The Jacksonville Jaguars made a bold move in the 2026 NFL Draft, trading up to select Duke defensive end Wesley Williams with the 119th overall pick. Here's everything you need to know about the newest member of the Jaguars' defensive line.
Williams has been a relentless force off the edge over the past two seasons. In 2024, he generated 43 quarterback pressures, and he followed that up with 46 pressures and 13 sacks in 2025. His ability to disrupt the backfield didn't stop there—Pro Football Focus ranked him among the top run defenders at his position. Among 100 eligible defensive ends last season, Williams finished 28th in total pressures and 46th in pass rush win rate, proving he can hold his own against elite competition.
On the athletic testing front, Williams posted a Relative Athletic Score (RAS) of 7.49 out of 10.00, placing him 564th out of 2,239 defensive ends dating back to 1987. While not off the charts, his game tape tells a different story.
NFL.com draft analyst Lance Zierlein broke down Williams' playing style: "He plays every snap with a white-hot motor and intensity that opponents found hard to match in 2025. He's a natural knee bender, using his leverage to blow up blocks and dart into gaps to disrupt play development in the run game. However, he's hindered by a lack of length and explosiveness that will make it much tougher for him to create pressure as a pro. His sack production was bolstered by secondary rush effort, so it would make sense to slide him inside on passing downs. Rushing from the interior would allow him to use his cross-chop and edge-to-edge movements against guards instead of tackles. Overall, Williams projects as a rotational base end."
Jaguars General Manager James Gladstone couldn't hide his excitement about the pick. "I mean, that dude gets after it. He's got the makeup that aligns with everything that we covet. And the fact that he's able to disrupt both the run and the pass is really a helpful piece to our cause because we don't want to be too one-dimensional defensively, and in particular we want to stop the run, and knowing that he can do his part to disrupt while at the same time maintain fundamentals and techniques."
Williams will have a golden opportunity to earn snaps as one of the top rotational options behind star edge rushers Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker. His high-motor style and versatility should make him a valuable piece in Jacksonville's defensive scheme as they look to build a balanced, aggressive front seven.