Jaguars add pass rush help in Yates' post-free agency mock draft

ESPN's Field Yates put together his latest 2026 NFL mock draft following free agency, and with it being a two-rounder, the Jacksonville Jaguars were included. With that 56th overall pick, Yates had the Jaguars boosting their pass rush by selecting Auburn edge rusher Keyron Crawford. Listed at 6-4, 255 pounds, Crawford has played almost 1,700 defensive snaps over four seasons.

After filling a rotational role in 2024 at Auburn, his snap count nearly doubled in 2025. With that, Crawford had his most productive season, generating 43 quarterback pressures and five sacks, according to PFF . He would rank 39th among all defensive ends in pressures and was 33rd in pass rush win rate, illustrating his ability to win his matchups.

For what it's worth, Crawford also graded out well as a run defender by PFF's metrics. "Jacksonville can use its first selection of the 2026 draft on pass-rushing depth, as Crawford brings some serious juice," wrote Yates. "Crawford is electric turning the corner on offensive tackles and was more impactful than  Keldric Faulk  for Auburn in 2025.

" Adding to the defensive end unit should be on GM James Gladstone's radar. For one, simply more depth is needed with only four edge defenders under contract currently. But in addition to that, having a more consistent pass rush presence behind Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker in the defensive end rotation is a need as well.