Rookie OG Emmanuel Pregnon impressed in his Jacksonville Jaguars debut. But, how will he fare against the Denver Broncos and their elite defensive line?
The Jacksonville Jaguars' 2026-2027 season got off to a hot start on Sunday, with the offense and defense both clicking en route to a 34-10 victory over the Cleveland Browns.
Multiple rookie talents like Emmanuel Pregnon, Josh Cameron, and Nate Boerkircher made their NFL debuts, and each produced in a big way.
Pregnon, who battled for a starting job throughout the offseason, looked very comfortable in his opening game, protecting starting quarterback Trevor Lawrence's interior and moving well on the line of scrimmage.
Multiple NFL reporters and analysts tweeted via X about Pregnon's performance, with CBS' Ben Fennell noting the pockets made for Lawrence by his protection.
Pregnon stood his ground against a talented Browns defensive line, with Lawrence being brought down just once.
Following the game, NFL Network's Brian Baldinger wrote "what a rookie debut...I know it's only one game but I can't stop gushing about this performance."
ESPN Jaguars reporter Michael DiRocco retweeted the post, adding the caption "smashing pumpkins" to signify Pregnon's physical play.
Following Pregnon's preseason debut, offensive coordinator Grant Udinksi talked about this level of violence that Pregnon displays.
"You see the physicality, you see the strength, you see the athleticism and he's able to showcase that stuff now because he has a better understanding of the system," Udinski said.
As a senior at Oregon, Pregnon was perhaps the best offensive lineman on a team that made it to the second round of the College Football Playoff and finished as a finalist for the best offensive line in college football.
He started all 15 games, earning First-Team AP All-American honors and solidifying himself as one of the top interior lineman in the draft class.
Most projections saw Pregnon listed as a top-50 prospect, but he eventually fell to the third round, allowing Jacksonville to cash in on the slide with the No. 88 overall pick.
Following the pick, head coach Liam Coen described Pregnon as succinctly as he could, calling him, "ass and mass."
With veterans like Ezra Cleveland and Daniel Faalele filling out the depth positions on Jacksonville's interior, Pregnon's early strides are encouraging to see.
Heading into a Week 2 matchup against the Denver Broncos' explosive defensive line, Pregnon will have his hands full.
The Broncos have led the NFL in sacks both of the past two seasons, and will be looking to recover from a poor performance in Week 1 against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Jacksonville travels to Mile High to take on Denver Sunday at 4:05 p.m.
