JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Jacksonville Jaguars opened the 2026 offseason by opening their wallets. Cornerback Montaric “Buster” Brown locked down a three-year, $33 million contract after a breakout campaign featuring 12 pass breakups and two interceptions. Brown went from a late-round flyer to a wealthy anchor in the secondary. The facility buzzed when the ink dried.
But the offensive backfield lost its engine. Travis Etienne walked, leaving an empty locker and a massive production void. General Manager Trent Baalke quickly signed Chris Rodriguez Jr. to a two-year deal, but everyone in the building knows Rodriguez is a bruising rotational piece, not a solo act.
Jacksonville enters the 2026 NFL Draft staring at a glaring challenge: they do not hold a first-round pick. Their night starts late on Day 2 at No. 56 overall. With 11 total picks—including four in the top 100—the front office faces the ultimate test of scouting accuracy. They need day-one impact from day-two selections.
The Consensus at No. 56: Speed, Size, or Coverage?
Without a blue-chip lottery ticket, the draft board splinters. NFL draft analysts are fiercely debating what the Jaguars prioritize when they finally go on the clock.
- EDGE Keyron Crawford, Auburn (Field Yates, ESPN): You can never have enough pass rushers. Yates projects the electric Auburn product to Jacksonville, citing his lethal speed around the corner. Crawford only played one year of high school football before dominating at Arkansas State and leaping to the SEC. He possesses raw, unteachable bend.
- CB Julian Neal, Arkansas (Jordan Reid, ESPN): Brown secured one side of the field, but the opposite boundary remains a vulnerability. Reid slots the long, pro-ready Razorback to Jacksonville. This move carries massive schematic weight: adding a reliable pure corner allows dual-threat sensation Travis Hunter to take fewer defensive snaps and unleash his full arsenal at wide receiver.
- RB Jadarian Price, Notre Dame (Gordon McGuinness, PFF): Adding Rodriguez brought power, but the offense lacks lightning. Price provides explosive open-field speed. Selecting a running back in the second round feels rich to some, but Notre Dame utilized Price as a terrifying space weapon. He turns check-downs into 40-yard footraces.
- DT Rayshaun Benny, Michigan (Chad Reuter, NFL.com): Games end in the trenches. Reuter mocks the Michigan run-stuffer to Duval. Benny thrives on leverage and gap discipline. If the interior defensive line collapses, the linebackers drown. Benny plugs the middle and forces double teams.
“We know we don’t have that shiny first-round pick this year. But no one cares where you get drafted once the pads pop. We need dogs. Whether it’s the second round or the seventh, we expect whoever walks through those doors to compete for a starting job immediately.”
— Ryan Nielsen, Jaguars Defensive Coordinator
Playoff Implications / What’s Next
The AFC South operates like an arms race. Houston and Indianapolis reload annually, meaning Jacksonville cannot afford a passive spring. Nailing the No. 56 pick dictates the Jaguars’ ceiling in 2026. If they hit on an edge rusher like Crawford or a dynamic back like Price, they mask their offseason losses. If they miss, opposing offenses will ruthlessly expose their defensive perimeter and force their offense into predictable passing downs.
Expect Jacksonville to relentlessly scout the Senior Bowl and Pro Days. They must find an immediate contributor. The margin for error just vanished.
