JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Without a first-round pick and a shallow cupboard picked clean in Free Agency, the Jaguars will have to look towards the second day of the 2026 NFL Draft to fill their need at defensive tackle.
It’s unlikely that Kayden McDonald or Peter Woods is available come time for Jacksonville to select, so let’s take a look at some of the names likely to follow.
Caleb Banks, Florida
There are a lot of unknowns regarding Florida’s Caleb Banks. If healthy, he’s likely the draft’s best defensive tackle with room to spare. Unfortunately, injuries have seemingly plagued Banks and continue to do so.
A nagging foot injury all but stole his final season, and just when it was thought he had finally gotten healthy, another foot injury suffered at the combine brought up questions about his long-term health.
When healthy, Banks is among the draft’s most dominant athletes. In an otherworldly display of athleticism, Banks posted a Relative Athletic Score (RAS) of 9.84 at the NFL Combine… on a broken foot.
His 11.2% Pass-Rush Win % in 2024 ranked 17th in the country, and truthfully, that’s underselling his impact as his 12.4% Pressure % ranked 5th.
The only aspect of Banks’ evaluation that is tricky is his health, and it could cause him to slide. If he slips far enough, there might be enough there to convince Gladstone to start making calls.
No other defensive tackle in this class has the same ability to become a game wrecker like Banks.
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Christen Miller, Georgia
Christen Miller is next in line of a long list of top-shelf defensive linemen to come out of the University of Georgia in recent years. It’s unlikely he’s there at pick 56; however, he is an option if James Gladstone decides to utilize his stockpile of day two and day three selections to trade his way up.
Miller might not have the prototypical pass-rush numbers one might expect from a prospect of his caliber. Over his career, he racked up 45 pressures, 11.5 sacks, and 4.0 sacks across 43 collegiate games. A heavy rotation on Georgia’s line limited Miller to just 31.5 snaps per game in 2025, making it tough to stack production. He had just one game last season over two pressures, according to Pro Football Focus.
It should be said that on tape and on a per-snap basis, it’s a completely different story. Among the top-169 defensive tackles of 2025, Miller’s 11.3 Pass-Rush Win % ranked 21st, best among the Draft’s top DTs. His 7.8% Pressure % was similarly among the better numbers in the class.
Lee Hunter, Texas Tech
Texas Tech’s Lee Hunter is a stout run-defender whose lack of explosion could hinder his ability as a pass-rusher in the NFL. He made waves at UCF and Texas Tech, totaling 32 TFLs and 7.5 sacks across 52 career games. His impressive durability should be noted, as should his 11.9% Run-Stop %, 5th best in the country.
But the Jaguars aren’t looking for another run-stuffer; they need some interior pressure. Well, despite his lack of explosion, Hunter posted rather respectable numbers last season. His 10.6% Pass-Rush Win % and 7.9% Pressure % are pretty comparable to Miller’s. Among those same 169 defensive tackles, Hunter ranked 27th.
Unlike Miller, however, he doesn’t offer the same upside as a pass-rusher. His poor 21.5” vertical ranked in the 2nd percentile, and his 4.07 RAS didn’t fare much better. Atop his poor athletic profile, Hunter will be 24 years old by the time Week 1 rolls around.
Gracen Halton, Oklahoma
Oklahoma’s Gracen Halton might be one of the more well-rounded prospects in this year’s draft class. The Sooners kept him fresh with a heavy rotation; however, Halton still found ways to shred opposing offensive lines.
Over the last two seasons, Halton totaled 69 pressures, 13.0 TFLs, and 8.5 sacks.
Christian Miller and Lee Hunter ranked 21st and 27th among the nation’s top-169 DTs in Pass-Rush Win %, and Gracen Halton slots in right after at 28th (10.4%). His 11.6% Pressure %, however, leads the 2026 Draft Class and finished 6th best in the country.
Throw in an RAS of 8.44 with a 99th percentile vertical and 98th percentile 40-yard dash, and there’s a lot to like about Halton, who can hold his own in the run game as well. His 10.2% Run-Stop % ranked Top-20 in the country.
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Domonique Orange, Iowa State
With the Jaguars ideally looking for pass-rushing ability out of their defensive tackles in this year’s class, Domonique Orange Jr, ‘Big Citrus,’ might not be the guy many expect James Gladstone to target.
But, boy, is he fun. Orange is a big, powerful nose tackle whose impact is far greater than the numbers might indicate. Over 50 games, Orange stacked up 55 pressures, 7.0 TFLs, and 1.0 sack. His 6.9% Pass-Rush Win % ranked 75th, far below the other three players we have discussed. Similarly, his 4.1% Pressure % trails those of Banks, Miller, Hunter, and Halton.
It’s his ability to disrupt the A-Gap that’s so endearing. A two-time mention on Dane Brugler’s ‘Freaks List,’ Orange puts his impressive size to use, overpowering opposing interior linemen.
His size, power, and run-defense will reward him with a valued role in the league; I’m just not sure it’s with the Jaguars
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