It's not often that a seventh-round selection generates lots of hype, but Zach Durfee isn't your average Day 3 prospect. Expected to go undrafted, he ended up landing with the Jacksonville Jaguars with the 233rd overall selection. And not long after the NFL Draft concluded, Kalyn Kahler of ESPN revealed that Durfee was this year's Prospect X.
In case you were wondering, Prospect X is the most overlooked player in every draft that may have the biggest upside of this class. In 2026, Durfeee got that title. Based on the path he had to cross to get where he is, it's easy to see why he earned the moniker.
Watched what I believe is "Prospect X" in #Washington EDGE Zach Durfee. He's a physical, rugged player, embraces contact on pulls, has a nice long arm and spin move counter. Think he has a shot to make a roster as a late-round pick or UDFA. https://t.co/CR0UOslWSz pic.twitter.com/cXn4zrxuWW
— Devin Jackson (@RealD_Jackson) April 22, 2026
The Jaguars have a pass rusher with massive upside in Zach Durfee
Kalyn Kaher did a feature on Zach Durfee and his journey to the NFL, calling him Project X after overcoming several challenges to get drafted.
Durfee went to North Dakota State as a student in 2020. It wasn't until he transferred to Sioux Falls in 2021 that he signed up to play football. The Dawson, Minnesota native redshirted in his first year with the Cougars and proceeded to break out in 2022, registering a jaw-dropping four sacks on just 23 snaps in his first game. He ended the season with 11 sacks and a first-team, all-conference designation.
Then, Durfee transferred to Washington in 2023, but because the NCAA had restrictions, he had to sit out the season. But once he was able to get on the field the following year, he made a strong impression, with offensive tackles Rogen Rosengarten and Troy Fautano helping him get notoriety across the nation.
Durfee also caught the attention of Bill Belichick during practice in 2024, with the Hall-of-Fame coach tell him that he could do all he wanted. However, a dislocated elbow limited him to six games that year.
Once Durfee returns in 2025, though, he will wreak havoc for the Huskies, registering four sacks in 11 games despite the fact that he wasn't 100 percent. Still, it wasn't enough to earn him an invitation to the Senior Bowl or the scouting combine.
But despite the lack of recogntion, Durfee still managed to get scouts attention during his pro day.
"He's always looked the part, an NFL scout told Kahler on the piece when she first discussed this year's Prospect X without revealing Durfee's identity. "And plays well... when he's available. That's the rub."
And then, Jacksonville drafted him in the seventh round. Regarding the decision to pick the former Washington standout at No. 233, Jaguars executive Brian Xanders states that he stood out because of his athletic skills.
"The thing that stood out was the athleticism, the balance, the shorter quickness in range and speed," Xanders said via Kahler. "He didn't miss a lot of tackles. He had a lot of pressures and disruption in the pass game."
Later in her feature, Kahler said that Durfee earned a positive grade from Jaguars senior vice president Jake Tamme with his outing at the Huskies' Pro Day.
The whole article is worth reading because Kahler describes Durfee's unexpected journey to the NFL, but the bottom line is that the Jags found a potential steal in Round 7.
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What are the Jaguars getting in Zach Durfee?
Like plenty of seventh-round picks, Zach Durfee has an uphill battle to leave his mark. Having said that, Jacksonville was probably his best landing spot. After all, the Jaguars' brass incentivizes competition and won't hesitate to give playing time to a late-round selection if he makes the most out of his opportunities.
Last year, undrafted free agents Danny Striggow and B.J. Green II made the initial 53-man roster. They then passed veterans Emmanuel Ogbah and Dawuane Smoot as the year progresses. Maybe Durfee will be this year's overlooked standout who goes on to make an impact.
Of course, Durfee has a long way to go before he gets meaningful playing time. For starters, he'll need to compete with both Danny Striggow and B.J. Green for snaps next season. Then again, he's gotten here precisely because he will always give his all, so don't be surprised if you hear his name often in 2026.
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