JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- It is time for the top-10. We have ranked the No. 11 through No. 25 spots in our rankings of the most-important Jaguars entering the 2026 season, and it is time to kick-off the top-tier with defensive tackle Arik Armstead. So, why does Armstead take the No. 10 spot? We break it down below. Why Arik Armstead is So Important
Sep 28, 2025; Santa Clara, California, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars defensive tackle Arik Armstead (91) after the game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn ImagesArmstead got off to a hot start in the 2025 season, and his move back to defensive tackle after a year at defensive end looked like it was paying dividends. He still made plays down the stretch during the Jaguars' playoff run, and he played a key role in their top-ranked run defense, but a hand injury hindered his production and impacted Jacksonville's pass-rush potential.In short, the Jaguars need Armstead to be at his best to have a chance to put the best pass-rush possible on the field. Armstead was able to do that before his injuries last season, and now he will have to aim to do so once more as the Jaguars continue to lean on him to provide a pass-rush from the interior defensive line. “We just need I think the production that we were seeing before Arik got hurt and as he came back, obviously he pushed through it, pushed through an injury at the end of the year," Jaguars defebsive coordinator Anthony Campanile said this month. "And Arik is a huge guy inside. He creates great middle push. He's got elite pass rush value for us, so we just need him to keep going the way he's been going.”Arik Armstead's Strengths and Weaknesses
