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The Jacksonville Jaguars’ hiring of James Gladstone gave a clear indicator to the main trait they are emphasizing in the coaching staff and the front office: youth.
The Jaguars made their decision known Friday, hiring Gladstone to become their new general manager. He initially joined the Rams in 2016 as a senior assistant to general manager Les Snead but most recently served as Los Angeles’ director of scouting strategy.
Gladstone takes over the position at age 34, an intriguing aspect which NFL reporter Ari Melrov made sure to note in a tweet shortly after the news broke.
“The #Jaguars have the youngest group of key decision-makers in the NFL: GM James Gladstone (34), HC Liam Coen (39), OC Grand Udinski (29), and DC Anthony Campanile (42)—all in their roles for the first time. All are very bright. But a true youth movement in Jacksonville,” Melrov wrote.
It helps a franchise to insert new blood into the organization, especially for the Jacksonville Jaguars.
It also is convenient for the Jaguars to hire James Gladstone. He shares a solid connection with Liam Coen, who served as an assistant offensive coach in Los Angeles between 2018 and 2020 and as the Rams’ offensive coordinator in 2022.
They will look to bring Jacksonville back to relevancy. After a playoff run in the 2022-23 season, the team went through consecutive frustrating seasons. They went 8-9 in 2023 and 4-13 in 2024, moving on from head coach Doug Pederson and general manager Trent Baalke when the latter campaign ended.
With the Jaguars finally fulfilling an important position in the front office, the team will now look forward to the 2025 NFL Draft. They hold the fifth pick in the first round, having the chance to select one of the five best players in the draft.
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