JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Jacksonville Jaguars took a second swing at the defensive tackle position on Friday, following last week’s trade for Ruke Orhorhoro with a top-100 pick on the position.
This time around, the Jaguars selected Texas A&M defensive tackle Albert Regis at No. 81 overall. Jaguars head coach Liam Coen and general manager James Gladstone raved about the addition of Regis on Friday, and it is easy to see their logic.
Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen speaks during a press conference at the Miller Electric Center, Monday, April 20, 2026 in Jacksonville, Fla. | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
“The football intelligence, the football IQ, the feel, how to play single blocks, how to play double teams, how he runs to the football, this guy chases things down, screens. We talk about heat for players for us and the amount of buy-in in the building for these players, specifically Albert, a ton,” Coen said. “A ton of buy-in, and you hit it on the head, the type of football intelligence, IQ, matched with somebody that’s going to play his tail off and compete, that’s exactly what we were hunting up.”
So, what do we make of the Regis selection and where do the Jaguars go from here? We break it down below.
Regis Certainly Fits 
Feb 25, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Texas A&M defensive lineman Albert Regis (DL26) speaks during the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Considering the things the Jaguars have valued in their other top-100 picks, such as experience as a starter, leadership, and production, Regis certainly checks a lot of the Jaguars’ boxes. He has a unique build for a nose tackle that might make the transition awkward, but he has a legitimately high ceiling in his role thanks to his movement skills.
Looking at other defensive linemen the Jaguars have added under James Gladstone, and some of the ones that they have moved on from, then Regis falls in line with them. He was not a popular name in mock drafts and is ranked down lower in the consensus board, but it is at least easy to see what the Jaguars see in him and his fit.
Why He Was the Pick Over Dominique Orange 
Sep 6, 2025; Ames, Iowa, USA; Iowa State Cyclones defensive lineman Domonique Orange (95) celebrates after a play against the Iowa Hawkeyes during the second half at Jack Trice Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reese Strickland-Imagn Images | Reese Strickland-Imagn Images
It seemed like the biggest surprise for many Jaguars fans was that the Jaguars passed on a higher-regarded and more well-known nose tackle prospect in Iowa State’s Dominique Orange, who some even mocked to the Jaguars at No. 56. With that said, there seems to be one clear difference between Regis and Orange and their games, which could be why the Jaguars went with Regis.
You saw Coen detail the traits they valued in Regis, which seem to include his range as a defensive tackle. Not many nose tackles can make plays out of their gap on a consistent basis, but Regis seems to have the juice and movement skills to do so. As talented as Orange is as a space-eater, range was probably the weakest part of his game outside of his pass-rush traits. Orange was ranked higher on the consensus board, but Regis seems to fit what the Jaguars value more.
Why It Wasn’t a 3-Technique
Sep 3, 2022; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies defensive lineman Albert Regis (15) looks on during a timeout in the first quarter against the Sam Houston State Bearkats at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images
All offseason long, there were projections of the Jaguars adding a pass-rushing defensive tackle to pair with Arik Armstead to boost the Jaguars’ interior pass-rush. But after the Jaguars traded Maason Smith for Ruke Orhorhoro last week, it is fair to say the Jaguars may have already found their solution to the three-technique option.
So while there were other options on the board to boost the Jaguars’ interior pass-rush, such as Oklahoma defensive tackle Gracen Halton, the Jaguars simply were in the market for a different type of player. Backup nose tackle is where they had an open spot, and that is why the Jaguars opted to draft Regis over other names people have seen connected to the Jaguars during the draft process.
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