After the loss of linebacker Devin Lloyd, this left a big void in the Jaguars turnover-heavy defense. Lloyd had a breakout season in 2025, recording five interceptions, seven passes defended, six tackles for loss and 10 quarterback hits. As a result, he was named to the NFL’s All-Pro Second Team.
Now that Lloyd has signed with the Carolina Panthers, the Jaguars will have to find his replacement. Ventrell Miller has played sparingly throughout his career and briefly filled in for Lloyd when he missed two games due to injury during the 2025 season. If the Jaguars were to select a linebacker in the draft, there would be a battle in training camp for who is the Week 1 starter.
Three Linebackers the Jaguars Could Draft at Pick 56
Anthony Hill Jr.
There’s been talk of Texas LB Anthony Hill Jr. for the Jags at pick 56
Hill would bring a perfect toolset to Duval
✅ Pass Rush Ability
✅ Elite Football IQ
✅ Aggressive Playmaker
If Lloyd walks, Hill may be the answer 👀
📹: @NFL_DF
pic.twitter.com/wIspqxR6Oq
— SleeperJaguars (@SleeperJaguars) March 3, 2026
During his three years in college, Anthony Hill Jr. produced in every area of the field. He racked up 17 sacks, 31.5 tackles for loss, eight forced fumbles, and three interceptions. He excels at rushing the passer as an interior blitzer or off the edge, using his size and physicality to shed blocks and push the pocket. In coverage, he can drop into zone, read the quarterback’s eyes well, and is a physical tackler at the line of scrimmage against the run.
Hill Jr.’s biggest weakness is his tackling in the open field. At times, he tackles too high, which can lead to him missing the tackle or being dragged for extra yardage. While he is good at tracking the ball carrier, he tends to overpursue, allowing the runner to easily evade him. When dropping into coverage, Hill Jr. can be a step slow at reading the play and get caught flat-footed.
Hill Jr. has all the physical traits to translate to the NFL, and his weaknesses are easily correctable. With a near-identical skill set and frame to Devin Lloyd, he would be a great fit for the Jaguars to replace the All-Pro linebacker.
Jake Golday
Jake Golday (6’4 237) Cincinnati
+ Ideal size for the position
+ Effective shedding blockers
+ Coverage upside with his length and athleticism (77.5 grade)
+ Blitz timing and pursuit speed
+ Open field tackling
+ 90.6 run defense grade in 2025
+ Work ethic to go from a 190… pic.twitter.com/oBXq8kyfCN
— Bengals & Brews (@BengalsBrews) January 24, 2026
Despite playing just two seasons in college, Jake Golday showed significant upside as an off-ball linebacker. In 24 games, he totaled 13 tackles for loss, five sacks, five pass deflections, and three forced fumbles.
Golday is great in pursuit, rarely over- or underrunning his position; he has the physicality and strength to shed blocks and make tackles, fluid hips, and good straight-line and sideline-to-sideline speed to close windows quickly.
When tackling, Golday has a bad habit of tackling high at shoulder level but has gotten away with it due to elite athleticism and strength. In coverage, he can find himself flat-footed, is late to reads, and lacks the short-range lateral agility to tackle quicker ball carriers.
Golday has the skill set as a run defender to help the Jaguars while he develops in pass coverage. With just two years of college experience, he will need time to develop instincts and coverage skills, but should fit in nicely in a linebacker-friendly scheme.
Jacob Rodriguez
Jacob Rodriguez (6’1 235) Texas Tech
+ Productive with 255 tackles, 6 sacks, 5 interceptions, and 10 forced fumbles over the last two seasons
+ Team captain and leader
+ Physicality as a tackler
+ Football intelligence and was originally a QB at Virginia
+ Impressive instincts… pic.twitter.com/hgweU9K3L0
— Bengals & Brews (@BengalsBrews) January 24, 2026
Unlike Jake Golday, Jacob Rodriguez comes into the league with a wealth of experience, having played in 56 games across five seasons in college. He began to stand out in his final two seasons, totaling six sacks, 21.5 tackles for loss, five interceptions, 10 pass deflections, and 10 forced fumbles.
In his final season, he was a unanimous All-American, won the Chuck Bednarik Award (defensive player of the year), won the Bronko Nagurski Award (most outstanding defensive player), and finished fifth in Heisman voting.
Rodriguez excels when he can flow freely in coverage, reading the quarterback’s eyes and using his instincts to make quick decisions. He plays a physical brand of football, forcing a high rate of fumbles and leading the Big-12 in solo tackles in back-to-back seasons. His nonstop motor and high turnover rate will improve any defense out of the gate.
Due to his size at 6’1” 230 pounds, Rodriguez can struggle as a run defender and tackler. His all-or-nothing mentality as a tackler led to a high rate of missed tackles, but made up for it by generating seven forced fumbles.
He does not possess great lateral agility, has a tendency to overpursue, struggles to shed blocks, and make tackles against bigger players. While not his fault, Rodriguez played with arguably the most talented defense in college, and there are questions as to whether his production was based on his surroundings.
As a tackler, Rodriguez will have a lot of work to do at the next level, but his skills will fit the Jaguars’ defense, as his instincts, coverage skills, and high turnover rate align perfectly with Anthony Campanile’s scheme.
Main Image: Michael C. Johnson-Imagn Images