After an impressive turnaround in 2025, the Jacksonville Jaguars are entering the 2026 season looking to win the AFC South title in back-to-back years for the first time since 1998-1999. This begs the question, can they pull it off?
More importantly, are the Jags really the best in the division? To find out, the B&T ranked all four teams in the AFC South in seven categories: Quarterback, pass-catchers (wide receivers and tight ends), running backs, offensive line, front seven, secondary, and strength of schedule.
The scoring system is simple. Each team is ranked from No. 1 to No. 4 in each category. Clubs in the No. 1 spot get a point. If they're second, they get two points, and so on. The fewer points a team gets, the better. In the end, we'll add all the points and see which club comes out on top. S/O to Freddie Boston at Lombardi Ave. for coming up with this ranking system for the NFC North. With this in mind, let's see how Jacksonville stacks up against its division foes.
Ranking the Jaguars against other AFC South teams ahead of the 2026 regular season
Quarterback rooms
Ranking | Team |
|---|---|
1 | Jaguars |
2 | Texans |
3 | Colts |
4 | Titans |
Say what you want about Trevor Lawrence, but he showed last year that he can exchange blows with the best teams in the NFL. Moreover, his 2025 season wasn't an outlier. No. 16 proved in 2022 and a good portion of the following year tha the could play at an absurdly high level. He'll just need to build consistency to truly join the top-5 conversation.
CJ Stroud looked pretty good as a rookie in 2023, but he's struggled to recreate the success he had that season. He's now entering a make-or-break year, and we'll soon find out whether he was a one-year wonder. On the other hand, Daniel Jones was underwhelming for most of his stint with the New York Giants but flourished with the Indianapolis Colts before an ACL tear ended his 2025 campaign.
If Jones had another strong season, he might've ranked higher. For the time being, he's No. 3 in the division. That leaves Cam Ward at No. 4. The former Miami Hurricane flashed as a rookie, but he's got his work cut out for him to show he's the long-term answer behind center in Nashville. That said, he may have bigger upside than both Jones and Stroud.
Wide receivers (and tight ends)
Ranking | Team |
|---|---|
1 | Jaguars |
2 | Titans |
3 | Colts |
4 | Texans |
The Jaguars are off to a strong start in these rankings. Their wide receiver corps is the best in the AFC South because it has no shortage of depth and talent. Brian Thomas Jr., Parker Washington, and Jakobi Meyers give Trevor Lawrence a trio of proven receivers. Thomas is coming off a disappointing season, but if he can bounce back — and he's trending in that direction — he'll once again give secondaries fits like he did in his electrifying rookie season.
Beyond their top three receivers, the Jags have rookies CJ Williams and Josh Cameron. Both flashed in training camp and could earn a big role down the road. At tight end, Jacksonville has the trio of Brenton Strange, Nate Boerkircher, and Tanner Koziol. No other team in the division has such a wide array of weapons.
That said, Tennessee has a solid trio in Calvin Ridley, rookie Carnell Tate, and Wan'Dale Robinson. Tate could flourish into a bona fide No. 1, and Ridley may be better suited for a WR2 role. On the other hand, the Titans don't have much talent at tight end. The Colts, for their part, don't have a great wide receiver corps, but the cupboard isn't bare. Despite losing Michael Pittman Jr. in free agency, Josh Downs is a solid No. 3.
If Alec Pierce gets back soon, Indy's receiver room will look much better. But Daniel Jones can also count on tight ned Tyler Warren, who showed dynamic pass-catching skills as a rookie. Coming at No. 4, the Texans' best receiver is Nico Collins. They had to trade for Kayshon Boutte because they didn't have many offensive weapons. Their tight end room isn't much better.
Running backs
Ranking | Team |
|---|---|
1 | Colts |
2 | Titans |
3 | Texans |
4 | Jaguars |
After a pair of injury-marred seasons, Jonathan Taylor proved in 2025 that he's still one of the top running backs in the NFL. The Colts don't have enticing depth behind him, but as long as he's healthy, that won't be an issue. The Titans come in second place with the backfield tandem of Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears. They're one one of the top duos in the league, but they can most definitely get the job done.
Houston is third in the division after trading for David Montgomery in the offseason. Montgomery and sophomore Woody Marks give the Texans a solid one-two punch at running back. The Jags come last at No. 4 with Bhayshul Tuten and Chris Rodriguez Jr. They are intriguing sleepers, but since their sample is rather limited, it's hard to rank them any higher based on potential.
Offensive lines
Ranking | Team |
|---|---|
1 | Colts |
2 | Jaguars |
3 | Titans |
4 | Texans |
According to Sharp Analysis, the Colts had the 11th-best offensive line in the league last season. Some of that stemmed from the fact that their hog mollies managed to stay relatively healthy. Granted, Braden Smith bolted for Houston, but Indianapolis has already replaced him with sophomore Jalen Travis. The Jags, on the other hand, had several moving parts in the offseason and dealt with injuries in training camp. However, they should be good to go in Week 1.
The Titans, for their part, are No. 3 when it comes to offensive lines in the AFC South. They have a pair of core pieces in guard Peter Skoronski and right tackle JC Latham. If Dan Moore can play better, Cam Ward should also have plenty of time to throw. It's worth noting that 2026 fifth-round pick Fernando Carmona is set to start at right guard. Tennessee may have found a draft steal.
The Texans have tried to fix their offensive line the past two years, but haven't gotten a substantial return on their investment. Ed Ingram proved his worth last year, but there's nothing much to write home about.
Front seven
Ranking | Team |
|---|---|
1 | Texans |
2 | Titans |
3 | Jaguars |
4 | Colts |
Here's where Texans outperform every other team in the division. With Danielle Hunter, Jadeveon Clowney, and Will Anderson Jr., Houston has the best pass rush in the whole NFL. Azeez Al-Shaair is as dirty as they come, but he earned a Pro Bowl designation. Henry To'oto'o also got an extension, so the Texans definitely like what he brings to the table.
The Colts rank second in this category because of the ageless duo of DeForest Buckner and Grover Stewart. Laiatu Latu and Arden Key also give Indianapolis a solid pair of pass rushers. The Titans also have a stacked defensive line, with the duo of Jeffery Simmons and John Franklin-Myers. Jermaine Johnson II and Kelvin Faulk are also in the mix. At linebacker, Houston has rookie Anthony Hill Jr. and James Williams Sr.
Meanwhile, the Jaguars have the duo of Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker. Their pass rush could get a boost if B.J. Green II and rookie Bryan Thomas Jr. keep making strides.
Foyesade Oluokun is a keeper at linebacker, but Jacksonville is still looking for a replacement for Devin Lloyd. Neither Ventrell Miller nor Branson Combs has proven to be the answer. The Colts are last when it comes to front sevens.
Secondary
Ranking | Team |
|---|---|
1 | Texans |
2 | Jaguars |
3 | Colts |
4 | Titans |
The Texans once again rank first because they have an All-Pro cornerback in Derek Stingley Jr., a pretty good starter opposite him in Kamari Lassiter, and a dynamic defensive back in Jalen Pitre. Callen Bulock and Reed Blankenship are also pretty good safeties. The Jaguars have upside, on the other hand.
Antonio Johnson is one of the best safeties in the league, and Eric Murray is no slouch. Jacksonville also has four starting corners in Travis Hunter, Jourdan Lewis, Montaric Brown, and Jarrian Jones.
The Colts have Sauce Gardner, who's coming off an injury-marred season and will surely want to prove he's still the best corner in the NFL. Charvarius Ward and Cam Bynum also give Indy a pair of talented pieces in their back end. The Titans come last because they have a solid secondary, but none of their players stand out.
Strength of schedule
Ranking | Team |
|---|---|
1 | Colts |
2 | Titans |
3 | Jaguars |
4 | Texans |
Strength of schedule may not mean much once the season starts, but it can certainly be of help. For instance, the New England Patriots managed to make the playoffs because they had one of the easiest slates in the NFL last year. Simply put, the fewer contenders you face, the higher your odds of racking up wins will be.
With that said, the Colts have the easiest schedule, according to Sharp Analysis. The Titans rank second in this department, while the Jaguars and Titans popped up at No. 3 and No. 4, respectively.
Conclusion
The Jaguars ended with 17 points, while both the Texans and the Titans had 19. Shockingly, the Colts scored the fewest points in the division with 16. Does that mean they're better than Jacksonville? Probably not. Then again, they were in the thick of the playoff race last year until Daniel Jones got hurt. That means that things could get interesting in the AFC South next season.
It will be up to the Jags to improve in the categories in which they had a low ranking if they want to keep their stronghold of the division.
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