Jaguars' NFL Draft Strategy: Building Edge Rush

0:00It's April 20th. You're listening to NFL News today, AI-powered football coverage. I'm Cory with the story. The 2026 NFL draft is coming up fast from April 23rd to 25th, and the Jacksonville Jaguars are gearing up without a first round pick, but packing 11 total selections tied for second most in the league. They've got four in the top 100, so GM James Gladstone has room to maneuver on defensive ends. A spot where depth is calling loud. Right now, the roster leans on stars like Josh Heinz, Alan, and Trayvon Walker up front, with B.J. Green and Danny Strigal backing them. Meanwhile, free agents Emanuel Agba and Dowian Smute are still on the market unsigned, leaving just four under contract heading into camp. Last season exposed the issue. Jaguars ranked 18th in pressure rate and 27th in sex, so fans and analysts agree they need rotational. Guys who can consistently disrupt, that thin depth means more

1:00competition could lift the whole unit's floor. Looking at prospects outside the top 40, since their first pick hits at 56th, names like Malachi Lawrence from UCF at 40, are Mason Thomas, from Oklahoma at 46, and gave Joccas from Illinois at 52, standout as fits to Double Div Early. With all that ammo, expect Gladstone to build out this edge rush smartly, turning potential into pressure that changes games for Jacksonville.