Jaguars 2026 NFL Draft class ranked among league's worst

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Well, the 2026 NFL Draft has come and gone. It's one of the most hectic, and exciting times of the year, and pretty much every team comes away feeling confident. 

The Jacksonville Jaguars are no different. After the draft, general manager James Gladstone called his draft "strategically bold," which is certainly one way to put it. The team didn't have a first-round pick due to the Travis Hunter trade last year, and their first pick, a second rounder, confused many people. 

That's because the Jaguars took tight end Nate Boerkircher. Boerkircher was an interesting selection in the second round considering he was listed as the No. 162 prospect on the consensus big board. 

The reaches didn't stop there, either. Defensive tackle Albert Regis, wide receiver CJ Williams, linebacker Wesley Williams, and defensive back Jalen Huskey were all considered reaches as well. 

As a result, Bleacher Report gave the Jaguars a D grade for their class. The Minnesota Vikings were the only other team to get a D grade, as the rest of the teams got a C- or better. 

Regarding this poor grade, Kristopher Knox offered the following:

Unfortunately, the Jaguars didn't exactly get great value with their first selection. Texas A&M's Nate Boerkircher is widely viewed as an in-line blocking tight end. While he does have some untapped potential as a pass-catcher, he was the 185th-ranked prospect on the B/R board. 

The Jags reached again for undersized defensive tackle Albert Regis, the 191st-ranked player on the B/R board... Of course, it's clear that GM James Gladstone doesn't care about perceived value. Based on value, though—and the fact that Hunter's rookie season largely disappointed—it's hard to love his approach.

As Knox mentioned, the Jaguars put themselves in a hole by not having a first-round pick and then making a blocking tight end their first selection. It was hard to dig out of that hole already, but the team only made it worse by making several more questionable selections. 

It's not all bad though. Most draft analysts did like the Emmanuel Pregnon pick in the third round. Most mock drafts had Pregnon as a second-round prospect, so that's at least one pick with great value. 

Of course, it's entirely possible that Gladstone gets the last laugh. The general manager is highly thought of in league circles, and the Jaguars did overachieve in 2025. However, if the Jaguars fail to take a step forward in 2026, it will be easy to look back at this draft class and think about the missed opportunities. 

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