addition to returning starters Jourdan Lewis and Jarrian Jones, they re-signed Montaric Brown and have Hunter (knee) returning from a season-ending injury and preparing to play primarily on defense.
Following the Rams
Gladstone and Coen skipped the scouting combine in Indianapolis and didn’t plan to use any of their top-30 visits for the second consecutive year. Following the blueprint the Rams created several years ago, the Jaguars also do some remote video conferencing with prospects and send representatives to scouting events. But not much else.
The reason: they want to limit as much bias as possible. Let guys’ college tape do most, if not all, of the talking.
“Our goal would be to minimize it or limit it as best we can in the controllable ways,” Gladstone said. “Acknowledging it is a big part.”
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