ESPN predicts new Jaguars' defender has breakout season in 2026

The Jacksonville Jaguars didn’t make many moves in the offseason, but one addition is being looked at as a potential breakout candidate for 2026.

Before the 2026 NFL Draft, the Jaguars traded Maason Smith to the Atlanta Falcons for Ruke Orhorhoro. Orhorhoro not only provides more depth at pass rush, but he was a more productive option last season than Smith, whose role diminished throughout the 2025 season.

Since being drafted in 2023, Orhorhoro saw his playing time steadily increase, ending 2025 with 121 defensive tackles, 30 pressures, and four sacks. It’s widely assumed he will benefit from a fresh start in Jacksonville.

It’s not surprising, then, that ESPN’s Ben Solak named Orhorhoro as the Jaguars’ breakout candidate for 2026.

“Orhorhoro hasn’t had enough splash plays yet to even call him an exciting developmental player,” Solak wrote. “But the new opportunity in Jacksonville comes with a thin depth chart. Nose tackle DaVon Hamilton and aging veteran Arik Armstead are the only players clearly above Orhorhoro on the depth chart in what figures to be a rotation anyway. If he is freed up to play a penetrating, disrupting style, he should become an important player with the Jags.”

“Orhorhoro hasn’t had enough splash plays yet to even call him an exciting developmental player,” Solak wrote. “But the new opportunity in Jacksonville comes with a thin depth chart. Nose tackle DaVon Hamilton and aging veteran Arik Armstead are the only players clearly above Orhorhoro on the depth chart in what figures to be a rotation anyway. If he is freed up to play a penetrating, disrupting style, he should become an important player with the Jags.”

Head coach Liam Coen had high praise for Smith, but pointed to Orhorhoro as an ascending player.

“It’s hard to find big men that can move like that on the interior part of your defense without giving up in the run game,” he said. “That’s something we want to continue to be top-notch at, which we were in the NFL this past season, but something we want to look at, and Ruke gives us an opportunity — a big man that can move and get in the rush plan as well, and showed the ability to get after the quarterback a little bit so that was something that we felt like was going to fit with us.”

“It’s hard to find big men that can move like that on the interior part of your defense without giving up in the run game,” he said. “That’s something we want to continue to be top-notch at, which we were in the NFL this past season, but something we want to look at, and Ruke gives us an opportunity — a big man that can move and get in the rush plan as well, and showed the ability to get after the quarterback a little bit so that was something that we felt like was going to fit with us.”

Orhorhoro has also received high marks for his athleticism and is already said to be showing improvement since arriving in Jacksonville.

Improving the interior pass rush has been a major need for the Jaguars this offseason, and it seems that Orhorhoro is expected to play a big role in that effort. If he is up to the task, the simple fact of having a larger role alone will position him well to have a breakout season in 2026.