All eyes were on the Jacksonville Jaguars heading onto Day 1 of the 2026 NFL Draft, even though they didn't have a first-round selection. This was due to the fact that general manager James Gladstone has shown an affinity for taking wild swings. Thus, nobody would've batted an eye if the Jags found a way to jump into Round 1. Surprisingly, though, they resisted the temptation to join in the fun.
Before the draft, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reported that the Jaguars could trade wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. to jump into the first round, but nothing happened. On the other hand, Mike Silver of The Athletic broke the news that Jacksonville could try to trade up, but without having to give up a player. But it didn't take place either.
Now, the Jaguars will enter Day 2 with all their picks intact, and they're ready to hoard on talent.
Why didn't the Jaguars trade into Round 1 of the 2026 NFL Draft?
If the Jaguars really wanted to, they could have acquired their original first-round selection, the 24th overall selection, which they included as part of the Travis Hunter trade. The Cleveland Browns were in need of help at receiver, so moving Brian Thomas Jr. might have made sense. However, Cleveland ended up selecting Texas A&M receiver KC Concepcion, shutting down the possibility of acquiring Thomas.
The Buffalo Bills, a potential trade-up partners, did exchange their picks. They sent the 28th overall selection to the New England Patriots in return for picks No. 31 and No. 125. The Seattle Seahawks, for their part, chose Notre Dame running back Jadarian Price. On a related note, the Jags might have traded up for him if he had slid into Round 2. With him off the board, though, you can scrape off the plan.
It's possible that the price to move up was too much for the Jaguars. Similarly, they probably didn't want to give up Brian Thomas Jr., or they didn't get a good enough offer. Either way, they get to keep him and all their picks in Rounds 2 and 3.
What will the Jaguars do in Rounds 2 and 3 of the 2026 NFL Draft?
As noted before, the Jaguars missed out on Jadarian Price, but they still have a plethora of options in the second round. Kayden McDonald, the best defensive tackle in the draft, is still on the board. Although the Jags traded for Ruke Orhorhoro one week before the draft, they could still use further upgrades on the interior defensive line. If there's a player worth trading up, it's McDonald.
But if the Jaguars want to beef up the offensive line, Chase Bisontis is still available. Similarly, they could target Keith Abney if they want reinforcements at corner. Another possibility would be to go after Jacob Rodriguez or Anthony Hill Jr. to replace Devin Lloyd, who bolted to the Carolina Panthers in free agency.
But that's only in Round 2, though. Regardless of what position the Jaguars address with the 56th overall selection, they have three picks in Round 3. That's more than enough ammo to take care of all their biggest voids. And when you add it all up, it's easy to see why Jacksonville ended up staying up.
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