Player insights

If Durfee stays healthy and continues developing the finer points of playing defensive end, the Jaguars may eventually view Pick No. 233 as one of the biggest bargains of the 2026 draft, given his elite athletic tools and developmental potential.

Injuries repeatedly interrupted Durfee's time at Washington, including an elbow problem and turf toe, forcing evaluators to project rather than judge a complete body of work.

Durfee's testing numbers—mid-4.5s 40-yard dash and a vertical jump approaching 39 inches at 6-foot-5, 250+ pounds—are eye-catching for a pass rusher and explain why scouts remained intrigued despite his limited résumé.

As a seventh-round pick (No. 233 overall), Durfee scored a 9.77 RAS (Relative Athletic Score) out of 10.00, ranking 50th out of 2,094 defensive ends from 1987–2026, indicating elite athletic traits rarely seen in late-round selections.

Despite multiple injuries (elbow, turf toe) interrupting his college career at Washington, Durfee earned team captain honors, demonstrating resilience and character that NFL evaluators value as evidence of his ability to overcome adversity.

Jacksonville is betting on Durfee's long-term upside after receiving full-time professional coaching, not just the player he is today, given his compressed development timeline and continued learning curve.

Durfee compressed his defensive end development into a relatively short period after transferring to Sioux Falls and later Washington, making his rise to NFL prospect status remarkable given he was still learning the nuances of the position well into his college career.

Durfee's basketball background—where he averaged over 20 points and 10 rebounds per game—developed footwork, balance, and lateral quickness that translate well to pass rushing, helping shape his defensive end development.