The Jaguars strengthen their defense late in the draft, adding edge rusher Zach Durfee and linebacker Parker Hughes to bolster their roster.
The Jacksonville Jaguars wrapped up the seventh round of the NFL draft with a pair of defensive selections.
Jacksonville selected Washington EDGE Zach Durfee with the 233rd pick and Middle Tennessee linebacker Parker Hughes with the 240th pick.
Hughes becomes the fifth defensive player for the Jaguars, ending their draft with five defensive and five offensive players.
Durfee joins his future teammate, Wesley Williams, on the edge behind Travon Walker and Josh Hines-Allen. Hughes is the first linebacker taken by Jacksonville, a position many draft analysts projected as a need.
Zach Durfee, 233rd Pick
Standing at 6-foot-5 and weighing 256 pounds, Durfee started 10 of 12 games for the Huskies. He tallied 37 tackles (16 solo), one pass defended, four sacks and one forced fumble.
Durfee is a twitchy athlete who can change direction quickly. He does have short arms at 31.5 inches, which could pose an issue against opposing offensive linemen.
However, Durfee has found alternative methods to overcome his weakness in spurts.
"When blocked early, Durfee often finds ways to stay alive to rally to the ball-carrier," NFL analyst Lance Zierlein wrote in his combine bio. "He lacks polish/planning as a pass rusher but creates pressure with his footwork and rush surge."
The Dawson, Minnesota native posted a 5.80 prospect grade, projecting him as an average backup or special teamer for Jacksonville.
Grade
C
Parker Hughes, 240th Pick
Standing at 6-foot-1 and weighing 225 pounds, Hughes had a career year in his final season with the Blue Raiders. He had a career-best and team-best 100 tackles (50 solo), becoming the first MTSU linebacker to do so since T.T. Barber in 2013.
Hughes added two passes defended and two interceptions to his season performance, and played a defensive-high 795 snaps. He earned an 80.8 Pro Football Focus (PFF) grade, which ranked second-best on the team.
The Elizabethton, Tennessee native ran a 4.40-second 40-yard dash (first among linebackers) and benched 25 reps (tied for second-best) at MTSU's pro day.
Hughes joins a linebacker core of Foyesade Oluokun, Ventrell Miller, Jack Kiser, Yasir Abdullah and Branson Combs. Devin Lloyd's departure to the Carolina Panthers created a need for Jacksonville at linebacker, which they could not address in the draft until the final day.
He could compete with Kiser, Abdullah and Combs for meaningful snaps at a position that lacks depth on the roster.
Grade
C
The Jaguars had a balanced draft across three days, selecting a mix of talent that could contribute immediately or spend a few seasons developing to contribute in the future.
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