Liam Coen reveals how Nate Boerkircher is quickly exceeding Jaguars expectations

When the Jacksonville Jaguars drafted Nate Boerkircher in 2026, they did it because they wanted to fix their running game and give another dimension to their offense. Sure, taking a backup tight end in Round 2 wasn't an exciting strategy, but it's most definitely paid dividends.

Boerkircher's role on offense has increased as the year progressed. Just one game after reeling in his second touchdown catch of the season, he had an electrifying 52-yard catch in the win over the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday Night.

By all accounts, No. 87 has exceeded expectations, which begs the question, how has he done it? Liam Coen provided a detailed explanation in the aftermath of the Ravens win.

Why Nate Boerkircher is quickly making an impact for the Jaguars

Liam Coen met with the local media one day after the win over Baltimore. He stated that Nate Boerkircher has made good use of his skills in his transition to the NFL, noting that the rookie tight end has the right attitude and puts in the work to meet the moment.

"I think just learning, learning space, concepts, defense," Coen told reporters. "He's always had like he has a good football feel for voids and zones being under control. I just think that football kind of makes sense to him that way. So he can get down the field. He's athletic enough to run down the field and do some of those things and adjust his body at the catch point. I think Trevor has confidence in him.

Coen continued, "Would have liked to have seen them connect down in the goal line on the fifth play of the game, but he's just doing what we expected him to kind of help us do. And the run game, he did some really good things again at the point of attack, and he just has a good way about him that he prepares like a pro, doesn't take it all too seriously, loves to practice, loves to be involved, brings good vibes to it all. So you know, he's definitely hitting a little bit of a stride here."

The Jags caught lots of heat for drafting Boerkircher because they picked him way before the consensus big board suggested. On top of that, he was seen mostly as a blocking tight end coming out of Texas A&M. However, Jacksonville knew that he could be more than that.

Boerkircher's separation rate of 86.4 percent showed that he didn't put up head-turning stats because he wasn't targeted enough, not because he wasn't a good pass catcher.

Related: Jags rookie stock watch after win vs. Ravens: Top heavy is an understatement

Nate Boerkircher is quietly becoming a mainstay of the Jaguars offense

Just so you have an idea of how fast Nate Boerkircher is coming along, he's amassed 144 yards with two touchdowns on just nine receptions in nine games. That's way more than the five catches for 35 yards with one touchdown fellow tight end Brenton Strange had as a rookie in 2023, and Boerkircher has done it as the TE2 behind Strange.

This isn't doesn't mean that Strange is a lesser tight end or that Boerkircher will turn out to be better, but rather that he's making an impact from the get-go. In fact, nobody would bat an eye if the Aurora, Nebraska native gets an even bigger role on offense in the second half of the campaign precisely because he's shown progress.

The bottom line is that players expect their early draft picks to contribute right off the bat, and that's precisely what Nate Boerkircher has done for the Jaguars.

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