ESPN’s Jordan Reid constructed his final seven-round mock draft with the 2026 NFL draft just days away. So who did the Jacksonville Jaguars end up selecting?
Not surprisingly, this was a defensive-heavy mock for the Jaguars, but Reid did well to address the team’s overall needs.
Let’s dive in with our takeaways.
Jaguars picks in Reid’s final 7-round mock draft
Defense, defense, defense
Eight of the 11 picks made in this mock draft were defenders. As I mentioned, it’s not at all surprising that this side of the ball was prioritized given the construction of the Jaguars’ roster.
Reid didn’t forget about building depth
Positions like wide receiver, the offensive line, safety, and tight end are not pressing needs, but the depth of those units ideally do get addressed in the draft. At wideout, we know the Jaguars are interested in adding here, given their pursuit of Jake Bobo. Looking ahead to 2027, there is the potential for a good amount of turnover on the offensive line. At safety, Andrew Wingard signed with Arizona, while the Jaguars have only four tight ends on the roster.
No running back?
This is one of the very few mock drafts that doesn’t have the Jaguars drafting a running back, which I agree with. Now, if there is a good value or the right player is available, you make the pick, but with five players under contract, which includes Chris Rodriguez, Bhayshul Tuten, and LeQuint Allen leading the way, running back doesn’t have to be a priority.
Tackling the big needs right away
Linebacker, defensive tackle, and defensive end are the Jaguars’ biggest needs, and Reid attacked those positions right away. If I can nit-pick, rather than double-dipping at linebacker and safety, I would have rather seen two picks made at both the end and tackle positions.
This article originally appeared on Jaguars Wire: 4 takeaways from Jaguars 11 picks in Reid’s final 7-round mock draft
Reporting by Paul Bretl, Jaguars Wire / Jaguars Wire
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