During the 2025 offseason, the Jaguars filled a lot of positions of need, raising the floor of the team. They also handed out mid-season contract extensions to wide receiver Jakobi Meyers and offensive lineman Cole Van Lanen, making both positions strengths of the team.
While they were quiet during free agency in 2026, they brought back cornerback Montaric Brown, linebacker Dennis Gardeck, and added Washington Commanders running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. As the current roster stands, they have two clear positions of need that must be addressed in defensive tackle and linebacker. The question is which position should they prioritize with their first pick?
Three Pass Rushers the Jaguars Could Select at Pick 56
Gracen Halton
The 22-year-old recorded 8.5 sacks, 17.5 tackles for loss, and three forced fumbles in his four years at Oklahoma. Halton’s size as an interior pass rusher raises some questions, standing at just 6’3” 293 pounds, but he makes up for it with a quick burst at the line of scrimmage, upper body strength to push the pocket, good open field tackling, excellent vision tracking ball carriers, and can plug holes against the run.
With the Jaguars’ struggles at defensive tackle in 2025, Halton would significantly improve their pass rush. It His ceiling as a premier pass rusher is relatively low but he has a high floor and would be an upgrade at the Jaguars’ most needed position.
Caleb Banks
Standing at a towering 6’6″, 327 pounds, Banks has the size, strength, and athleticism of a first-round draft pick. In 2024, he had a breakout season, recording seven tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, and two forced fumbles. He has a variety of pass rushing moves to shoot gaps and win at the line of scrimmage extremely quickly, push the pocket back as a bull rusher, and is effective at stopping the run.
His on-the-field concerns include a lack of lateral agility, open field tackling, playing too high against double teams, and struggles to disengage from blocks. Off the field, the concerns are much greater. In his first game of the 2025 season, he suffered a foot injury that sidelined him for the next seven games. The night before his combine drills, he suffered a broken fourth metatarsal in his left foot, the same foot that he injured during the 2025 season, requiring surgery with a recovery timeline of 8-12 weeks. This is expected to drop his stock significantly in the draft, which could allow the Jaguars to select a high-risk, high-reward player with their first pick.
Keyron Crawford
Crawford is the most unique of the three prospects. He stands at 6’4″, 253 pounds, and played snaps at edge rusher and defensive tackle in his time at Auburn. In his four years at the collegiate level, he recorded 24 tackles for loss, 11.5 sacks, and three forced fumbles. As a run defender, he is as good as it gets, plugging gaps and bringing ball carriers down at the point of contact. He is still developing as a pass rusher but showed flashes of a player who could develop and pair his skills with his raw athleticism.
The Jaguars will have a decision to make as to where they line him up. Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker are the team’s primary edge rushers and have a serious need along the defensive line. When Walker or Hines-Allen is not on the field, he could find reps at edge to help him develop while primarily playing at defensive tackle to help improve the Jaguars interior pass rush in the short term.
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