With rookies performing more NFL-ready than ever, gauging the level of General Manager your favorite team has can start with the early impact of their draft picks. This is not the end-all, be-all. The Los Angeles Rams have a General Manager who seems quite self-aware of his organization, Les Snead, and that showed in their draft this cycle. They seemed to focus more on developmental guys who can help them in 2027 and beyond, instead of early impact performers, since they have a multitude of in-house talent, including Myles Garrett and Aaron Donald, who can help them get over the top to a Super Bowl. The Jacksonville Jaguars had questions about how good their GM, James Gladstone, was after his first draft was highlighted by the acquisition of two-way superstar Travis Hunter, who did not finish his rookie season. He followed that draft with a 2026 cycle where he went against the consensus with virtually every pick to establish a more physical on-field product that matched the vision of head coach Liam Coen. According to Sports Illustrated’s Connor Orr, those questions are still there surrounding this year’s class. Orr ranked the Jaguars 18th in his 2026 NFL Draft Class Rankings and gave them a C+ grade.
Recap of Jacksonville Jaguars’ 2026 NFL Draft Class
- Round 2, Pick 56 – TE Nate Boerkircher, Texas A&M
- Round 3, Pick 81 – DT Albert Regis, Texas A&M
- Round 3, Pick 88 – OL Emmanuel Pregnon, Oregon
- Round 3, Pick 100 – S Jalen Huskey, Maryland
- Round 4, Pick 119 – EDGE Wesley Williams, Duke
- Round 5, Pick 164 – TE Tanner Koziol, Houston
- Round 6, Pick 191 – WR Josh Cameron, Baylor
- Round 6, Pick 203 – WR CJ Williams, Stanford
- Round 7, Pick 233 – DE Zach Durfee, Washington
- Round 7, Pick 240 – LB Parker Hughes, Middle Tennessee State
Why Only a C+?
“The Jacksonville Jaguars were clowned for selecting Nate Boerkircher at No. 56, but he’s had a profound impact on their rushing attack. We’re still trying to figure out why guard Emmanuel Pregnon lasted until 88th overall. He’s been an instant plus-level starter. Late-round receiver Josh Cameron has two touchdowns. The hit rate on this 10-player class doesn’t look particularly high right now, but they added some immediate contributors to a good team.”
Is This a C+ Class?
Doug Engle / Florida Times-Union
I think Orr is undervaluing this class, especially given the vitriol directed at Gladstone and company after the draft. Boerkircher was the poster child for why this class wasn’t great, but I believe his ability to block and open up the other tight end, Brenton Strange, to be 7th among tight ends in yards/route run, according to Next Gen Stats, has been instrumental in Jacksonville’s strong start. Josh Cameron, a physical specimen out of Baylor, has proven to be a solid contributor in the passing game, already hauling in two touchdowns this season. The biggest hit on the board is probably third-round offensive lineman Emmanuel Pregnon, who inexplicably fell to the third round and has become a day-one starter for the Jaguars. Of the final 53, eight of the ten rookies made the roster, with Zach Durfee and Parker Hughes on Injured Reserve. While the headliners of this class have been Boerkircher, Cameron, and Pregnon, the other seven rookies not contributing more to the on-field product has been mostly due to the players in front of them. However, those who needed to contribute for Jacksonville to be successful early on have, so I think the floor of this class, at least in its early stages, should be a B.
