The Jaguars’ rookie class is locked in, and Bryan Thomas Jr. is the name that jumps off the page.
Jacksonville announced its initial 53-man roster for the 2026 season with nine rookies on it - eight draft picks and one undrafted free agent - and Thomas was the lone rookie to force his way onto the team without hearing his name called in April. After a preseason that clearly changed his standing, he’s now part of the group heading into Week 1.
The undrafted edge rusher wasn’t the only rookie to make noise this summer. Third-round guard Emmanuel Pregnon made one of the biggest climbs of camp, moving from backup status to the starting left guard job after injuries hit the offensive line.
Once he got the opportunity, he kept it, and he looks like the only rookie who is set to be a Week 1 starter against the Cleveland Browns on Sept. 13.
Another rookie who helped himself was sixth-round wideout Josh Cameron. The Baylor receiver stood out for his ability to separate downfield and work over the middle, while also showing the kind of size, speed, length, and strength that can show up both before and after the catch. He looks like a player who could matter quickly, or at least develop into a bigger piece over the course of his rookie contract.
The Jaguars also got steady work from sixth-round receiver CJ Williams, who handled camp well and showed a real knack for finding space over the middle of the field. He projects as a young developmental option behind Jakobi Meyers as the team looks ahead at its receiver depth.
At tight end, Nate Boerkircher enters with a clear path. The No. 56 overall pick had a quiet start to training camp before finishing strongly over the final two weeks of the summer. He only appeared in the first preseason game and wasn’t targeted, but with Hunter Long traded and Tanner Koziol and Quintin Morris behind him, Boerkircher has the runway to grab the TE2 job.
Koziol, meanwhile, looks like the Jaguars’ TE3 after camp. He earned snaps with Trevor Lawrence and the starting offense at times, and he could become part of Jacksonville’s multiple-tight-end packages early in his career. He won’t get as much run as Boerkircher, but he’ll have a chance to contribute.
On the defensive side, Albert Regis, the No. 81 pick, was slowed by an undisclosed injury for much of the final stretch of camp. He did pick up a sack in the preseason opener against the New Orleans Saints, though he appears likely to sit behind Arik Armstead, DaVon Hamilton, Matt Dickerson, and Ruke Orhorhoro as the No. 5 defensive tackle.
Third-round safety Jalen Huskey may not be asked to start, but he showed enough to matter. He flashed as both a defender and a special teams piece throughout the summer, and he could open the season as the No. 3 safety ahead of Caleb Ransaw.
Wesley Williams, the Jaguars’ fourth-round pick, also made the roster after the team traded up for him on Day 3. The Duke product had some moments in preseason action, but he looks headed for a redshirt-type year and could be one of the early game-day inactives.
The rookie who may have climbed the most, though, was Thomas. He brought burst and speed off the edge, played with a relentless motor, and held up well against the run.
There’s even a case to be made that he’s already the Jaguars’ fourth-best defensive end. Following in the footsteps of BJ Green and Danny Striggow, Thomas has done enough to earn his place on the roster and his role going into Week 1 and beyond.
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Jaguars Latest QB Move Just Raised A Bigger Depth Chart Question
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McCords appeal is easy enough to see. He flashed well in the preseason and brought enough intrigue for Miami to keep pursuing him, even though he has not taken a regular-season NFL snap yet. For Jacksonville, though, the ripple effect is the part worth watching, because the Jaguars are now tied to a quarterback transaction that could have a bigger say in their own room than it first appeared. [Read more 🡒]
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Mullens, in particular, is the kind of quarterback whose NFL path tends to draw attention because he has bounced through several teams before landing in Jacksonville for the 2025 season as a backup. Moves like this are routine at cutdown time, but they still say plenty about how the Jaguars are sorting out the final shape of the roster, especially at spots where experience and flexibility can matter once the season starts. [Read more 🡒]
Jaguars Still Have A Few Tough Roster Calls Before Cutdown Day
The Jaguars have until 6:00 p.m. ET on Sunday to get down to their 53-man roster, and even with most of the picture coming into focus, there are still a few spots that look anything but settled. This is the part of cutdown week where the back end of the roster matters as much as the headlines, with projections at quarterback, running back, tight end and linebacker all carrying a little uncertainty as the team weighs recent transactions and injury designations.
For Jacksonville, the challenge is less about the obvious core and more about how much flexibility it wants to preserve when the initial list is filed. The final calls will say plenty about how the Jaguars view depth at several positions, and with the deadline looming, there is still enough movement left to make the last round of roster decisions worth watching closely. [Read more 🡒]