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Former Los Angeles Rams executive James Gladstone has been hired as the new general manager of the Jacksonville Jaguars, the latter team announced Friday.

At age 34, he’s the youngest current general manager in the NFL.

Gladstone was with the Rams for the past nine seasons, starting as a senior assistant to then-GM Les Snead. He served in multiple roles over the years, including a promotion to be the team’s director of scouting strategy in 2019 before spending the past three seasons as the team’s director of scouting strategy.

The Jaguars picked Gladstone over candidates that included Chicago assistant GM Ian Cunningham, Green Bay VP of player personnel Jon-Eric Sullivan, San Francisco director of scouting and football operations Josh Williams, and Jaguars interim GM Ethan Waugh.

“James emerged as my choice, and our choice, following a painstaking but energizing interview process that left nothing to doubt,” Jaguars owner Shad Khan said in a statement. “Every candidate delivered, and I am grateful to them all for their preparation and time spent with us this week in Jacksonville. In the end, we found James to be a class ahead and exceptional in every regard — vision, new ideas, communication, chemistry and a keen understanding of the league and our team, to name a few of many virtues he will bring immediately to the Jaguars.”

Gladstone is familiar with the Jaguars’ new head coach, Liam Coen, who worked for the Rams as assistant receivers and assistant QB coach from 2018-20 and as offensive coordinator in 2022.

Gladstone replaces previous general manager Trent Baalke, 60, who mutually parted ways with the Jaguars on Jan. 22. Baalke was with the Jaguars since 2021. Under his watch, the team posted a 25-43 record, including a 4-13 mark this past season under Doug Pederson, who was fired on Jan. 6.

“It’s going to be fun watching James work with our football leadership team of Liam Coen, (executive VP of football operations) Tony Boselli and (chief football strategy officer) Tony Khan, but most of all it will be rewarding. I am confident of that,” Khan said.

–Field Level Media