3 Reasons the Jaguars Must Draft a Developmental QB

Simply put, the Jaguars and general manager James Gladstone have prepared well for the 2026 draft. Even without a first-round pick due to the Travis Hunter trade, the Jaguars have 11 picks overall and four in the top 100. Beyond that, they hold multiple picks in the fifth and seventh rounds, giving them a chance to run the table on Day 3. With there not being 11 true roster holes even on the team, the Jaguars can afford to spend on a developmental quarterback.

Any rookie quarterback the Jaguars potentially draft would have to compete with Carter Bradley for the No. 3 job, which makes the seventh-round trio of picks feel like the most likely quarterback territory. If the quarterback beats Bradley for the job and becomes the QB3 and practice squad quarterback, then there is value in the pick. If they don't win the job and get cut, then it was just one of three picks in the draft's final round. It is hard to lose there.

There is a precedent

While some may wonder if there is value in spending a late Day 3 pick on a quarterback who would be destined for the practice squad, there is precedent for it in the NFL. For a team like the Jaguars that has more picks than they have true roster needs, this gives them the perfect reason to want to look into taking a quarterback.

Last year, the Philadelphia Eagles took Kyle McCord in the sixth round at No. 181, and he opened the year on the practice squad as the Eagles' QB3. Devin Leary did the same in 2024, and Max Duggan did the same in 2023 -- all on late Day 3. This is where teams can afford to make these dart throws on positions.

Nick Mullens' Deal

Simply put, it is Gladstone's job to look ahead. The Jaguars have their franchise quarterback in Trevor Lawrence and Nick Mullens is firmly entrenched as the Jaguars' QB2. With that said, Mullens signed a two-year deal with the franchise and is set to be a free agent after the season. If the Jaguars play their cards right, a rookie pick in 2025 could be Mullens' long-term replacement.

For this to happen, the Jaguars would obviously need to be big advocates of the passer to begin with, but he will really need to show something in preseason and practice reps. As long as they can cultivate some developmental belief during that time, though, they could provide the Jaguars a way to save a few million in the years ahead. A small win, but still a win.