Jacksonville Jaguars general manager James Gladstone speaks during a press conference next to head coach Liam Coen at the Miller Electric Center, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Three Linebackers Jaguars Could Draft at No. 56

Originally posted on Jacksonville Jaguars on SI
By Jared Feinberg | Last updated Feb 9, 2026 10:00 AM ET

The Jacksonville Jaguars don't have a first-round draft pick, but they know well that it won't matter whether or not they do: they must be able to secure adequate talent and youth.

General manager James Gladstone is familiar with this scenario, having experience as a key front office figure for the Los Angeles Rams over the last several years before he was hired by the Jaguars. Now, he could be tasked with trying to replace All-Pro linebacker Devin Lloyd. Free agency is a possibility here, but the NFL Draft might be the direction Gladstone goes to address the position.

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I looked at three possible selections at linebacker that Jacksonville could target in April's draft with the No. 56 overall selection in the second round.

Josiah Trotter, Missouri Tigers

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Define a heat-seeking missile for a football player on defense, and you get Trotter. I'm beyond impressed with his short-area burst and explosiveness attacking downhill, sometimes overwhelming offensive linemen at the point of attack with pure explosion and power to get into the backfield or make a run stop around the line of scrimmage.

The brother of Jeremiah Jr. and son of Jeremiah Sr, Josiah offers excellent run defender instincts, sure-fire tackling ability, and the range to play sideline to sideline. Trotter is still growing in pass coverage, but what he provides as a rookie is sound.

CJ Allen, Georgia Bulldogs

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Allen has plenty of experience playing at EverBank Stadium as a member of the Bulldogs, as Georgia and Florida have faced off in Jacksonville annually. This may have allowed Gladstone an opportunity to see the standout SEC champion defender up close, in-person.

A consensus All-American in 2025, Allen will fly to the football with a quality range and explosive capacity to get downhill to the ball carrier quickly. Turning 21 in March, Allen has so much more room for growth in run game discipline and coverage ability. What he could become is enticing for patience and evolution in Jacksonville.

Anthony Hill Jr., Texas Longhorns

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I feel as though this could be a favorite player of defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile's, as Hill is an aggressive downhill linebacker who provides some value as a spot-drop defender in coverage and has come away with a couple of interceptions against seams. Hill provides great value as a blitzer and open-field tackler with long arms and stopping power to make wrap-up tackles. This would be a great selection for the Jaguars go with an underclassman.

This article first appeared on Jacksonville Jaguars on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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