What draft experts said about new Jaguars TE Tanner Koziol

The Jacksonville Jaguars selected tight end Tanner Koziol in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, despite having previously chosen fellow tight end Nate Boerkircher in the second round. Yet while Jacksonville has several strong tight ends on the roster right now, that could change soon.

In 2027, Brenton Strange, Quintin Morris, and Hunter Long are all set to be free agents -- although the thought is that Strange returns -- so the Jaguars may be looking to Koziol to play a bigger role in the future than he will right now.

For this year, he will provide much-needed depth at the tight end position, and could push Long for playing time and even a roster spot.

Koziol was a reliable player in college and played his final year at Houston, where he primarily served as a pass-catcher. He remained a reliable target in the passing game, catching 79% of 94 passes for 727 yards and six touchdowns, according to PFF.

Here is what draft analysts had to say about Koziol in their pre-draft scouting reports.

NFL.com

"Long, angular pass-catching tight end with impressive production throughout his career. Koziol’s monotonous route-running and average play speed lead to an excessive number of contested catches, but his soft hands and overall ball skills help to bring them in at an impressive rate. He appears to lack the technique and toughness necessary to become a functional run blocker against pro competition. Koziol has a chance to become a TE3, but he needs to fine-tune his route-running and play with better short-area quickness to stick around as a catch-only option." -