While the interior defensive line and the pass rush were bigger needs in the NFL Draft, the Jacksonville Jaguars chose instead to select tight end Nate Boerkircher with their first selection, the 56th overall. The decision turned out to be controversial right off the bat. After all, the Jags had bigger roster voids, and they already had the ascending Brenton Strange in place.
Couple that with the fact that Jacksonville drafted Boerkircher way before the consensus suggested, and the selection earned widespread criticism. Having said that, other teams were setting their sights on him late in Round 2 or early in the third, so the Jags knew they had to pick him then or else run the risk of losing him.
If that wasn't enough, Boerkircher was a much better receiver at the collegiate level than his stats suggest. When you add it all up, his selection wasn't nearly as bad as it seemed at the time. Now, the Aurora, Nebraska native will have a chance to prove his critics wrong.
Nate Boerkircher has a chance to boost his stock at Jaguars OTAs
Already, Nate Boerkircher made a positive impression at rookie minicamp. He'll need to build off of it and keep showing out at Organized Team activities. While contact is still prohibited at this stage of the offseason, players can now partake in drills and wear helmets. This will be a prime opportunity for the former Texas A&M Aggie to prove not only that he was the best blocking tight end of the 2026 class but also an underrated pass catcher.
And that's the thing, some of the flak the Jaguars got for drafting Boerkircher at No. 56 was that he only reeled in 19 receptions for 198 yards with three touchdowns in 2025. However, he had a separation rate of 86.4 percent, proving that he wasn't getting targeted nearly as much as he should have despite the fact that he was routinely open.
Even though Brenton Strange will remain the top tight end on the depth chart, Boerkircher will get plenty of work as a blocker, both as a blocker at the line of scrimmage and as a pass catcher when Strange stays to serve as a blocker.
What does Nate Boerkircher need to show at Jaguars OTAS?
For starters, Nate Boerkircher will have to work his way up the depth chart. Quintin Morris signed a one-year deal to return to Jacskonville in 2026, while veteran Hunter Long is still around. Rookie Tanner Koziol is also in the mix, and it's hard to see the Jaguars carrying five tight ends into the regular season.
Granted, it would be shocking to see Boerkircher get cut, but Morris or Long could stick around if they show out in training camp. This is why it will be pivotal for the rookie tight end to put his skill set on full display at OTAs and later in training camp.
The Jaguars went against the consensus when they drafted Nate Boerkircher for a reason. He'll get a golden chance to prove them right at OTAs.
Add us as a preferred source on Google