JACKSONVILLE – The Jaguars didn't have to wait to improve Saturday.
They moved quickly, by necessity, early on Day 3 of the NFL Draft – and the first of two early Round 4 selections had a fitting feel.
Speed, speed, speed.
"We call this the speed round; things unfold fast," Jaguars General Manager James Gladstone said.
The Jaguars opened Day 3 by selecting Virginia Tech running back Bhayshul Tuten No. 104 overall. He was the second selection of Round 4, and they followed that by selecting Notre Dame linebacker Jack Kiser No. 107 overall – the fifth selection of Round 4.
"This is kind of the sweet spot for some of the good football players, some players who might be undervalued or underappreciated in some way," Gladstone said. "Being here on the front end of Day 3, allows you the luxury to get those guys."
Tuten's 4.32-second 40-yard dash time was the fastest among running backs at the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine – and the fifth fastest of any player. Tuten, speaking to Jacksonville media shortly after his selection, was asked when was the last time he wasn't the fastest person on the field.
"Never happened," he said, adding that he considered his ability to run though defenders and his physicality "the biggest strength that I have."
"That's all good attributes that I have in my game – speed, able to make guys miss, stuff like that," he said. "It's just who I am on the football field, and that's the kind of swagger guy I play with."
Tuten, a senior who played at North Carolina A&T for two seasons before playing two seasons at Virginia Tech, rushed for 3,600 career yards and 41 touchdowns. He averaged 5.99 yards per carry for his career and also scored nine receiving touchdowns.
He rushed for 1,159 yards and 15 touchdowns last season in 2024. He was a second-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference selection the past two seasons.
"If you look at a 40-time and view that as an important piece of the puzzle, that certainly jumps off the page," Gladstone said. "But that actually applies to his on-field speeds. Being able to change the pace of a game is something we're really interested in."
Said Tuten of his speed, "It just brings a level of dominance to my mindset. I can go out there and outrun a lot of guys, make a couple of guys pull hamstrings and stuff like that. Just a layer of swagger that I play with, I know you can't catch me. So, I'm going to watch you try to catch me."
Kiser (6-feet-2, 231 pounds), who played six seasons at Notre Dame, registered 275 career tackles with six sacks. He also had four career interceptions with 17 tackles for loss.
"While Jack is somebody who's older in age, his field age is a little bit different," Gladstone said. "The wear and tear on his body isn't substantial. He has been the driving force and the brainpower on the defensive side of the ball for Notre Dame. It's hard to find any negative comment when you talk to any sources about Jack Kiser.
"What the future could look like for him is bright."
Gladstone when discussing Kiser used the phrase "intangibly rich," the phrase he uses often then describing what the Jaguars seek in a player.
"My physical traits don't really stand out compared to everybody," Kiser said. "I check the box, but it's those intangible traits that I think really set me apart. It's my mental game, it's how I take care of myself, it's my preparation and that allows me to surpass people in different ways.
"It's a great fit for sure."
