JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The smoke has cleared, and the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft is over.
The Jaguars, of course, did not hold a first-round pick as a result of last year’s Travis Hunter blockbuster trade. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of Jaguars draft nuggets and takeaways to leave Day 1 with. We break down our most immediate thoughts below.
Jaguars Didn’t Get Chance to Be Aggressive … Yet
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
There was certainly plenty of smoke in recent days about the Jaguars being a potential candidate to move into the draft’s first round, but it did not materialize. Jaguars general manager James Gladstone pointed out that conversations were had, but clearly nothing was able to come to fruition by the time the Seahawks turned in their pick at No. 32 to take Notre Dame running back Jadarian Price — a popular name connected to the Jaguars in recent days.
“Yeah, we got some calls earlier today just to gauge what paths could exist should they present themselves. Nothing came to fruition, obviously. Nothing sort of transpired in real time that would’ve been worth even flagging,” Gladstone said.
By all accounts, the smoke around the Jaguars having an interest to move up was real. Considering the lack of trades at certain parts of the first round, and the talent that is available on Day 2, the Jaguars were likely better off showing restraint. With that said, I do not expect them to pick at No. 56 on Friday. I still think a move is coming.
Jaguars May Have Had AFC South’s Best Night 
Apr 23, 2026; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes receiver Carnell Tate is selected by the Tennessee Titans as the number four pick during the 2026 NFL Draft at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Only two AFC South teams had first-round picks this year: the Tennessee Titans and the Houston Texans. The Jaguars gave away their’s in the Hunter trade, and the Indianapolis Colts gave up their’s in the Sauce Gardner trade. Despite the Titans and Texans having chances to make big AFC South splashes, though, there is a real chance the Jaguars had the divison’s best night.
The Titans reached to take Carnell Tate, the No. 9 player on the consensus board, at No. 4 and passed up other players such as Arvell Reese, Caleb Downs, and Sonny Styles to do so. Receiver is more important than safety and linebacker, but Reese especially should have been the pick there. It feels like the Titans panicked after the Arizona Cardinals selected Jeremiyah Love.
As for the Texans, they traded away picks No. 28, 69m and 167 for No. 26 and No. 91. They did this to select Georgia Tech offensive lineman Keylan Rutledge, who is ranked No. 59 on the consensus board. This is one of the biggest reaches of the draft. Add in the fact that Hunter is more valuable than Gardner, and the Jaguars made out just fine compared to their bitter rivals.
Jaguars Have Plethora of Round 2 Options 
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
Of the 30 players we placed on our Jaguars-only big board, only seven were selected on Thursday night. We expected some names to come off the board like Chris Johnson, Peter Woods and Max Iheanachor, but the Jaguars got a boost from a few lower-rated guys like Blake Miller and Rutledge going earlier than anticipated. All in all, the Jaguars still have quite a few options left on the board worth pursuing on Friday.
The best players left on our board? Gabe Jacas, Kayden McDonald, Christen Miller, Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, Caleb Tiernan, and CJ Allen. Each would have instant impact potential, providing the Jaguars with the depth at several key spots that they need before they venture deeper into the 2026 offseason.
If I am the Jaguars, I am looking to leave with one of the three trench players I listed. McDonald especially would be a top target for me, as he would give the Jaguars the best run-stuffer in the class and a true long-term replacement for DaVon Hamilton. Just imagine those two Buckeyes products wreaking havoc on early downs.
Who I think the Jaguars Would Have Targetted in a Trade-Up 
Jacksonville Jaguars general manager James Gladstone, left and Jacksonville Jaguars is executive vice president of football operations Tony Boselli, right, talk on the field after the Jacksonville Jaguars’ mandatory minicamp Tuesday June 10, 2025 at the Miller Electric Center in Jacksonville, Fla. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union] | Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The Jaguars ended up staying out of the first round, which is what I ultimately predicted would happen for Gladstone. With that said, there was enough smoke and chatter about the Jaguars being a team to watch on Thursday night that it is not as if it was never a possibility. A deal never worked itself out, and the safest assumption is that the Jaguars saw a target get drafted earlier than they anticipated.
My pure gut guess? Caleb Banks. I do not think anyone had him as a top-20 pick despite his talent, but it is clear in this specific class that his value was raised. He was worth the risk at this point in the draft due to the weakness of the draft class as a whole, and I think he would have made the most sense for the Jaguars to target. From conversations I have had, the Jaguars were not pursuing a move into the first for Price, so I think Banks is the logical name to pick out as their target that was not to be.
The 3 Teams Jaguars Must Speak to Next
Jan 4, 2026; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars general manager James Gladstone looks on from the sideline against the Tennessee Titans during the fourth quarter at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Travis Register-Imagn Images | Travis Register-Imagn Images
The Jaguars will not be officially on the clock until the 24th pick of Day 2, so I am firmly of the belief that they should try to package their 11 draft picks to move up in the second-round. For the Jaguars to do so, however, they need to target the right teams during the lead up to the kickoff of Day 2 on Friday.
If I am the Jaguars, I cam calling the Chiefs (No. 40), the Cincinnati Bengals (No. 41), and the New York Jets (No. 44) and offering some of the third-round selections the Jaguars have to move up from No. 56. All three of those teams have reasons to want to grab more picks, with the Chiefs being the most obvious one to watch after the picks they gave up to move to No. 6 overall during the draft’s opening round. They could be an easy mark.
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