According to some analysts and NFL talking heads, the 2026 draft is not as strong as those in the past, especially as it relates to separation between the first round and the second and third rounds.

Teams can find just as many talented players to meet their draft needs outside the first round.

NFL analyst Daniel Jeremiah says teams can make value plays for talent that will not break the bank.

The Jacksonville Jaguars do not have a first round pick this year, as they traded that pick as part of the trade-up transaction that resulted in the drafting of Travis Hunter last season.

But the Jaguars do have four picks in the top 100, between the second and third rounds, which according to Jeremiah, is the "sweet spot" for this year’s draft for value picks.

"I see the sweet spot in this draft between 50-75. There are going to be a bunch of solid starters in that range. The edge rusher, CB or WR you get at 75 will be graded almost identically to the one you’d get at 45," Jeremiah said Thursday on X. 

Last season, the Jaguars selected two players in the third round on back-to-back picks: safety Caleb Ransaw and offensive lineman Wyatt Milum.

Ranshaw was injured in training camp and missed the entire 2025 season. It was a significant loss when you consider the Jaguars gave up three picks, one each in the third, fourth and sixth rounds, to draft Ransaw.

Milum anchored West Virginia's offensive line for four seasons and excelled in pass protection. He made bold predictions after he was picked about how he would keep starting quarterback Trevor Lawrence safe and secure (and upright) in the pocket.

Then, on cue, Milum missed seven games due to injury to start the season. He did, however, return and contribute during the team’s eight-game winning streak.

There is talent galore in the second and third rounds this year, and the Jaguars brain-trust of head coach Liam Coen and general manager James Gladstone are no doubt studying game film and creating a big board of talent who could become the next stars in the teal and black.

Some of the players the Jaguars could be looking at with their first four picks, based on their draft needs and free agency, include running backs Jonah Coleman (Washington) and Mike Washington Jr. (Arkansas), and linebackers Anthony Hill Jr. (Texas), who met with Jags scouts at the NFL combine, and Jacob Rodriguez (Texas Tech).

Coen and Gladstone decided to skip this year's combine in favor of cramming for the final exam that is the NFL draft. Whatever they are thinking is between them and other members of team management, because not so much as a smoke signal has emanated from Gladstone’s office that could give anyone an inkling of what the Jaguars are thinking. All is hush-hush and any shred of information is being held close to the vest.

It will be a busy day for the Jaguars on Day 2 of the draft. The Jaguars are poised to pull off a haul of serious football talent next month in Pittsburgh. Roughly $17 million over the salary cap for 2026, the Jaguars have very little to no room to maneuver in the free-agent market.

Adding value draft picks in the second and third rounds could set up the Jaguars for sustained success in 2026 and beyond.

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