With their first pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, the 56th overall, the Jacksonville Jaguars chose Texas A&M tight end Nate Boerkircher. The decision raised eyebrows because he was projected to go much later than the second round. Couple that with the fact that the Jags had bigger needs, and the selection was generally panned.
Having said that, drafting Boerkircher wasn't that bad. Some analysts ranked him higher than the consensus, highlighting his superb blocking skills and his hands. But even if you weren't a fan of the selection, Jacksonville addressed key needs with its three remaining picks in the third round.
Of course, the Jaguars won't truly know just what kind of impact the picks will have for a while. That said, the team's brass sound pretty stoked about how the draft unfolded, so don't be shocked if the Jags' rookie class ends up having a bigger impact than expected next season.
For the time being, here are the bigest winners and losers from Day 2 of the draft.
Jaguars winner: Bhayshul Tuten, running back
Before the draft, there were rumors that the Jags could trade up for running back Jadarian Price if he slid into Round 2. He ended up going to the Seattle Seahawks at No. 52. Still, the Jags could bolster their backfield on Day 2 and opted not to, showing confidence in Bhayshul Tuten.
On top of that, Tuten should benefit from better blocking up front and bigger lanes after the addition of Nate Boerkircher and Emmanuel Pregnon. When you add it all up, the former Virginia Tech Hokie is indeed poised for a breakout season.
Jaguars loser: Hunter Long, tight end
Heading into free agency, there was a chance that Hunter Long could get the boot. In the end, it was fellow tight end Johnny Mundt who walked the plank. This made sense as he mostly took on a backup role last year. When you factor in that Quintin Morris returned to Duval on a one-year deal, it's easy to see why Mundt was shown the door.
And with Nate Boerkircher in the mix, perhaps Long could be next. While he displayed some pass-catching skills in 2025, he didn't get many snaps behind Brenton Strange. Maybe the coaching staff wasn't too high on him. Otherwise, the Jags would have given him more playing time last year and might not have used a second-round pick on a tight end.
With that said, the writing is possibly on the wall for Long.
Jaguars winner: Ventrell Miller, linebacker
Before the draft, head coach Liam Coen stated that Ventrell Miller should be hyped up because the team didn't make any additions to the linebacker corps after Devin Lloyd bolted for the Carolina Panthers in free agency.
That said, it could have changed had general manager James Gladstone drafted a linebacker. He didn't, and Miller is the first in line to fill in the starting spot Lloyd left next to Foyesade Oluokun.
Jaguars loser: Chuma Edoga, offensive lineman
The Jaguars made a heavy investment in the offensive line last year, and they brought back all five starters from last year. However, the group could use upgrades, which is why the front office drafted Emmanuel Pregnon. The former Oregon Duck could compete for a backup role as a rookie and potentially start at one guard spot next year.
For the time being, having Pregnon around possibly spells doom for Chuma Edoga, who struggled with penalties when he was thrust into action and didn't get much playing time late in the year precisely because he was underwhelming. While he could vie for a roster spot in training camp, nobody would bat an eye if he ended up getting cut after the draft like Gabe Davis was last year.
Jaguars winner: James Gladstone, general manager
Say what you want about James Gladstone, but he's not afraid to defy convention. While you could argue that the Jaguars overdrafted Nate Boerkircher, the decision will look much better if he turns out to be a mainstay of the offense. Heck, the Brenton Strange pick didn't get many rave reviews at the time, but the former Penn State Nittany Lion has become a fixture of the passing game. Something similar could happen with Boerkircher down the road.
But even when you leave aside the former Texas A&M Aggie, Gladstone managed to address the team's biggest needs in Round 3: The interior offensive line (Emmanuel Pragnon), the defensive line (Albert Regis), and safety (Jalen Huskey). While none of those positions was a major roster void, all three were in need of depth, and he took care of them.
Again, the Jaguars will need Boerkircher to pan out, but their draft class looks promising. And that's because Gladstone stuck to his vision and didn't cave.
Add us as a preferred source on Google