Would Gladstone, Jaguars Consider Trading Back in 1st Round?

James Gladstone’s body language said it all. At his introductory press conference Feb. 24, hours before boarding a combine-bound plane, he perked up when asked what makes him most excited in his new role.

“With the amount of draft capital that we have at our disposal over the next two seasons,” Gladstone replied, “it's really exciting about what we can do there, especially knowing that that's the highest volume of draft capital that exists for any team in the NFL over the next two years.

“We're coming off two cycles with the Los Angeles Rams where that was the exact same case: 24 picks over the last two drafts. So really this is a dynamic that I'm uniquely positioned to navigate and really looking forward to utilizing as a means of continuing to develop this roster.” 

And now that Gladstone has already increased that trove to 25 picks by dealing Christian Kirk to Houston for a seventh-rounder in 2026 – would he consider trading the team’s No. 5 overall selection to obtain even more selections?

“I also think where their needs lie, they could be a trade-back team,” draft expert Daniel Jeremiah said last week on the 40s and Free Agents podcast. “Now, the challenge in this draft is who's coming up for who. To me, you could hope that there's some heat on the two tackles because it's a limited tackle pool. Maybe somebody moves up for one of those guys. Maybe you could just slide back a little bit.”

Those two tackles are Missouri’s Armand Membou and LSU’s Will Campbell. And if the Jaguars don’t want either for themselves, expect Gladstone’s phone to ring. Sliding back “a little bit” could still net the team at least one additional pick, in addition to the trade partner’s first-rounder.

With Gladstone at his side, Les Snead traded back twice during the 2024 draft. At the end of Day 3, the Rams wound up with eventual NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Jared Verse and four other core players, Braden Fiske, Blake Corum, Kamren Kinchens and Beaux Limmer.

Sliding back a little bit also could give the Jaguars Georgia’s Jalon Walker, which would pair the linebacker with fourth-year edge-rusher Travon Walker on the Jacksonville defense. The Super Bowl champions proved that no NFL team can have too many players from Georgia.

“I also like Jalon Walker,” Jeremiah said, “because I wouldn't mind seeing him reunited there with Travon Walker. And we have the Walker boys just getting after it from Georgia Football, don't we?”

Travon Walker, the No. 1 overall selection in the 2022 draft is another decision for Gladstone and head coach Liam Coen. The team needs to decide whether to exercise Walker’s fifth-year option by May 1. Regardless, he’s eligible for a contract extension but Gladstone and Coen may want to see his film from their new Jaguars’ offices before committing to that investment.

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