When the Jacksonville Jaguars were on the clock at No. 56, they were expected to address one of their top needs, maybe the interior defensive line or the pass rush. They opted for neither and instead threw a massive curveball when they chose Texas A&M tight end Nate Boerkircher. Sure, Boerkircher could diversify the offense, alongside Brenton Strange. However, tight end wasn't a pressing need. The silver lining is that the Jags next chose defensive tackle Albert Regis at No. 81.
With Regis, Jacksonville is getting a highly productive player and at last taking care of what arguably was its biggest roster void. And as the old adage goes, better late than never.
Why the Jaguars drafted Albert Regis in Round 3 of the draft?
After seeing the top defensive tackles in this year's draft go to other teams, the Jaguars finally chose to take care of the interior defensive line with Albert Regis. The pick comes with pros and cons.
Regis' biggest weakness is his dearth of arm length. Because of it, he sometimes struggles to finish tackles. On the other hand, his great balance and fundamentals allow him to make plays. And that's the thing. The former Aggie is as polished as they come, heading into the NFL. That could potentially allow him to make an impact early on.
On the other hand, the selection came as a bit of a surprise because Regis was generally seen as a Round 4 pick. But perhaps, he ranked higher on Jacksonville's big board.
On a related note, the Minnesota Vikings took fellow defensive tackle Domonique Orange just one selection after the Jags rolled with Regis.
Early this morning, Regis' daughter, Akari chose her dad's draft spot when she crawled to a Jaguars cup.
Former Texas A&M DT Albert Regis’ daughter, Akari, got to “pick” his draft spot this morning, and crawled to the Jaguars cup.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) April 25, 2026
Hours later, Jacksonville picked Regis at No. 81 overall. 🔮 pic.twitter.com/pfZZ13PGYA
What's next after the Jaguars drafted Albert Regis in Round 3?
The truth is that the Jaguars needed to keep adding reinforcements at defensive tackle even after trading for Ruker Orhorhoro just one week before the draft. Albert Regis should compete for snaps early as a rookie, and if he shows immediate progress, he could take on a substantial role from Day 1.
With Regis in the mix, the Jaguars now have a more well-rounded defensive tackle group that includes Matt Dickerson, Arik Armstead, DaVon Hamilton, and Orhorhoro.
Having checked off a box at defensive tackle, the Jaguars now need to bolster the linebacker corps, the pass rush, and the defensive line. It will be interesting to see what they do with their remaining two picks in Round 3 of the draft.