{"id":753379,"date":"2026-04-26T01:36:16","date_gmt":"2026-04-26T01:36:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/753379\/"},"modified":"2026-04-26T01:36:16","modified_gmt":"2026-04-26T01:36:16","slug":"projecting-the-jaguars-week-1-starters-after-the-nfl-draft","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/753379\/","title":{"rendered":"Projecting the Jaguars&#8217; Week 1 Starters After the NFL Draft"},"content":{"rendered":"<p id=\"inline-text-0\" class=\"mt-[18px] md:mt-0 mb-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"6i\">JACKSONVILLE, Fla. &#8212; With the 2026 NFL Draft officially in the books, the Jacksonville Jaguars&#8217; roster looks quite different. <\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-1\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"6l\">The Jaguars drafted 10 new rookies over the course of the 2026 draft, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.si.com\/nfl\/jaguars\/onsi\/jacksonville-3-observations-surprising-selection-nate-boerkircher\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">starting with Texas A&amp;M tight end Nate Boerkircher<\/a> and ending with Middle Tennessee State linebacker Parker Hughes. <\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/01kq3ksp235z0w9jpx2g.jpg\" alt=\"nate koerchie\" title=\"nate koerchie\" width=\"4445\" height=\"2500\" class=\"undefined w-full w-full blur-[5px]\" q:id=\"6v\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Dec 20, 2025; College Station, TX, USA; Texas A&amp;M Aggies tight end Nate Boerkircher (87) celebrates a first down against the Miami Hurricanes during first quarter of the first round game of the CFP National Playoff at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-3\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"6z\">When considering what kind of roles the Jaguars&#8217; 10 new draft picks will play, it is worth considering what Jaguars general manager James Gladstone said on April 9 about how he views rookies.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-4\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"72\">&#8220;When you&#8217;re talking about first-year players, typically that&#8217;s the expectation, finding a way to contribute and offer a positive impact. It can be a little bit more challenging on the early end of a season as a rookie or even towards mid-season to really feel that come to life,&#8221; Gladstone said. &#8220;In the instances that it does, that&#8217;s great. That&#8217;s usually above the expectation, especially when you&#8217;re talking about pick 50 and beyond, which is where we find ourselves at this point.&#8221;\n<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/01kq3kynekmrdx2vhbbj.jpg\" alt=\"nf\" title=\"nf\" width=\"6000\" height=\"3375\" class=\"undefined w-full w-full blur-[5px]\" q:id=\"7c\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Jacksonville Jaguars general manager James Gladstone speaks during a press conference next to head coach Liam Coen at the Miller Electric Center, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. | Corey Perrine\/Florida Times-Union \/ USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-6\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"7g\">So with the Jaguars having reshaped their depth chart on both sides of the ball, who looks like they are slotted to be a Week 1 starter, and whose job is in trouble? We break it all down below.<\/p>\n<p>Offense<\/p>\n<tr>\n<p><strong>Pos.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Player<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"border-b-[1px] border-b-lightGrey\" q:key=\"0\">\n<td class=\"py-3 px-10 my-0 mx-auto\" q:key=\"0\">\n<p>QB<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td class=\"py-3 px-10 my-0 mx-auto\" q:key=\"1\">\n<p>Trevor Lawrence<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"border-b-[1px] border-b-lightGrey\" q:key=\"1\">\n<td class=\"py-3 px-10 my-0 mx-auto\" q:key=\"0\">\n<p>RB<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td class=\"py-3 px-10 my-0 mx-auto\" q:key=\"1\">\n<p>Chris Rodriguez Jr.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"border-b-[1px] border-b-lightGrey\" q:key=\"2\">\n<td class=\"py-3 px-10 my-0 mx-auto\" q:key=\"0\">\n<p>WR<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td class=\"py-3 px-10 my-0 mx-auto\" q:key=\"1\">\n<p>Brian Thomas Jr.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"border-b-[1px] border-b-lightGrey\" q:key=\"3\">\n<td class=\"py-3 px-10 my-0 mx-auto\" q:key=\"0\">\n<p>WR<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td class=\"py-3 px-10 my-0 mx-auto\" q:key=\"1\">\n<p>Jakobi Meyers<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"border-b-[1px] border-b-lightGrey\" q:key=\"4\">\n<td class=\"py-3 px-10 my-0 mx-auto\" q:key=\"0\">\n<p>Slot WR<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td class=\"py-3 px-10 my-0 mx-auto\" q:key=\"1\">\n<p>Parker Washington<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"border-b-[1px] border-b-lightGrey\" q:key=\"5\">\n<td class=\"py-3 px-10 my-0 mx-auto\" q:key=\"0\">\n<p>TE<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td class=\"py-3 px-10 my-0 mx-auto\" q:key=\"1\">\n<p>Brenton Strange<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"border-b-[1px] border-b-lightGrey\" q:key=\"6\">\n<td class=\"py-3 px-10 my-0 mx-auto\" q:key=\"0\">\n<p>LT<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td class=\"py-3 px-10 my-0 mx-auto\" q:key=\"1\">\n<p>Cole Van Lanen<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"border-b-[1px] border-b-lightGrey\" q:key=\"7\">\n<td class=\"py-3 px-10 my-0 mx-auto\" q:key=\"0\">\n<p>LG<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td class=\"py-3 px-10 my-0 mx-auto\" q:key=\"1\">\n<p>Ezra Cleveland<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"border-b-[1px] border-b-lightGrey\" q:key=\"8\">\n<td class=\"py-3 px-10 my-0 mx-auto\" q:key=\"0\">\n<p>C<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td class=\"py-3 px-10 my-0 mx-auto\" q:key=\"1\">\n<p>Robert Hainsey<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"border-b-[1px] border-b-lightGrey\" q:key=\"9\">\n<td class=\"py-3 px-10 my-0 mx-auto\" q:key=\"0\">\n<p>RG<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td class=\"py-3 px-10 my-0 mx-auto\" q:key=\"1\">\n<p>Patrick Mekari<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"border-b-[1px] border-b-lightGrey\" q:key=\"10\">\n<td class=\"py-3 px-10 my-0 mx-auto\" q:key=\"0\">\n<p>RT<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td class=\"py-3 px-10 my-0 mx-auto\" q:key=\"1\">\n<p>Anton Harrison<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<p id=\"inline-text-9\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"7o\">As expected, there are not many open jobs here. Let&#8217;s go through them unit-by-unit. <\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-10\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"7r\">Quarterback goes without saying, while my gut instinct right now says that Chris Rodriguez Jr. will lead the Jaguars in carries, just over Bhayshul Tuten. I believe the Jaguars will use multiple running backs to fuel the rushing attack, but if I had to pick a starter for the Jaguars and Week 1 I think I would say it is Rodriguez. <\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/01kq3mrnpyefkc55w981.jpg\" alt=\"bhayshul tute\" title=\"bhayshul tute\" width=\"4456\" height=\"2506\" class=\"undefined w-full w-full blur-[5px]\" q:id=\"81\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Jacksonville Jaguars running back Bhayshul Tuten (33) returns a kick off return during the first quarter in an NFL football AFC Wild Card playoff matchup, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. Bills lead 10-7 at the half over the Jaguars. [Doug Engle\/Florida Times-Union] | Doug Engle\/Florida Times-Union \/ USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-12\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"85\">The Jaguars drafted two receivers late on Day 3 with Josh Cameron and CJ Williams, but it is obvious who the Jaguars&#8217; starting receivers are set to be. It is worth noting that Travis Hunter will still have a role on offense, but I would expect Parker Washington to have a larger share of the slot receiver role, at least on a full-time basis.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-13\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"88\">There are some moving pieces when it comes to the offensive line. You can pencil in Robert Hainsey and Anton Harrison as undisputed starters, while the left tackle situation has a lot riding on whether Cole Van Lanen is healthy. I think Ezra Cleveland wins one guard spot over Wyat Milum and\/or rookie Emmanuel Pregnon, while I believe the Jaguars give<a href=\"https:\/\/www.si.com\/nfl\/jaguars\/onsi\/one-jacksonville-veteran-on-the-chopping-block-after-emmanuel-pregnon-pick\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"> Mekari another crack at the starting job. <\/a><\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-14\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"8b\">I believe Nate Boerkircher will have a clear role as the TE2, but Brenton Strange is another starter who is already locked into his spot. In short: no rookie starters.<\/p>\n<p>Defense<\/p>\n<tr>\n<p><strong>Pos.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Player<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"border-b-[1px] border-b-lightGrey\" q:key=\"0\">\n<td class=\"py-3 px-10 my-0 mx-auto\" q:key=\"0\">\n<p>DE<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td class=\"py-3 px-10 my-0 mx-auto\" q:key=\"1\">\n<p>Josh Hines-Allen<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"border-b-[1px] border-b-lightGrey\" q:key=\"1\">\n<td class=\"py-3 px-10 my-0 mx-auto\" q:key=\"0\">\n<p>DE<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td class=\"py-3 px-10 my-0 mx-auto\" q:key=\"1\">\n<p>Travon Walker<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"border-b-[1px] border-b-lightGrey\" q:key=\"2\">\n<td class=\"py-3 px-10 my-0 mx-auto\" q:key=\"0\">\n<p>NT<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td class=\"py-3 px-10 my-0 mx-auto\" q:key=\"1\">\n<p>DaVon Hamilton<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"border-b-[1px] border-b-lightGrey\" q:key=\"3\">\n<td class=\"py-3 px-10 my-0 mx-auto\" q:key=\"0\">\n<p>3T<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td class=\"py-3 px-10 my-0 mx-auto\" q:key=\"1\">\n<p>Arik Armstead<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"border-b-[1px] border-b-lightGrey\" q:key=\"4\">\n<td class=\"py-3 px-10 my-0 mx-auto\" q:key=\"0\">\n<p>MLB<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td class=\"py-3 px-10 my-0 mx-auto\" q:key=\"1\">\n<p>Foyesade Oluokun<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"border-b-[1px] border-b-lightGrey\" q:key=\"5\">\n<td class=\"py-3 px-10 my-0 mx-auto\" q:key=\"0\">\n<p>WLB<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td class=\"py-3 px-10 my-0 mx-auto\" q:key=\"1\">\n<p>Ventrell Miller<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"border-b-[1px] border-b-lightGrey\" q:key=\"6\">\n<td class=\"py-3 px-10 my-0 mx-auto\" q:key=\"0\">\n<p>SLB<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td class=\"py-3 px-10 my-0 mx-auto\" q:key=\"1\">\n<p>Dennis Gardeck<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"border-b-[1px] border-b-lightGrey\" q:key=\"7\">\n<td class=\"py-3 px-10 my-0 mx-auto\" q:key=\"0\">\n<p>CB<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td class=\"py-3 px-10 my-0 mx-auto\" q:key=\"1\">\n<p>Travis Hunter<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"border-b-[1px] border-b-lightGrey\" q:key=\"8\">\n<td class=\"py-3 px-10 my-0 mx-auto\" q:key=\"0\">\n<p>CB<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td class=\"py-3 px-10 my-0 mx-auto\" q:key=\"1\">\n<p>Montaric Brown<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"border-b-[1px] border-b-lightGrey\" q:key=\"9\">\n<td class=\"py-3 px-10 my-0 mx-auto\" q:key=\"0\">\n<p>Slot CB<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td class=\"py-3 px-10 my-0 mx-auto\" q:key=\"1\">\n<p>Jourdan Lewis<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"border-b-[1px] border-b-lightGrey\" q:key=\"10\">\n<td class=\"py-3 px-10 my-0 mx-auto\" q:key=\"0\">\n<p>FS<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td class=\"py-3 px-10 my-0 mx-auto\" q:key=\"1\">\n<p>Eric Murray<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"border-b-[1px] border-b-lightGrey\" q:key=\"11\">\n<td class=\"py-3 px-10 my-0 mx-auto\" q:key=\"0\">\n<p>SS<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td class=\"py-3 px-10 my-0 mx-auto\" q:key=\"1\">\n<p>Antonio Johnson<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<p id=\"inline-text-17\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"8j\">The Jaguars added five rookies to the defensive side of the ball, but just like on offense, none should be expected to start in Week 1. The highest-selected defender, defensive tackle Albert Regis, will clearly play a backup role behind DaVon Hamilton. Perhaps Ruke Orhorhoro can push Arik Armstead for the starting job, but the defensive line looks like it will be the same starting unit as a year ago.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-18\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"8m\">With the Jaguars not selecting a linebacker until their final selection, it is also clear that Ventrell Miller is set to be the starter in 2026. It is big shoes to fill after the year Devin Lloyd had, but it is also clear that Miller is the unquestioned best option as of today. Perhaps the Jaguars sign a veteran linebacker next week, but there are not many questions here.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-19\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"8p\">As for the secondary, the Jaguars have more talented players than they do open starting spots. Jarrian Jones is a starting-level cornerback and Caleb Ransaw was a top selection by the Jaguars a year ago, but they still look like backups as of now.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"22\" height=\"22\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/assets.minutemediacdn.com\/platform\/google_discover_icon.svg\" class=\"shrink-0\"\/>Add us as a preferred source on Google<a aria-label=\"Follow si.com on Google News\" href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=si.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" class=\"flex h-[30px] w-[30px] shrink-0 items-center justify-center rounded-full bg-primary font-group-large text-sm font-medium text-white transition-colors hover:bg-secondary focus:bg-secondary md:w-auto md:gap-2.5 md:px-4 md:py-[5px]\">Follow<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"JACKSONVILLE, Fla. &#8212; With the 2026 NFL Draft officially in the books, the Jacksonville Jaguars&#8217; roster looks quite&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":753380,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5136],"tags":[5229,3188,723,7310,67,586,132,5230,68,2969],"class_list":{"0":"post-753379","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-jacksonville","8":"tag-america","9":"tag-fl","10":"tag-florida","11":"tag-jacksonville","12":"tag-united-states","13":"tag-united-states-of-america","14":"tag-unitedstates","15":"tag-unitedstatesofamerica","16":"tag-us","17":"tag-usa"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/753379","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=753379"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/753379\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/753380"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=753379"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=753379"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=753379"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}