The Jacksonville Jaguars selected former MTSU inside linebacker Parker Hughes with the 240th pick in the seventh round of the 2026 NFL Draft.

Hughes, a 6-foot-1, 225-pound former Elizabethton standout, had a team-best and career-high 100 tackles (three for loss) for MTSU in 2025, adding two interceptions, two pass breakups and two hurries.

He finished his MTSU career with 251 tackles (128 solo) after helping lead Elizabethton to two TSSAA BlueCross Bowl state titles in high school, winning the Class 4A Mr. Football award his senior season.

Here are the pros and cons of selecting Hughes in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Pros

Blazing speed is the biggest strength Hughes brings to the NFL. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.40 at a recent pro day at MTSU, which would have ranked first among linebackers who attended the NFL Combine (Ohio State’s Sonny Styles topping the combine at 4.46).

He proved to be a ball hawk while at MTSU with 100 tackles during his senior season, a mark that a Blue Raider linebacker hadn’t reached since 2013. He also had a PFF grade of 80.8 during his senior season.

Cons

Hughes’ biggest con entering the draft was his anonymity, although that changed after pro day. RAS Football (Relative Athletic Score) lists his size and composite agility grade as being poor.

Parker Hughes highlights, NFL draft scouting report

Hughes shot up the 2026 NFL Draft prospect lists in a hurry after his big senior season at MTSU and performance at pro day. He was ranked among top 25 players in the draft at his position. Hughes was a fierce competitor as a Burlsworth Award finalist, and he will bring that same tenacity to the NFL.

Hughes has an opportunity to make an impact at the NFL level, possibly sooner than later. His speed/size combo could end up being more suited for an outside linebacker or safety position.

Cecil Joyce covers high school sports and MTSU athletics for The Daily News Journal. Contact him at cjoyce@dnj.com and follow him on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, @Cecil_Joyce.

This article originally appeared on Murfreesboro Daily News Journal: Jacksonville Jaguars pick MTSU’s Parker Hughes in 2026 NFL Draft