Even though the Jacksonville Jaguars needed to urgently bolster their pass rush, they didn't make it a priority and instead waited until Day 3 to add reinforcements. They first added Duke defensive end Wesley Williams and later added Washington defensive end Zach Durfee with the No. 233 selection in the seventh round.
The addition of Durfee to the Jacksonville pass rush won't send shockwaves across the league, but you can tell that the Jags had a deliberate plan to bolster the rotation behind Travon Walker and Josh Hines Allen.
We have selected Washington DE Zach Durfee with the No. 233 overall pick!@Dream_Finders | #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/DTzY27AFeT
— Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) April 25, 2026
The Jaguars select Zach Durfee with the 233rd overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
By Round 7, you're looking for special teams contributors and developmental prospects. Zach Durfee fits both categories, as not much should be expected from him as a rookie. That said, it's easy to see why the Jags took a flyer on him. The former Washington Husky has enough quickness and bend to get after the quarterback. On the other hand, he lacks game experience, having suited up for just 18 collegiate contests with 13 starts at the FBS level. It shows in his overall technique.
It's also worth noting that Durfee missed nine games with injuries the past two years. This might've further hindered his development.
Circling back to special teams, Durfee didn't play much but certainly has the traits to turn into a core contributor early in his career, according to Lance Zierlein of NFL Media. He had a seventh-round/undrafted grade, so you could make the case that Jacksonville didn't want to run the risk of seeing him sign with another team once the draft concluded.
What should the Jaguars expect from Zach Durfee in 2026?
Competition. Zach Durfee will have a steep hill to climb to make the 53-man roster. And even if he pulls it off, he may not get much playing time, and the reason is simple. He'll have to work his way up a depth chart that includes Travon Walker, Josh Hines-Allen, Danny Strigow, B.J. Green II, and fellow rookie Wesley Williams.
The best-case scenario for Durfee is that he'll outplay either Striggow or Green and make the team. On the other hand, nobody will bat an eye if he ends up landing in the practice squad as a rookie.
The truth is that the Jaguars value players to compete. That alone will make Zach Durfee worth monitoring. That said, it doesn't make much sense to set high expectations for a player who was drafted in Round 7.
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