🏈 Jaguars NFL Draft Predictions 2026: Expert Mock Draft Picks, Team Needs, Best Fits & More
Coming off a 13-4 season and without a first-round pick after trading it to Cleveland in the 2025 Travis Hunter deal, the Jacksonville Jaguars are picking at No. 56 in Round 2 and looking to supplement a roster that's already built to contend.
As part of our NFL draft predictions for every team, we break down the Jaguars' full draft picks, biggest team needs, ideal prospect fits, mock draft projections, and our prediction for which player Jacksonville will draft with their first pick ahead of the first round, which begins tonight at 8 p.m. ET live on ABC, ESPN, and NFL Network.
📊 Jaguars draft picks 2026
See where the Jaguars rank by the latest Super Bowl odds for every team.
| Round | Pick(s) |
|---|---|
| 1 | No pick (traded to CLE in 2025 draft) |
| 2 | No. 56 |
| 3 | No. 81, 88, 100 |
| 4 | No. 124 |
| 5 | No. 164, 166 |
| 6 | No. 203, 205 |
| 7 | No. 233, 240, 245 |
🆘 Jaguars team needs entering draft
We break down every team's projected NFL win totals with our best Over/Under picks by division.
- Team needs: LB, DL, OL, S, RB
- Key additions: Maason Smith (DT, via trade)
- Key departures: Travis Etienne (RB, Saints), Devin Lloyd (LB, Panthers), Greg Newsome II (CB, Giants), Dawuane Smoot (EDGE)
Jacksonville's roster is largely intact after a 13-4 campaign, but the loss of Lloyd at linebacker leaves a clear hole behind an otherwise strong front seven led by Josh Hines-Allen. The interior defensive line could use reinforcement alongside Maason Smith, and the offensive line depth deserves attention. Running back becomes a question if the Jaguars don't trust the depth behind Tank Bigsby. With the roster this strong, GM James Gladstone can afford to take the best player available at No. 56.
🏈 Jaguars draft prospect fits
I asked NFL draft expert Rob Paul to pick the Jaguars' best prospect fit in a dream scenario, their safest pick, and their best upside pick:
| Pick type | No. 56 pick | Grade | Paul's take |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🌟 Dream pick | Chase Bisontis, OG, Texas A&M | 7.05 | It seems increasingly unlikely that Bisontis will slip out of the top 40, but if he does, the Jaguars will have a tough time passing on a physical run blocker with the highest upside in the class among interior linemen |
| 🛡️ Safe pick | Josiah Trotter, LB, Missouri | 6.95 | With Devin Lloyd gone, the Jaguars will have plenty of opportunities to find a replacement in this deep linebacker class, but Trotter is one of the most ready-made at the position thanks to his instincts and violent style of play |
| 🚀 Upside pick | Caleb Banks, IDL, Florida | 7.0 | If Jacksonville were to keep Banks in-state, he would be a potential replacement down the line for Arik Armstead, with the Florida defensive tackle having a scary combo of length and athleticism |
NFL draft prospect profiles
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➡️ Rueben Bain Jr. draft profile: Scouting report, team prediction & draft odds
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➡️ Jordyn Tyson draft profile: Scouting report, team prediction & draft odds
➡️ Makai Lemon draft profile: Scouting report, team prediction & draft odds
📝 Jaguars mock draft consensus picks
I went through the final mock drafts from 10 top experts across the industry and gathered their NFL mock draft consensus picks for the Jacksonville Jaguars' first pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Here's who they expect Jacksonville to draft:
| Expert | Pick |
|---|---|
| Mel Kiper (ESPN) | Jaishawn Barham, EDGE, Michigan (No. 56) |
| Peter Schrager (ESPN) | No projected pick in Round 1 |
| Daniel Jeremiah (NFL.com) | No projected pick in Round 1 |
| Lance Zierlein (NFL.com) | No projected pick in Round 1 |
| Todd McShay (The Ringer) | No projected pick in Round 1 |
| Dane Brugler (The Athletic) | No projected pick in Round 1 |
| Mike Renner (CBS Sports) | No projected pick in Round 1 |
| Tice & McDonald (Yahoo) | No projected pick in Round 1 |
| Albert Breer (Sports Illustrated) | No projected pick in Round 1 |
| Rob Paul (Sportsbook Review) | Gennings Dunker, OL, Iowa (No. 56) |
🎯 Jaguars first position drafted
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Jacksonville doesn't have a first-round pick after trading it to move up for Travis Hunter last year, so the Jaguars' first selection comes at No. 56 in Round 2. Linebacker and offensive line are the biggest needs for a team looking to find high-floor starters on Day 2, but defensive line is where the market has settled entering the first round.
I broke down the latest NFL draft position odds for all 32 teams ahead of the first round.
🔮 Jaguars draft prediction 2026
See Rob Paul's expert NFL mock draft for projections and analysis of all 32 first-round picks.
Paul's pick at No. 56: Gennings Dunker, OL, Iowa
- Pro comparison: Mason McCormick
- Measurables: 6'5" | 319 lbs | 23 years old | RAS: 9.57
Without a first-round pick this year after trading it to move up for Travis Hunter last year, Jacksonville Jaguars GM James Gladstone could be focused on hitting a double and finding a high-floor starter with this pick. While Gennings Dunker's coffee consumption and diet are hard to fathom, his play on the field isn't; he's a mullet-wearing people mover. Dunker is a tone-setter as a run blocker, and a move inside to guard in the pros should help alleviate some of his issues in pass pro.
🏈 NFL draft predictions by team
See the live NFL draft odds for the top picks from the best NFL betting sites.
Ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft, I broke down every team's full draft capital, their biggest needs and ideal prospect fits, the latest mock draft consensus from industry experts, and our draft prediction for their first pick this week:
AFC East: Bills | Dolphins | Jets | Patriots
AFC North: Bengals | Browns | Ravens | Steelers
AFC South: Colts | Jaguars | Texans | Titans
AFC West: Broncos | Chargers | Chiefs | Raiders
NFC East: Commanders | Cowboys | Eagles | Giants
NFC North: Bears | Lions | Packers | Vikings
NFC South: Buccaneers | Falcons | Panthers | Saints
NFC West: 49ers | Cardinals | Rams | Seahawks
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