Projecting the Jaguars' Week 1 Starters After the NFL Draft

When considering what kind of roles the Jaguars' 10 new draft picks will play, it is worth considering what Jaguars general manager James Gladstone said on April 9 about how he views rookies.

"When you're talking about first-year players, typically that's the expectation, finding a way to contribute and offer a positive impact. It can be a little bit more challenging on the early end of a season as a rookie or even towards mid-season to really feel that come to life," Gladstone said. "In the instances that it does, that's great. That's usually above the expectation, especially when you're talking about pick 50 and beyond, which is where we find ourselves at this point."

So with the Jaguars having reshaped their depth chart on both sides of the ball, who looks like they are slotted to be a Week 1 starter, and whose job is in trouble? We break it all down below.

Offense

As expected, there are not many open jobs here. Let's go through them unit-by-unit.

Quarterback goes without saying, while my gut instinct right now says that Chris Rodriguez Jr. will lead the Jaguars in carries, just over Bhayshul Tuten. I believe the Jaguars will use multiple running backs to fuel the rushing attack, but if I had to pick a starter for the Jaguars and Week 1 I think I would say it is Rodriguez.

The Jaguars drafted two receivers late on Day 3 with Josh Cameron and CJ Williams, but it is obvious who the Jaguars' starting receivers are set to be. It is worth noting that Travis Hunter will still have a role on offense, but I would expect Parker Washington to have a larger share of the slot receiver role, at least on a full-time basis.

There are some moving pieces when it comes to the offensive line. You can pencil in Robert Hainsey and Anton Harrison as undisputed starters, while the left tackle situation has a lot riding on whether Cole Van Lanen is healthy. I think Ezra Cleveland wins one guard spot over Wyat Milum and/or rookie Emmanuel Pregnon, while I believe the Jaguars give Mekari another crack at the starting job.

I believe Nate Boerkircher will have a clear role as the TE2, but Brenton Strange is another starter who is already locked into his spot. In short: no rookie starters.

Defense

The Jaguars added five rookies to the defensive side of the ball, but just like on offense, none should be expected to start in Week 1. The highest-selected defender, defensive tackle Albert Regis, will clearly play a backup role behind DaVon Hamilton. Perhaps Ruke Orhorhoro can push Arik Armstead for the starting job, but the defensive line looks like it will be the same starting unit as a year ago.

With the Jaguars not selecting a linebacker until their final selection, it is also clear that Ventrell Miller is set to be the starter in 2026. It is big shoes to fill after the year Devin Lloyd had, but it is also clear that Miller is the unquestioned best option as of today. Perhaps the Jaguars sign a veteran linebacker next week, but there are not many questions here.

As for the secondary, the Jaguars have more talented players than they do open starting spots. Jarrian Jones is a starting-level cornerback and Caleb Ransaw was a top selection by the Jaguars a year ago, but they still look like backups as of now.