JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) 鈥� The Jacksonville Jaguars are facing their longest wait ever in the NFL draft.
The Jaguars don鈥檛 have a first-round pick for the first time in franchise history after trading up three spots to second overall last year.
It means general manager James Gladstone and won鈥檛 be on the clock until late in the second round, at No. 56.
Excruciating? Not even close.
Gladstone and Coen were part of a Los Angeles Rams draft in 2022 in which they had to wait until the penultimate pick of the third round (No. 104) to make their first selection.
鈥淲e were having a blast hanging out at the beach house,鈥� Coen recalled.
Added Gladstone: 鈥淲e get to cut that in half a little bit. 鈥� You鈥檙e always going to stay agile. You鈥檙e never bored. You鈥檙e always thinking through what we might be able to do. I think that mental gymnastics certainly is an engaging element regardless of where your first pick point is.鈥�
When the Jaguars do join next week鈥檚 draft, they will have 11 total selections, including four in the top 100. No one would be surprised to see them package some of those picks to move up from No. 56, but they also have pressing needs at several positions.
Coming off a that included winning the AFC South, Jacksonville lost running back Travis Etienne and linebacker Devin Lloyd in free agency. They replaced Etienne with , who signed a two-year deal to compete with second-year pro Bhayshul Tuten.
Need
Defense tops Jacksonville鈥檚 list. The Jaguars have a pair of former fourth-round linebackers 鈥� Ventrell Miller (2023) and Jack Kiser (2025) 鈥� who should get a chance to replace Lloyd. But fellow inside linebacker Foye Oluokun turns 31 this summer, creating the possibility the team could add two new pieces in the middle of the defense.
Jacksonville also could use help at defensive tackle 鈥� someone to replace 32-year-old Arik Armstead 鈥� a safety with the potential to start in 2027 and additional pass rushers behind starters Josh Hines-Allen and .
On the other side of the ball, the team is looking for a backup tight end, at least one offensive lineman, a receiver to work behind Jakobi Meyers, Brian Thomas Jr. and Parker Washington, and maybe a developmental quarterback since Nick Mullens is entering the final year of his contract.
Don’t need
The Jaguars appear to be in solid shape at cornerback despite letting veteran Greg 草莓传媒ome II leave in free agency. In addition to returning starters Jourdan Lewis and Jarrian Jones, they and have Hunter (knee) returning from a season-ending injury and .
Following the Rams
Gladstone and Coen skipped the scouting combine in Indianapolis and didn鈥檛 plan to use any of their top-30 visits for the second consecutive year. Following the blueprint the Rams created several years ago, the Jaguars also do some remote video conferencing with prospects and send representatives to scouting events. But not much else.
The reason: they want to limit as much bias as possible. Let guys鈥� college tape do most, if not all, of the talking.
鈥淥ur goal would be to minimize it or limit it as best we can in the controllable ways,鈥� Gladstone said. 鈥淎cknowledging it is a big part.”
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