One of the biggest storylines that emerged during draft weekend was the the Jacksonville Jaguars refused to stick the consesus board, opting instead to follow their internal process. This led them to take tight end Nate Boerkircher at No. 56, maybe a couple rounds earlier than expected.
Although some analyst have liked the decision to take Boerkircher in the second round, plenty other see it as a blatant reach. But just recently, NFL insider Jeremy Fowler of ESPN provided much need context and explained why Jacksonville might have felt compelled to take the former Texas A&M Aggie where they did.
The Jaguars drafted Nate Boerkircher before the Broncos could
Jeremy Fowler shared draft intel for each NFL team and revealed that Nate Boerkicher was expected to go in Rounds 3 or 4 of the draft, adding that the Denver Broncos could have taken him if the Jaguars hadn't. Here's the skinny.
"The Jaguars made waves by selecting Texas A&m tight end Nate Boerkircher at No. 56, igniting a tight end run earlier than expected," Fowler wrote. "Four tight ends went in the next 17 picks. Boerkircher was ESPN's 13-ranked tight end. Was this a reaach? Sort of, but perhaps nto as much as perceived. Realistically, Boerkircher entered the draft thinking he would go late in Day 2, early in Day 3 (so let's say in the third or fourth rounds)."
Fowler continued, "But he was notified in the process that multiple teams listed him as their top blocking tight end. Boerkircher believed Denver was high on him and considered him a viable option early in the fourth round. Either way, Boerkircher had no idea he was on Jacksonville's radar."
For added context, Denver did have Boerkircher for a top-30 visit, so there's a legitimate chance they would have taken him at some point in Rounds 3 or 4.
You could make the case that the Jags could have address another position at No. 56 and still land Boerkircher in Round 3, but what if the Broncos or any other club swooped in early in Round 3 and took him off the board? Based on Fowler's intel, it seems like Jacksonville wasn't willing to take that risk.
Sure, Boerkircher had minimal production at the collegiate level, but that was because he was rarely targeted despite the fact that he had a separation rate of 86.4 percent. In Jacksonville, the Aurora, Nebraska native will be TE2 behind Brenton Strange but should still get plenty of opportunities. When you factor in his blocking skills, he should have an impact early on.
It's also worth noting that the Jags might have signaled their intention to set the tone at the line of scrimmage when they picked Boerkircher at No. 56, and later offensive guard Emmanuel Pregnon and tight end Tanner Koziol the following two rounds.
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Nate Boerkircher could end up making the Jaguars look like geniouses
It's easy to understand why the Jaguars are catching so much heat for drafting Nate Boekirker in Round 2. The pass rush and the interior defensive line were bigger needs than tight end, but general manager James Gladstone might not have been thrilled about the options he had at that point of the process.
You could argue that Jacksonvillle could've traded up to select Kayden McDonald or Christian Miller early in the second round, but Gladstone must have thought that he cost of moving up wasn't worth. And in the end, the Jags did add reinforcements at defensive tackle with Albert Regis at No. 81. Similarly, they drafted Wesley Willliams and Zach Durfee in Rounds 4 and 7, so you cannot truly say that the team's brass neglected either position.
In the end, Nate Boerkircher does have to make an impact as early as possible to valide the Jaguars' decision to draft him in Round 2. But based on Jeremy Fowler's most recent reporting, it looks like they weren't the only team setteing their sights on him, so it's a good thing James Gladstone acted quickly.
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