Jaguars keep adding reinforcements at tight end with Tanner Koziol pick

You have to give the Jacksonville Jaguars credit. Instead of following the norm, they've gone against the grain with some of the picks they made in the NFL Draft, trusting their board and making picks that nobody expected. Just one round after picking Wesley Williams at No. 119, the Jags have now selected Houston tigth end Tanner Koziol.

This is a bit of surprise, as tigth end wasn't necessarily a need, and Jacksonville had already picked Nate Boerkircher in Round 2. Nevertheless, it looks like they couldn't pass up the chance to add upgrades at the position.

With the former Houston Cougar in the mix, you can bet the Jaguars tight end room look quite different in 2026. But what exactly is Jacksonville is geting in Koziol?

The Jaguars draft Houston tight end Tanner Koziol with the 119th overall pick in Round 5

At 6'6, Tanner Koziol can develop into a huge target for the Jacksonville Jaguars next season. He's got great hands, and excels as reeling in contested catches. Having said that, there's a reason he was still available in Round 5.

For starters, Koziol needs to bulk up. He needs to fill his size and add strength. On top of that, he needs to expand his route-running tree. On top of that, he lacks burst coming off the line of scrimmage. When you add it all up, he could develop into yet another weapon in Trevor Lawrence's arsenal, but he will need to work on his craft to get on the field.

Lance Zierlein of NFL Media gave Koziol a Round 6 pick, so you could argue that he falls around that range at No. 119.

What should the Jaguars expect from Tanner Koziol as a rookie?

This is easy, teams don't draft a player in the fifth round expecting him to have a huge impact right out of the gate. Tannerl Koziol won't be the exception in Jacksonville. In fact, he'll land in a crowded tight end room.

Brenton Strange remains at the top, with Nate Boerkircher probably vying for the primary backup spot behind him. Quintin Morris, who signed a one-year deal to return to Jacksonville in 2026, is also in the mix, and he'll see the field as a blocker. Hunter Long is also around. Maybe he could be a cap casualty, but if he's around for training camp, he may need to fend off Koziol.

For the moment, though Tanner Koziol projects at TE3 or 4 next season. Maybe he can work his way up next year, but as of this writing, it's hard to see him getting meaningful snaps as a rookie. The silver lining is that he could upgrade the Jaguars' depth at tight end, so there's that.

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