Jags Team Notes

[Jacksonville Jaguars]

Jaguars completed second GM interview with Ethan Waugh

The Jacksonville Jaguars announced that they’ve completed their second interview for their general manager position with interim GM Ethan Waugh.

We have completed an in-person interview with Ethan Waugh for our General Manager position. pic.twitter.com/PlkDrU5fQo

— Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) February 21, 2025

The Jaguars initially interviewed 10 GM candidates last week virtually and then named five finalists that they are interviewing for the role this week in person.

Along with Waugh, the Jaguars have also interviewed Ian Cunningham, Josh Williams, and Jon-Eric Sullivan a second time.

Waugh has been the Jaguars’ assistant general manager since 2022 when he joined then-general manager Trent Baalke. When the Jaguars moved on from Baalke in January, Waugh stepped into the interim GM role.

Before joining the Jaguars, Waugh was the San Francisco 49ers’ Vice President of Player Personnel from 2021-2022.

During an interview on 1010XL prior to when the Jaguars’ had their first round of GM interviews, Jaguars’ Executive VP Tony Boselli spoke highly of the job that Waugh has done in the interim role:

“Ethan Waugh right now is the interim GM. He is doing a heck of job,” Boselli said in an interview on 1010XL. “I’ve been super impressed with him. He’ll have a chance to interview in the process and we will see where we end up in the end. But right now we are just kicking it off and getting going.”

The remaining second interview that the Jaguars have to complete is with Rams’ Director of Scouting James Gladstone, and that will take place on Friday.

The thought is that Jacksonville will then name their new GM over the weekend, prior to the NFL combine starting in Indianapolis next week.

Source: https://jaguarswire.usatoday.com/20...d-general-manager-interview-with-ethan-waugh/

 

[Jacksonville Jaguars]

Jaguars trade back a few spots in 2025 NFL mock draft to take CB

Will we see the Jacksonville Jaguars trade back in the first round of the 2025 NFL draft?

That’s what Gennaro Filice of NFL.com had the Jaguars doing in his first 2025 NFL mock draft.

Instead of picking fifth overall, the Jaguars moved down two spots to pick No. 7 in a swap with the New York Jets. Filice did not specify what the Jaguars would have gotten in return for moving back.

Mason Graham is an extremely popular pick for the Jaguars in many mock drafts, and it’s easy to see why. Although he was available at pick No. 5 and then again at pick No. 7, Filice opted to have Jacksonville bolster the cornerback position by taking Michigan’s Will Johnson.

“Johnson has the pedigree, production and frame of a top cornerback prospect, but there are questions about his long speed,” wrote Filice. “Consequently, you could reasonably argue Johnson has more money riding on a 40-yard dash than any other human in 2025, with a potential eight-figure difference between a time in the 4.4s and one in the 4.5s.”

As Filice notes, where Johnson ends up going could be heavily dictated by how he performs at the NFL combine. While some mock drafts have Johnson going No. 5 to Jacksonville, others have him going in the early or mid-teens.

Johnson played in only six games last season due to a turf toe injury, but over his three year playing career, he allowed a completion rate of just 53%, 13.4 yards per catch with nine interceptions and seven pass breakups.

Finding a starter to lineup opposite of Tyson Campbell will be a priority for the Jaguars this offseason. Last year, Jacksonville’s defense ranked near the bottom of the NFL in many pass defense categories.

Source: https://jaguarswire.usatoday.com/20...ack-few-spots-2025-nfl-mock-draft-cornerback/

 

[Jacksonville Jaguars]

Rams reporter shares impact new Jaguars GM James Gladstone had in LA's drafts

James Gladstone is the new general manager of the Jacksonville Jaguars, and his impact on the LA Rams’ draft process and results was “astounding,” as Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic put it on an appearance on 1010XL’s ‘Helmets and Heels.’

After a Super Bowl season in 2021, the Rams mustered just five wins in 2022. However, over the last two years since then, they’ve won 10 games in back-to-back seasons with two playoff appearances, and are again back to being among the contenders in the NFC.

Playing an important role in that drastic turnaround was the Rams’ success in the NFL draft during the previous two offseasons. And along with GM Les Snead, helping to lead that charge was Gladstone, the Rams’ Director of Scouting Strategy.

“James Gladstone, who really is the reason the Rams overhauled their draft efforts after the 2022 season and really nailed the last two draft classes. Ten starters between the two of those draft classes and finalists each year for Rookie of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Offensive Rookie of the Year.”

“He is the reason the Rams nailed the last two draft classes.”

The Athletic’s @JourdanRodrigue joins Helmets and Heels to go in-depth on the Jaguars new General manager!

FULL VIDEO: https://t.co/3YzAwntsx8#Jaguars | #DUUUVAL @MiaOBrienTV @1010XLLauren @TayDoll1010xl pic.twitter.com/1S6Bns5PbV

— 1010 XL / 92.5 FM (@1010XL) February 21, 2025

In 2023, wide receiver Puka Nacua was an Offensive Rookie of the Year award finalist. In 2024, defensive end Jared Verse won the Defensive Rookie of the Year award.

In addition to those selections, the Rams also drafted numerous other starters and key contributors including Steven Avila, Kobie Turner, Byron Young, and Kamren Kinchens, among others.

“It’s just been astounding to watch James traffic control and strategize them through all of these new processes with Les Snead at the helm, of course, but James Gladstone has quietly been Les Snead’s right hand man for many years.” Rodrigue added.

With 10 draft picks of their own this offseason, including six within the first four rounds, the Jaguars are positioned well to add some immediate high impact help, and the odds of doing that have grown with Gladstone at the helm.

Source: https://jaguarswire.usatoday.com/20...impact-new-jaguars-gm-james-gladstone-drafts/

 

[Jacksonville Jaguars]

A look at new Jaguars' GM James Gladstone's resume with Rams

The Jacksonville Jaguars have hired James Gladstone to be their next general manager. Before joining the Jaguars, Gladstone had been with the LA Rams since 2016.

Vision, new ideas, communication, and chemistry

#DUUUVAL pic.twitter.com/mEzPOE3QNz

— Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) February 22, 2025

As Rams’ beat writer Jordan Rodrigue of The Athletic noted in a recent interview on 1010XL, Gladstone–who worked closely with Rams’ GM Les Snead–played a pivotal role in LA’s recent draft success.

Following a five win season in 2022, the Rams have since turned things around quickly, with two 10 win seasons and two playoff appearances in a row. Expediting that process was their success in the draft.

Selections over the last two years include the 2024 Defensive Rookie of the Year, Jared Verse, 2023 Offensive Rookie of the Year finalist, Puka Nacua, along with Steven Avila, Kobie Turner, Byron Young and others.

“It’s just been astounding to watch James traffic control and strategize them through all of these new processes with Les Snead at the helm, of course, but James Gladstone has quietly been Les Snead’s right hand man for many years.” Rodrigue said.

For more coverage of Gladstone and the Jaguars, follow the links below:

10 Rams’ free agents (and Cooper Kupp) with James Gladstone Jaguars’ new GM

Rams reporter shares impact James Gladstone had in LA’s drafts

WATCH: Behind the scenes look at new Jaguars’ GM James Gladstone in Rams’ draft room

Shad Khan releases statement after hiring James Gladstone as GM

3 Things to know about new Jaguars GM James Gladstone

Source: https://jaguarswire.usatoday.com/20...-general-manager-james-gladstone-resume-rams/

 

[Jacksonville Jaguars]

WATCH: New Jaguars GM James Gladstone meets coaching staff and shares message

The Jacksonville Jaguars released a short video of new general manager James Gladstone introducing himself to the coaching staff.

Part of that brief introduction was Gladstone giving us a peak into his vision for how he wants to build this Jaguars’ roster.

“One of the things I really want to emphasize from the jump is the qualities we’re going to prioritize,” Gladstone says. “The intangible elements that I think by default, we’re all going to appreciate, but the thing you’ll come to see is that we’ll actually come through on the back end with any decision that we’ll make to be disciplined in our approach to actually prioritize those every chance that we get to onboard a player.

“And so what I mean by that is the people that we’re actually going to invite into this ecosystem by being nothing more than who they are, they’re going to elevate the culture and the environment. So we’re not going to have to raise people, but they’ll raise this entire group by just simply being who they are.”

Gladstone comes to the Jaguars after being with the LA Rams since the 2016 season. As Rams’ beat writer Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic noted in an interview with 1010XL, Gladstone worked closely with GM Les Snead and was an integral part of LA’s success in the draft.

Rodrigue mentioned all of the new processes that Snead and Gladstone have implemented, and this video of Gladstone meeting the Jacksonville coaches, along with the quote above, gives us a glimpse into that process-driven mindset he possesses.

You can watch the full video below:

Change is here.

GM James Gladstone introduces himself to our coaching staff.#DUUUVAL pic.twitter.com/T627hgSHLk

— Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) February 22, 2025

Source: https://jaguarswire.usatoday.com/20...ladstone-meets-coaching-staff-shares-message/