Ladies and gents, we're almost to the starting line. After months of speculation, prognosis, and analysis, we are close to seeing the Jacksonville Jaguars take the field in Week 1 of the 2026 season.
There was a long road to get here. I, for one, didn't stop grieving the team's Wild Card loss at home until a few weeks ago. I just couldn't stop lamenting about how the team failed to grind out that one big beautiful clock-eating drive that would give them a two-score cushion and put the Buffalo Bills away.
From the looks of things, Liam Coen and James Gladstone felt the same way, as they invested in the running game so much this offseason that Travis Hunter's pivot to focusing on cornerback might not even be that big of a loss.
Some of the new investments included drafting a run-blocking tight end with the team's first pick of the 2026 draft. Others included the acquisition of a north-south bruiser that Liam Coen grew familiar with during his time at Kentucky. However, there was also another deposit the team made that often isn't talked about during the most popular phases of the offseason: player development.
Last year, the Jacksonville Jaguars drafted a hulking offensive lineman out of West Virginia who dominated the competition put in front of him and immediately gave the Jags a reliable depth piece. He wasn't able to break out as a starter in Year 1, but the table is set for him to help Liam Coen field the most punishing ground game he's overseen as an NFL play caller thus far.
If he can seize the day, this player might actually turn into one of the fastest-rising stars in the entire league.
Wyatt Milum's emergence would give the Jaguars the last piece they need
What's odd is that there were multiple opportunities for the Jaguars to put Wyatt Milum on the field during the team's mid-season slump last year. After a heartbreaking loss to the Houston Texans on the road, it became apparent that Walker Little and other veterans on the offensive line were not reaching the potential they flashed as a unit during the preseason.
Milum's strengths as a prospect came from his versatility as a lineman, as his shorter arms made him a better fit at guard on paper despite his impressive resume as a tackle in college. At West Virginia, Milum earned consensus All-America honors, was named the Big 12's Offensive Lineman of the Year, and became a first-team All-Big 12 selection.
Excelling as much as he did in a Power 4 conference gave Jacksonville's front office the confidence they needed to spend a third-round pick on him and, presumably, take care of any issues related to depth and underperformance.
Wyatt Milum faces competition to start for the Jaguars
So, heading into the 2026 campaign, one would think that James Gladstone would be raring for Liam Coen and Grant Udinski to find a spot for the second-year pro at either right guard or even left tackle.
Earlier this offseason, Sports Illustrated's John Shipley wrote that Milum "needs to show now more than ever that he deserves to be in the conversation to start for the Jaguars, whether that happens this year or next season alongside [Emmanuel] Pregnon."
Ironically, Pregnon was also drafted in the third round after putting together an All-American and All-Conference campaign in the last season before he turned pro. Pregnon's case is different because he has almost always been a guard through his career at the highest levels of the sport.
This should mean that he and Milum should never be battling for a roster spot throughout the rest of their tenures as Jaguars; however, Pregnon's presence could mean that Milum needs to turn it up a notch if he wants to start.
Ezra Cleveland is entering a contract year. Milum will have a golden chance to prove that he deserves to be his heir apparent. It will all depend on his ability to break out during training camp and show us all the fruits of Liam Coen's labor as a developer of offensive talent.
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