After trading their first-round pick as part of the package to pick Travis Hunter last year, the Jacksonville Jaguars didn't have a selection until No. 56 in Round 2 of the 2026 NFL Draft. However, that didn't stop them from trying to jump into Round 1. Although their attempt ultimately came up short, the silver lining is that the Jags will get to pick their first-rounder next year.
This is positive news when you take into account that the 2027 draft is expected to be better than this year's. However, an NFL analyst just made a couple of bleak predictions for Jacksonville in his latest mock.
The Jaguars will drarft Ahmad Hardy to replace Bhayshul Tuten in 2027 NFL Mock Draft
Nicholas Rome of Saturday Blitz did a 2027 first-round mock draft and had the Jags taking running back Ahmad Hardy at No. 16, arguing that the Mizzou Tiger has shown enough talent to potentially replace Bhayshul Tuten. Here's the skinny.
"The Jaguars traded away their 1st Round pick in the Travis Hunter deal, which led to a quiet Thursday Night," Rome wrote. "Losing Travis Etienne in free agency is a major blow, and one that the team may try to correct next offseason. After breaking out at Louisiana-Monroe, Ahmad Hardy transferred to Missouri and proved he's the real deal, dominating in the SEC."
There's no doubt that Ahmad Hardy is a playmaker. He's currently a trendy pick to be the first running back off the board in 2027. Heck, he's already been mocked to the Minnesota Vikings and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
But if the Jags end up picking Hardy with the 16th overall pick, it will mean three things: First, letting Travis Etienne leave in free agency was a mistake. He bolted for the New Orleans Saints because Jacksonville is confident Bhayshul Tuten is more than a capable replacement.
Just recently, head coach Liam Coen heaped praise on Tuten, pointing out that the team has yet to take advantage of his full skill set. But if Jacksonville goes running back in the first round of next year's draft, it would likely be a sign that Tuten failed to live up to expectations.
Lastly, and probably more importantly, if the Jags pick at No. 16 — and not because they traded up — it will mean that it failed to qualify for the postseason.
This is a long-winded way to say that drafting Hardy with the 16th overall selection would pretty much be the worst-case scenario for the Jags.
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Why the Jaguars won't draft Ahmad Hardy (and miss the playoffs in 2026)
The Jaguars saw enough of Bhayshul Tuten last year to believe that he can break out in 2026. Sure, he only averaged 3.7 yards per carry but showed the capability to break off big runs when he toted the rock four times for 51 yards in the playoff loss to the Buffalo Bills. The former Virginia Tech has big shoes to fill, and he definitely has the talent (and the team's support) to pull it off.
It's also worth noting that Jacksonville signed Liam Coen's protege Chris Rodriguez in free agency. The former Kentucky Wildcat showed potential when the Washington Commanders thrust him into action in 2025. He will play a pivotal role in replacing Etienne.
Sure, there's a chance that the Jags will miss the playoffs, but it's hard to see that happening with Coen at the helm. He's the kind of head coach that won't rest on his laurels and will instead turn it up a notch next year.
Couple that with the fact that the Jaguars have Trevor Lawrence in the fold and more than enough talent at most position groups, and it's hard to see them taking a step back in 2026.
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