With the 2026 NFL draft near, we will be taking a position-by-position look at where things stand with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The draft will take place from Apr. 23-25. Although the Jaguars are without a first-round pick, GM James Gladstone does have 11 picks in total to work with — tied for the second-most in the NFL.
He also has four selections in the top 100, giving him the ability to still address key needs and the flexibility to let the board dictate what he does or move around as he sees fit.
Up next in our preview is the defensive tackle unit, which looks a bit different now after the Jaguars traded Maason Smith for Ruke Orhorhoro. If you missed our other previews, you can find them below.
Defensive tackles on the roster before 2026 NFL draft
Offseason moves made by Jaguars at defensive tackle
What is the need at defensive tackle in the NFL draft for the Jaguars?
At a minimum, with only five defensive tackles under contract, more depth is needed. But in addition to that, more pass rush juice is needed from the defensive tackle position, which went quiet late last season. The addition of Orhorhoro can hopefully help provide that, but his presence doesn’t solve the Jaguars’ need here either. Before the trade, adding to the defensive tackle room should have been a priority, and after the trade, it still should be.
Top defensive tackle prospects in the 2026 NFL draft
With help from the consensus big board, here are the top defensive tackle prospects in this year’s draft class — a position that has a good amount of depth.
This article originally appeared on Jaguars Wire: State of Jaguars’ DT unit after Ruke Orhorhoro trade before NFL draft
Reporting by Paul Bretl, Jaguars Wire / Jaguars Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
