The Jacksonville Jaguars concluded the 2026 NFL Draft without much theatrics, but there were plenty of players selected who are now going to be welcomed into the team's ecosystem, as Jaguars general manager James Gladstone likes to say.
Jacksonville began the draft without a first round pick after trading the selection in part to acquire cornerback/receiver Travis Hunter with the second-overall pick in last year's draft. It marked the first time in the team's 31-year history in which they did not select a player in the first round of the draft.
After a couple of trades on Day 3 of the event, Jacksonville ended the draft with 10 total selections, something Gladstone was hoping would be the case since he joined the team a bit more than a year ago.
Nate Boerkircher of Texas A&M was the No. 56 overall pick and first by the Jaguars in the 2026 NFL Draft. Here he participates in a drill during the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium on February 27, 2026, in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Albert Regis of Texas A&M was the Jaguars' second pick, No. 88 overall, in the 2026 NFL Draft. Here he is seen against the Missouri Tigers in the second half at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium on November 08, 2025, in Columbia, Missouri.
Emmanuel Pregnon of the Oregon Ducks was the thurd pick by the Jaguars in the 2026 NFL Draft, No. 88 overall. Here he lines up against the Washington Huskies at Husky Stadium on November 29, 2025 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
1 / 10Jaguars go offense and defense with first two picks of NFL DraftNate Boerkircher of Texas A&M was the No. 56 overall pick and first by the Jaguars in the 2026 NFL Draft. Here he participates in a drill during the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium on February 27, 2026, in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Nate Boerkircher of Texas A&M was the No. 56 overall pick and first by the Jaguars in the 2026 NFL Draft. Here he participates in a drill during the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium on February 27, 2026, in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Albert Regis of Texas A&M was the Jaguars' second pick, No. 88 overall, in the 2026 NFL Draft. Here he is seen against the Missouri Tigers in the second half at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium on November 08, 2025, in Columbia, Missouri.
Emmanuel Pregnon of the Oregon Ducks was the thurd pick by the Jaguars in the 2026 NFL Draft, No. 88 overall. Here he lines up against the Washington Huskies at Husky Stadium on November 29, 2025 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
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"A higher volume of draft capital was what we were seeking, knowing the more at bats you have, the better probability you'll have for successful selections, while at the same time you can have a few more misses than you do hits. But nonetheless, it was cool to lean into that as a part of this draft," Gladstone said when asked about volume being part of the calculus with this week's draft.
The Jaguars currently own 10 selections in the 2027 class, one that will — at least for now — include a first-round pick. In all, Gladstone says, it should give them team a healthy three-year run in terms of the volume of players added to the team's roster.
This year's draft played out, essentially, how Jacksonville expected it to. Volume became the theme and there was no secret plan overrule that barring something unforeseen occurring.
"It was a higher volume of draft capital and ensuring we could prioritize guys that match and align with what I've spoken a lot about, which are the intangible elements, elements that don't necessarily always lie on the surface but are beneath the hood, and I think it's very clear internally that we were able to do just that, and really excited about what lies in front," said Gladstone.
One interesting nugget to come out of Jacksonville this weekend was that the team's predictions came true.
"I can say as a part of maybe the day before kickoff on Thursday, we ended up putting players in slots across all 11 picks and can, in fact, say that we were able to nail 10 of those 11, and we only made 10 selections," Gladstone said with a smirk.
"That was a pretty fun outcome, knowing that we were able to map it as cleanly as we were. I don't think that had anything to do with skill but maybe a little more luck than that. But that was a pretty exciting piece."
Jacksonville's draft has already been critiqued by pundits and other media NFL Draft analysts as including far too many reaches compared to what is known as the "consensus big board via WideLeft," a ranked list of players in the draft that includes averages of over 100 big boards made by media, fans and other analysts.
One example is Jacksonville's first selection at pick No. 56, tight end Nate Boerkircher, who was listed on the consensus board as the 163rd best player in this year's draft.