JACKSONVILLE – Wesley Williams thought this might happen.

Williams, a versatile defender and special teams player, said upon being selected by the Jaguars early on Day 3 of the 2026 NFL Draft he kind of thought – sort of, maybe – it would happen. He said he even joked about it.

On Saturday afternoon, what he called an "inkling" became reality.

"It's awesome," he said.

Williams, an edge from Duke University, on Saturday was selected by the Jaguars No. 119 overall in the 2026 NFL Draft – the 19th selection of Round 4. The Jaguars traded up to make the selection, sending the Nos. 124 and 166 selections to the Carolina Panthers in exchange for Nos. 119 and 196 in the '26 draft.

"It's not about when you get drafted, but where," Williams said. "I got drafted by a great organization. I'm really excited to work."

Jaguars defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile said the Jaguars "love" Williams' "play style," calling him a "super-physical kid" with "a lot of position flexibility."

"That's what we love about Wesley," Campanile said. "He has rush ability. He has a valuable skill set because he's really multiple."

Said Williams: "There's always going to be a spot in a defense for someone who's going to be high effort, high motor and physical. That's really what I try to hang my hat on. You can't make any plays if you're not around the ball.

"That's really the first thing I start with, is just making sure I'm around the ball to make plays."

Williams (6-feet-4, 256 pounds) played 2022-2025 at Duke and registered 11 career sacks with 29 tackles for loss. He had 7.5 sacks in 2024.

"He has done a lot of things in his career," Campanile said. "He has been called upon to do a lot of things in the defense at Duke. That shows up on tape. His flexibility is something we really like about him. It gives us a chance to move him around and move some other pieces around."

Williams also excelled on special teams collegiately, blocking five total kicks – including two field goals in one game in 2023. He said he was good in that area "because I care."

"A lot of people take that as a play off," he said of special teams. "That's not how I was taught to play the game. You would be surprised how many extra plays you can find just by always being on. Effort, technique and paying attention in the meetings."

Campanile called Williams "a run-and-hit guy."

"That's one of those things that's a recurring theme with all the guys we've taken," Campanile said. "They love to hit. They love contact. We're always looking for guys who seek contact and he's one of them."

Williams being drafted marked the end of a draft process that he called the "craziest experience ever" – and the continuation of a football career that hasn't always been easy.

"I kind of had to beg to play football in the first place," Williams said. "I've always seen it as a gift and an opportunity more so than something where I just came out of the womb and had a football helmet slapped on me.

"The fleeting nature of the game leads me to want to go all out because you never know when your last snap is going to be."

Added Williams, "There's nothing quite like the NFL Draft. I was just trying to be humble, wait my turn and whenever it happens, it happens."