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Jaguars Expect 10 Draft Picks to Make Roster, Lawrence Starts

4/28/2026

Summary

Jaguars Roster Outlook

Jacksonville Jaguars expect ten of eleven 2026 draft picks to make the 53-man roster.
Trevor Lawrence will start at quarterback with Nick Mullens as backup and Joey Aguilar as third-string.
Four running backs fill the backfield despite the team drafting no running backs.
Five receivers occupy spots while CJ Williams may be cut and the tight ends, kicker, punter and long-snapper all remain.

Summary

Gladstone Praises Draft

Jacksonville GM James Gladstone praised Day 3 focus, calling late-round picks a “home run.”
Jaguars selected lineman Emmanuel Pregnon in Round 2 (No. 84) as the “Best Pick” and Pro Bowl upside.
Zach Durfee was taken in Round 7 (No. 233) as the “Biggest Sleeper,” Jacksonville’s top seventh-round pass-rusher.
Tight end Tanner Koziol (Round 5, No. 165) earned an “Upside Pick” for catching while edge Wesley Williams (Round 4, No. 119) was tagged “Most Questionable Pick” over pass-rush doubts.

Summary

Coen Sets Roster

Coach Liam Coen said the draft aims for a physical offense.
Veteran tackle Chuma Edoga will compete with guard Emmanuel Pregnon for a backup line spot.
Wide receivers Austin Trammell and Tim Jones are placed on the practice squad because rookies Josh Cameron and CJ Williams fill plan.
Inside linebacker Ventrell Miller appears set to claim a starting job, competing with second-year Branson Combs and seventh-round rookie Parker Hughes.

History

Historical Context

When the New England Patriots chose quarterback Tom Brady with the 199th overall pick in the 2000 NFL draft, the franchise began a run that produced six Super Bowl titles. Jacksonville Jaguars’ James Gladstone now cites late-round picks like Zach Durfee as potential “home runs,” hoping a similar surprise can lift the team’s playoff prospects.

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Jaguars Roster Outlook

Jacksonville Jaguars expect ten of eleven 2026 draft picks to make the 53-man roster.
Trevor Lawrence will start at quarterback with Nick Mullens as backup and Joey Aguilar as third-string.
Four running backs fill the backfield despite the team drafting no running backs.
Five receivers occupy spots while CJ Williams may be cut and the tight ends, kicker, punter and long-snapper all remain.

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