JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it …

Colin from Sanford

Hey, John. Obviously the more picks the better. But I'm wondering if at a certain point the influx of rookies may lead to a logjam of sorts, where players aren't able to be evaluated to their fullest, or not given enough time to develop. Not necessarily for organized team activities, but once the season starts, 11/55 spots – not even including undrafted free agents – seems like a lot.

The NFL is a league of draft, develop and discard – and of annual roster churn. Most teams overturn 20 percent(ish) of their roster each season, with 10-to-11 "new players" – i.e., rookies – hardly uncommon. Remember, too: The idea of a "53-man" roster, while nice for discussion purposes, is more misnomer than fact. Teams have 16-player practice squads and almost always have multiple players on injured reserve at the beginning of – and throughout – the season. I wouldn't be surprised if the Jaguars trade up and therefore end up with "only" nine or 10 selections in the 2026 NFL Draft. But it wouldn't be at all surprising if they use all 11 selections or even acquire a few more.

Steve from Sunroom Couch

Dear, John. When will our third-round picks happen?

The Jaguars currently hold three Round 3 selections in the 2026 NFL Draft – Nos. 81, 88 and 100 overall. I projected in Tuesday's O-Zone that the Jaguars' second-round selection – No. 56 overall – will happen around 9:45 or so Friday. The selection may come earlier than that. Who knows? For discussion's sake, we'll say the Jaguars select No. 56 at 9:30 p.m. Friday. With seven minutes between selections in Round 2 and five between selections in Round 3, we'll project No. 81 to be selected around 10:30. With No. 88 around 11. And No. 100 around 11:30 – ish.

Keith from Saint Augustine, FL

My opinion is usually not important and people tend to regard me as being full of hot gas. With that being said, I think the Jaguars will try to trade up in the second round to get University of Florida defensive tackle Caleb Banks if the medicals on his foot check out. I know it takes two to tango, but I would try to tango with the New York Jets who own Picks Nos. 33 and 44. I would offer our 2027 first-round pick, our No. 56 pick this year, and a later-round pick either this year or next year. This would allow us to get Banks and probably one of the better linebackers (Anthony Hill Jr. of Texas, Jacob Rodriguez of Texas Tech or Jake Golday of Cincinnati), who may be available at 44. I would also try to trade up for edge rusher Derrick Moore of Michigan. What do you think of these ideas?

I don't believe the Jaguars will trade their 2027 first-round selection.

Marlin from Trenton, FL

Hey, Zone. Reading Kenneth from Jacksonville's question on Tuesday was triggering (in a good way) because I immediately thought of running back Maurice Jones-Drew – my all-time favorite player – who was a second-round pick and is a lock to be in the Pride of the Jaguars. It got me thinking about the history of Jacksonville's second-round selections, so I did some research. In 31 drafts, the Jaguars have had 32 second-round picks. There were four years they didn't have any picks in that round and five years they had two. I graded these on a scale of 1-5 and came up with 12 players ranked as either four or five – and 12 players ranked as a one or two. So, the second round – much like the rest of the draft – is kind of a crapshoot, though no doubt with more hits than later rounds. Some all-time great Jaguars are in those picks, though: Defensive end Tony Brackens, center Brad Meester, cornerback Rasheen Mathis, linebacker Myles Jack. But some duds, too. Let's hope that at the end of his career, we can say that in 2026 we drafted the all-time best second round pick in Jaguars history.

The Jaguars throughout their history at times have been as good or better in Round 2 than Round 1. This seemed particularly true during a stretch in the 2000s. This is not ideal, though it is better than not being good in either round.

J.Hooks from Mandarin

So with the release of Cooper Hodges, does that mean his football career in the NFL is over? If so, that's a really sad thing. He never even really got to show what he had. That's just really, really sad. One for Cooper.

The Jaguars last Friday waived offensive guard Cooper Hodges, a really nice kid who was a seventh-round selection by the Jaguars in the 2023 NFL Draft. He sustained two serious knee injuries in 2023 and 2024 that put his career in jeopardy and eventually led to his release this week. I don't know if that means his career is over. That will depend on if he wants to continue trying to rehabilitate. If he doesn't play again, that indeed is a shame. It's a tough sport and careers can end early in difficult fashion. It's why I never begrudge players making however much money they can as quickly as they can. One fer Hodges? No doubt.

Nicholas from Fort Hood, TX

KOAF: I am OK with your choice of best player to wear No. 2 for the Jaguars. However, I will always be partial to a certain punter, a certain tree stump and a certain axe. This was the stuff you can't make up when playing on struggling team.

OK.

Woody from Dunlap

KOAF: I have learned a valuable lesson: that is, never discuss anything related to NFL football immediately after watching a Hallmark movie with my wife. Please send my apology to Matt from Baldwin, and I promise to never do it again.

Word.

Jadon from Raleigh, NC

Take away from Kevin Costner's "Draft Day:" They came away from ALL THAT with an outside linebacker who should've probably gone in the teens, a running backvand a punt returner. The head coach and general manager couldn't agree on picking between a LINEBACKER or RETURNER. Yikes. Also, that "Rookie Jaguars general manager" don't got the same swagger as THIS one does.

Draft time annually becomes a time for at least one O-Zone reader to reference Draft Day. I watched the movie long ago. I may have been working and had it on in the background. I know the Browns were the heroes and the Jaguars were portrayed less than heroic. Or something like that. Whatever. What matters isn't whether Jaguars General Manager James Gladstone has swagger, though he does. It matters that Gladstone is a capable general manager, which means the Jaguars are in good shape entering any draft.

Chris from Mandarin

With respect to Logan Cooke, who has been one of the best punters in the NFL since his rookie season – earning Pro Bowl honors and coming up with kick after kick inside the 20-yard line – David Garrard surely has to be the best player to wear No. 9 for the franchise, right? Consider the playoff run that Garrard had, throwing 18 touchdowns to only three interceptions and coming up with one of the most exciting plays in franchise history on a third-and-2 only to rip the hearts out of the Steelers and get 30 yards downfield on a quarterback draw. His suit and fedora after the victory have been sort of mythologized since and it's reasonable to believe that the Jaguars would not have had the same season if then-Head Coach Jack Del Rio kept quarterback Byron Leftwich as the starting quarterback that season. One for Garrard.

We're continuing a thread of best players to wear particular numbers for the Jaguars. We're up to No. 9, with quarterback David Garrard (2002-2010) and punter Logan Cooke (2018-2025) the only two players to wear the number. I don't know that there's a right answer on this one. One fer Garrard and Cooke, I guess.

Mike from St. Augustine, FL

A McPizza? I'm worried about you, man ...

The year was 1987. December. I was driving from my mother's house in North Carolina to Jacksonville. I pulled through McDonald's drive thru. While ordering, my eyes happed upon a new item: The McPizza. I will never forget the feeling of driving down I-85 – wind in my hair, McPizza in my mouth and mitts. 'Twas truly a glorious moment. I know not why McDonald's ended what I recall as the "Grand McPizza Era." I do know some eras should never end, no matter or brief or obscure.

Dane from North Charleston, NC

The Jaguars have 11 picks in the upcoming draft. Is it realistic for them to make 11 picks? It feels like Gladstone and company did a good job rounding out the roster over the last year, with guys like offensive tackle Chuma Edoga, running back LeQuint Allen Jr. and defensive tackle Matt Dickerson to name a few. Are there even 11 rosters spots theoretically available?

Yes.