Jags Snag Rodriguez in Mock Draft

0:00It's April 22nd. Welcome in. This is NFL News Today, where the league meets AI. I'm Cory with the story. Sports illustrators Justin Mello dropped his final mock draft for the 2026 NFL draft, and he's got the Jacksonville Jaguars, grabbing. Texas Tech linebacker Jacob Rodriguez, with the 56 overall pick in Round 2. The Jags don't have a first round selection, so this lines up as a smart move to rebuild their linebacker room after Devon Lloyd bounced in free. Agency. General manager James Gladstone has his eyes on the draft to fill that gap right away. Mello calls it the best case scenario, a plug and play guy who's ready to contribute from day one without the hype of a top pick. Rodriguez balled out last season with 128 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, 7 force fumbles, and 4 picks. He's one of PFF's top run defenders at the position, solid and coverage too, and crushed the combine with a 4.5740R dash and a relative athletic score of 9.6 out of 10.

1:05On the big board, he's sitting at number 42 overall and fourth among linebackers, making him a steal at the Jags nag him there. Keep an eye on how this shakes out.