The Jacksonville Jaguars were scrutinized for taking Nate Boerkircher with the 56th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. The main reasons were that they seemingly had bigger needs at the time and ignored the consensus big board when they made the selection. However, the Jags didn't just pull a random name from a hat and choose Boerkircher because he fit their offensive vision.
Jacksonville wanted to run multi-tight-end sets last year but weren't able to because they didn't have the personnel. That's changed with Boerkircher in the mix, as the Jags have run 12 personnel sets 32.5 percent of their offensive snaps. That's nearly one out of every three plays.
But despite the fact that the former Texas A&M Aggie has earned a substantial role on offense, Jacskonville has yet to take advantage of one of his best skills.
The Jaguars need to use Nate Boerkircher more as a pass catcher
In two games thus far, Nate Boerkircher has played 61 offensive snaps (or 53 percent of the team's total). However, he's only had one catch for nine yards on one target. For context, fellow tight end Brenton Strange has logged 88 snaps and caught four receptions for 40 yards on five targets in the same span.
Leaving aside that Jacksonville is underusing Strange, Boerkircher nearly as much as they should. You could make the case that his numbers in 2025 leave much to be desired, and you would be right. The Aurora, Nebraska native reeled in 19 catches for 198 yards with three touchdowns. That kind of production doesn't pop off the stat sheet. However, his separation rate of 86.4 percent shows that the Aggies severely underused him as a pass catcher.
This begs the question: Why haven't the Jags targeted Boerkircher more? Making a leap from college to the pros is no walk in the park, but he most definitely had a strong showing in training camp, so it's fair to assume that readiness isn't the reason why.
One reasonable explanation is that the Jaguars are still figuring out how to use their personnel. And if that's the case, it should be clear that the offense would benefit from higher doses of Boerkircher.
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The Jaguars need to use Nate Boerkircher as a pass-catcher vs. the Patriots
While the Jaguars have run more multiple-tight-end sets this season, the Patriots don't have much tape of Nate Boerkircher. That could end up giving Jacksonville the edge, as he could line up in the slot and run routes, while Brenton Strange stays at the line of scrimmage to block.
Conversely, the Jags could use both Boerkircher and Strange as pass-catchers. That tweak could come in handy when you take into account that Brian Thomas Jr.'s drop issue reemerged in the loss to the Denver Broncos. Parker Washington and Jakobi Meyers could stay on the field in those situations. Both of them are more sure-handed than Thomas and would give Trevor Lawrence a pair of reliable targets.
Now, Nate Boerkircher doesn't have to be targeted 10 times (maybe three?) every game, but the Jags could most definitely use him more often as a pass-catcher. They drafted him for a reason. It's time they show everyone why.
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