Jacksonville Jaguars potential target Austin Barber of Florida, brings positional versatility and a championship mindset, ready to bolster Jacksonville's line.
The Florida Gators have a couple of guys in the trenches receiving buzz before the 2026 NFL Draft.
Defensive lineman Caleb Banks figured to be a lock in the first round, if not a top 10 pick, before suffering an injury during the NFL Combine in Indianapolis earlier this year.
Two surgeries later, and Banks could fall to the middle of the second round before an NFL team takes a risk on a potential All-Pro.
Offensive lineman Austin Barber is another intriguing prospect for the draft, and he could be taken in the third round.
Aryton Ostly of USA Today recently released a mock draft. He has the Jacksonville Jaguars taking Barber with the No. 100 pick with the pick they traded for from the Detroit Lions.
Ostly thinks Barber could help the Jaguars offensive line get over the hump in the playoffs, as the team was narrowly defeated by the Buffalo Bills 27-24 in the wild-card round.
"Jacksonville’s offensive line was solid in the regular season before getting exploited in the playoffs," Ostly wrote.
"Barber was a three-year starter at left tackle for the Gators with ideal length and fluid athleticism. He’s a standout run blocker with the tools to develop long-term into a potential starter or swing tackle."
Barber played left tackle at Florida, but was switched to the right side during the Senior Bowl in January. In an interview with Sports Illustrated, Barber said he was open to playing either side of the line in addition to moving inside.
"I want to help the team win," Barber said. "However I can do that as a rookie, I’m going to commit myself to the plan. If that means I have to play every position on the offensive line, I’ll do that.
"I just want to help the team win. I feel like I have the tools to do that... I think I’m coming off a strong 2025 season, especially the five-game stretch at the end of our season. That was the best stretch of my career."
Barber, a six-foot-six, 315-pound athlete, should have the flexibility to help the Jaguars at multiple positions in his rookie season.
Jacksonville needs players motivated to win if head coach Liam Coen can get his team to take the next step in the playoffs.