The Jacksonville Jaguars raised eyebrows when they took Nate Boerkircher with the 56th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Most of the criticism stemmed from the fact that they picked him before the consensus big board suggested. It didn't help that the former Texas A&M Aggie didn't put up eye-popping numbers in 2025. But despite the noise, the Jags are thrilled about him, and understandably so.
With Boerkircher in the mix, Jacksonville will use more two-tight-end sets. This will, in turn, create mismatches, as fellow tight end Brenton Strange can either serve as a blocker or a pass catcher.
Even if Boerkircher's production doesn't pop off the stat sheet, his presence alone will give the offense a new dimension. However, not everyone is buying into his hype.
Jaguars rookie Nate Boerkircher is predicted to be a bust
Moe Moton of Bleacher Report predicted every team's biggest bust of the 2026 season. He chose Nate Boerkircher for the Jaguars, citing his college production as the main reason.
"At 6'5, 245 pounds, Nate Boekircher is primarily a blocking tight end who only caught 38 passes for 417 yards and four touchdowns in five collegiate teams," Moton wrote. "The Jacksonville Jaguars selected him as their first draft pick, in the second round."
Moton continued, "Perhaps the Jaguars plan to employ a run-heavy game plan in 2026 and cut down on pass-catching tight end Brenton Strange's 75 percent snap count from the previous season."
There's no doubt that Boerkircher's college production left much to be desired, but he was a much better pass-catcher than his stats suggest. His separation rate of 86.4 percent in 2025 shows that he wasn't targeted often despite the fact that he was routinely open.
It's also worth noting that Boerkircher won't be a volume tight end as a rookie, but he doesn't have to be. With Brenton Strange remaining the No. 1 on the depth chart, he will be the fifth or sixth receiving option in the passing game, but his presence alone will keep defenses on their toes, as they won't know whether the Jags will run or pass.
Regarding Moton's suggestion about the Jaguars running the ball, they still plan to lean on their running game, but that's to open things up on offense and create explosive plays.
Either way, it's too early to give Boerkircher the bust label.
The Jaguars had a vision when they drafted Nate Boerkircher
It's easy to forget it now, but Brenton Strange was underwhelming as a rookie. Some critics (guilty as charged) even question whether the Jaguars wasted a pick when they drafted him in 2023, but he turned out to be alright, signing a $36 million extension not that long ago. This is a roundabout way to say that you cannot pan a draft pick after just one season, let alone before he plays a down.
Circling back to Nate Boerkircher, the Jaguars drafted him because they wanted to add versatility to their offense, not because they needed another weapon. They already have plenty, with Jakobi Meyers, Travis Hunter, Brian Thomas Jr., and Parker Washington in the mix.
Of course, if you just look at Boekircher's stats and project him in the same role in Jacksonville, the outlook doesn't look great. But that's now that the Jaguars brought him in for. They wanted to turn their offense into a physical unit that can run or pass the football at will.
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