The Jacksonville Jaguars selected tight end Nate Boerkircher at pick No. 56 in the 2026 NFL Draft, sparking confusion among fans due to his modest collegiate stats. The team aims to explain the rationale behind this choice and how they plan to utilize him.
Key points
Jaguars selected Nate Boerkircher at pick No. 56
Boerkircher had only 417 receiving yards in college
Public reaction was confusion over the selection
Team aims to explain the rationale behind the draft choice
Boerkircher's role in the Jaguars' offense is still to be clarified
Jacksonville JaguarsNate BoerkircherNFL Draft
When the Jacksonville Jaguars turned in the card to select tight end Nate Boerkircher at pick No. 56 in the 2026 NFL Draft, the majority of the viewing public responded with an outcry of confusion.
After selecting one of the most exciting players in NFL Draft history in 2025, Travis Hunter, the team returned to the event, drafting a player who finished his five-year collegiate career with just 417 yards.
While post-draft discussion has revolved around consensus big boards and over-drafting, it's important to understand the "why" behind a selection and how the team plans to deploy the selection.
Dec 20, 2025; College Station, TX, USA; Texas A&M Aggies tight end Nate Boerkircher (87) celebrates a first down against the Miami Hurricanes during first quarter of the first round game of the CFP National Playoff at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images
Dec 20, 2025; College Station, TX, USA; Texas A&M Aggies defensive tackle Albert Regis (17) celebrates during the game between the Aggies and the Hurricanes at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
Q&A
Why did the Jaguars draft Nate Boerkircher in the 2026 NFL Draft?
The Jaguars selected Nate Boerkircher to enhance their tight end position, despite concerns over his limited collegiate production.
What are Nate Boerkircher's college statistics?
Nate Boerkircher finished his five-year collegiate career with just 417 receiving yards.
How does Nate Boerkircher fit into the Jaguars' offensive strategy?
The Jaguars plan to deploy Boerkircher in a way that maximizes his potential, although specific strategies have yet to be detailed.
What was the public reaction to the Jaguars selecting Boerkircher?
The public largely responded with confusion and skepticism regarding the Jaguars' decision to draft Boerkircher.
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Jacksonville Jaguars 2026 NFL draft class: First look at all 10 picks
Dec 20, 2025; College Station, TX, USA; Texas A&M Aggies tight end Nate Boerkircher (87) celebrates a first down against the Miami Hurricanes during first quarter of the first round game of the CFP National Playoff at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images
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Jacksonville Jaguars 2026 NFL draft class: First look at all 10 picks
Dec 20, 2025; College Station, TX, USA; Texas A&M Aggies tight end Nate Boerkircher (87) celebrates a first down against the Miami Hurricanes during first quarter of the first round game of the CFP National Playoff at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images
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Jacksonville Jaguars 2026 NFL draft class: First look at all 10 picks
Dec 20, 2025; College Station, TX, USA; Texas A&M Aggies defensive tackle Albert Regis (17) celebrates during the game between the Aggies and the Hurricanes at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
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Jacksonville Jaguars 2026 NFL draft class: First look at all 10 picks
Oregon’s Emmanuel Pregnon, center, takes the field before the game against Oklahoma State at Autzen.
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Jacksonville Jaguars 2026 NFL draft class: First look at all 10 picks
Maryland Terrapins defensive back Jalen Huskey celebrates while running off the field after the game against the Virginia Cavaliers at Scott Stadium.
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Middle Tennessee linebacker Parker Hughes (9) and Middle Tennessee quarterback Nicholas Vattiato (11) greet players as they take to the field for the coin toss before the start of the football game between Middle Tennessee and Missouri State on Wednesday, October 8, 2025, at MTSU.
At the end of the night after selecting Boerkircher, Jaguars head coach Liam Coen spoked highly of his newest tight end, particularly for his toughness and physicality with an eye toward the future.
"Attitude, toughness, mentally and physically tough," Coen said, describing Boekircher and why the team selected him.
The team's process has remained the same since Coen and Jaguars general manager James Gladstone were paired up alongside EVP of football Tony Boselli. Jacksonville seeks players who fit the "Jaguar DNA," and that's what the team feels they did with their 10 selections in the NFL Draft.
Why Jaguars selected TE Nate Boerkircher in Round 2
Dec 20, 2025; College Station, TX, USA; Texas A&M Aggies tight end Nate Boerkircher (87) celebrates a first down against the Miami Hurricanes during first quarter of the first round game of the CFP National Playoff at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images
Dec 20, 2025; College Station, TX, USA; Texas A&M Aggies tight end Nate Boerkircher (87) celebrates a first down against the Miami Hurricanes during first quarter of the first round game of the CFP National Playoff at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images
Jacksonville has spoken extensively about the trajectory of the league and how the team feels they'll need to address certain positions to keep up.
One of those positions this year and the years ahead are at tight end. The team is attempting to get ahead of the curve, utilizing multiple tight ends. Of course, other teams have done this in the past; consider the Buffalo Bills, who have developed their offense almost exclusively around the tight end position with multiple high draft picks at the position.
But, that's not necessarily why the Jaguars did what they did. The team had multiple needs along the roster and selecting a blocking tight end with receiving upside will always be maligned unless the player has exceptional athleticism or skills in other areas. Jacksonville certainly has a system that looks at things further than just the player's physical attributes.
"It was a higher volume of draft capital and ensuring we could prioritize guys that match and align with what I've spoken a lot about, which are the intangible elements, elements that don't necessarily always lie on the surface but are beneath the hood, and I think it's very clear internally that we were able to do just that, and really excited about what lies in front," Gladstone said following the three-day event.
A six-year college vet, Boerkircher was a former walk-on at Nebraska, earning a starting role before transferring to Texas A&M during his final year in college. His drive, effort and tenacity is exactly what Jacksonville looks for.
“Before you even talk about what he does on the field, you talk about the guy off the field, and he’s really our type of guy, with the way he approaches football, approaches preparation," Jaguars offensive coordinator Grant Udinski mentioned following the selection when asked about Boerkircher.
Udinski reiterated what Coen said, too. The team feels Boerkircher can do more than just block.
How Nate Boerkircher fits in future Jaguars offense
Jacksonville's offense isn't tight end oriented. At least it wasn't last season.
In 2025, the Jaguars deployed 12 personnel (one running back, two tight ends) 22% of the time, which ranked 25th in the NFL by percentage, according to TruMedia.
In terms of 13 personnel (one running back, three tight ends), Jacksonville used it on just 2.8% of their snaps, 21st in the NFL by percentage.
The league average for 13 personnel in 2025 was 5.3%, a big jump from 2024 at just 3.6%. The league average of 5.3% in 13 personnel groupings was the highest since TruMedia started tracking in 2007.
One team that perhaps inflated those numbers, but also could be the team Jacksonville most closely follows is the Los Angeles Rams.
In 2025, the Rams carried a league-high 30% usage in 13 personnel, while they held a 10.5% 12 personnel percentage.
“Ultimately, we were jacked to end up with a player that we all have a ton of appreciation for, knowing that as we look forward to the next evolution of the Jacksonville Jaguars and our team in 2026, it’s going to involve heavier tight end groupings that can tap into the current trend in the NFL, and Nate offers that," Gladstone said after making the pick.
Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Brenton Strange (85) gets to his feet during the first quarter of an NFL football matchup at EverBank Stadium, Monday, Oct. 6, 2025, in Jacksonville, Fla. The Jacksonville Jaguars edged the Kansas City Chiefs 31-28. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]
Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Brenton Strange (85) gets to his feet during the first quarter of an NFL football matchup at EverBank Stadium, Monday, Oct. 6, 2025, in Jacksonville, Fla. The Jacksonville Jaguars edged the Kansas City Chiefs 31-28. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]
Jacksonville currently rosters Brenton Strange, who ranked first in NFL zone-blocking last season. Strange operates as the team's top tight end, and will continue in that role in 2026. Boerkircher is similar to Strange in blocking efforts, ranking 13th among all Power-4 NCAA tight ends last year in run-blocking rank, according to Pro Football Focus.
Though he finished his career with just 38 catches for 417 yards and four touchdowns, checking under the hood, as Coen said, shows a player who has plenty of promise as a pass catcher.
In 2026, Boerkircher, 6-foot-5, 245 pounds, posted an 86% catch rate, catching 19 of his 22 targets.
Nearly 80% of the passes thrown his way resulted in a catch. In contested catches, Boerkircher caught 66.7% of his contested targets, while he had only two drops on his targets throughout his collegiate career. Over 61% of his snaps in 2025 were dedicated to blocking.
Boerkircher's projection can also be seen in his athletic profile.
According to MathBomb, Boerkircher graded out with an 8.86 Relative Athletic Score (RAS) with 10.5-inch hands. He ranked 169 out of 1,472 tight ends from 1987 to 2026. His speed with a 2.66s 20-yard split and 1.58s 10-yard split greatly carried his ranking in addition to his 7.03 three-cone drill time.
Jacksonville's intentions are clear, and they have a plan of attack to use their second-round tight end. There's no question they feel strongly about that, too.
"I'm just excited to get in there and learn and prove myself. I think I’ve got a long way to go. I’ve got a high ceiling and I'm ready to go prove it," Boerkircher said on a Zoom media call after the selection.
