{"id":242805,"date":"2026-04-23T04:32:20","date_gmt":"2026-04-23T04:32:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/242805\/"},"modified":"2026-04-23T04:32:20","modified_gmt":"2026-04-23T04:32:20","slug":"2026-nfl-draft-class-dl-lb","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/242805\/","title":{"rendered":"2026 NFL Draft Class: DL\/LB"},"content":{"rendered":"

These could be areas of serious interest on draft weekend, particularly following the loss of All-Pro outside linebacker Devin Lloyd as an unrestricted free agent last month. The team likes linebacker Ventrell Miller<\/a> and is comfortable if he enters the season as a starter, and veteran Foyesade Oluokun<\/a> remains a front-line defender and leader at insider\/middle linebacker. The team also likes the potential of linebackers such as Dennis Gardeck<\/a>, Yasir Abdullah<\/a>, Branson Combs<\/a>, Jack Kiser<\/a> and Jalen McLeod<\/a>. But considering the strength of the position in this draft, it will be a position to watch \u2013 particularly on Day 2 and early Day 3. While the team could use more interior pass rush, the draft is considered weak overall in that area. A major area to watch early for the Jaguars this weekend: Edge defender, where it wouldn’t be surprising if the team was active early to add depth and athleticism at the position behind Josh Hines-Allen<\/a> and Travon Walker<\/a>.<\/p>\n

CHANCE JAGUARS TAKE A DEFENSIVE LINEMAN\/LINEBACKER ON DAYS 1-2 (ROUNDS 1-3)<\/p>\n

BUCKY BROOKS’ TOP 5 2026 DEFENSIVE TACKLES<\/p>\n

Peter Woods, Jr., ClemsonCaleb Banks, Sr., FloridaLee Hunter, Sr., Texas TechKayden McDonald, Jr., Ohio StateChristen Miller, Jr., Georgia<\/p>\n

BUCKY BROOKS’ TOP 5 2026 DEFENSIVE ENDS<\/p>\n

Reuben Bain Jr., Jr., MiamiAkheem Mesidor, Sr., MiamiKeldric Faulk, Jr., AuburnZion Young, Sr., MissouriDerrick Moore, Sr., Michigan<\/p>\n

BUCKY BROOKS’ TOP 5 2026 OUTSIDE LINEBACKERS<\/p>\n

David Bailey, Sr., Texas TechCashius Howell, Sr., Texas A&MT.J. Parker, Jr., ClemsonGabe Jacas, Sr., IllinoisR Mason Thomas, Sr., Oklahoma<\/p>\n

BUCKY BROOKS’ TOP 5 2026 INSIDE LINEBACKERS<\/p>\n

Arvell Reese, Jr., Ohio StateSonny Styles, Sr., Ohio StateCJ Allen, Jr., GeorgiaAnthony Hill Jr., Jr., TexasJacob Rodriguez, Sr., Texas Tech<\/p>\n

POSSIBLE FIRST-ROUND DEFENSIVE TACKLES<\/p>\n

POSSIBLE FIRST-ROUND DEFENSIVE ENDS<\/p>\n

Bain, Faulk, Young, Mesidor.<\/p>\n

POSSIBLE FIRST-ROUND INSIDE LINEBACKERS<\/p>\n

POSSIBLE FIRST-ROUND OUTSIDE LINEBACKERS<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"These could be areas of serious interest on draft weekend, particularly following the loss of All-Pro outside linebacker…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":242806,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[102700,29749,881,116,118,117,885,97712,880,883],"class_list":["post-242805","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-jacksonville","tag-2026-draft","tag-bucky-brooks","tag-front-page-headline","tag-jacksonville","tag-jacksonville-headlines","tag-jacksonville-news","tag-john-oehser","tag-news-draft","tag-news-front-page-headline","tag-news-jaguars-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/242805","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=242805"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/242805\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/242806"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=242805"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=242805"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=242805"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}