While the Jacksonville Jaguars earned widespread criticism for their 2026 NFL Draft class, they also got nearly universal praise for taking offensive guard Emmanuel Pregnon with the 88th pick in Round 3. Heck, several analysts called him the steal of Day 3.
Rightly, Pregnon is getting a lot of hype ahead of the 2026 season, but a team reporter just tempered expectations.
Ezra Cleveland will start for the Jaguars in 2026, but Emmanuel Pregnon is the future
Team reporter John Oehser just held a mailbag and stated that he expects Ezra Cleveland to start next season, pointing out that he finished 2025 on a strong note.
"Pregnon, a guard from the University of Oregon, was selected by the Jaguars in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft - No. 88 overall. Cleveland started and played at a high level much of the season last season," Oehser wrote. "Pregnong certainly has a chance to start and will compete to do so. But there is often a big difference between NFL starters and talented NFL rookies, with that difference being the reason I expect Cleveland to start at left guard in 2026."
That said, Oehser does think that rookie Emanuel Pregnon is the future.
"I wouldn't be surprised if Pregnon plays a key role at some point as a rookie, and I will be very surprised if he's not a starter by 2027," Oehser wrote.
Pregnon made a strong impression at rookie minicamp, with John Shipley of Sports Illustrated pointing out that he was one of the most athletic and physically imposing offensive linemen on the whole roster.
This begs the question: Why did Pregnon slide to Round 3 if he was projected to go late in Round 1 or early in Round 2? At 24, he was an older prospect. Couple that with the fact that he'll probably be limited to playing guard, and that may explain his fall. But that's where Jacksonville wants the Denver, Colorado native to line up, and his age may not be that much of a big deal because he's also had ample experience.
On the other hand, Cleveland played pretty well in 2025, as Oehser suggested. This is why he should be the favorite to start at left guard, but he's entering a contract year, and if the team's brass thinks Pregnon is the future, they could plug him into the starting lineup as soon as this year.
Emmanuel Pregnon has his work cut out to make an impact for the Jaguars
There's no doubt that Emmanuel Pregnon could be a fixture of the offensive trenches for years to come. But he first needs to put in the work. For starters, he'll need to compete with veteran Chuma Edoga and sophomore Wyatt Milum for snaps.
But even if Pregnon comes out on top and moves up the depth chart, he may not be able to unseat starters Ezra Cleveland and Patrick Mekari in 2026. They won't give up without a fight. On the other hand, the coaching staff won't hesitate to give him a shot if he makes a strong impression in training camp.
This is a long-winded way to say that it's just hard to tell what kind of role Pregnon will have as a rookie. He could be the primary backup on the interior offensive line, but nobody would bat an eye if he ends up starting at either guard spot.
The one certain thing is that Emmanuel Pregnon has all the tools to flourish in the NFL. Now, he has to put in the work to prove he deserves to start for the Jaguars next season.
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