Nate Boerkircher is quietly shutting down Jaguars' draft criticism

Look, I won't even lie to you guys. I still think that grabbing a blocking tight end with the 56th overall pick was an absurd decision. And I wasn't alone either! Numerous voices across the media thought that the Jacksonville Jaguars had lost their intangibly rich minds and jumped the shark when they selected Nate Boerkircher in the second round.

However, to other voices' credit, there were a few people who could at least see the forest through the trees after James Gladstone turned in the card.

Whichever side of the argument you were on back in April, though, Boerkircher's awe-inspiring physicality throughout the first three weeks of his rookie campaign has proven that he was one of the best fits for Jacksonville's offense after all. That means writers like me have to sit here and eat crow while we watch No. 87 pave roads and manhandle some very large men.

Nate Boerkircher's run blocking has unlocked the Jaguars offense

In the spirit of fairness, I don't think anyone questioned whether Boerkircher would help out in the run game or not. Pro Football Focus' official draft profile for the athlete even said that "he is a tenacious run blocker with strong competitive toughness and better athleticism than his receiving production suggests," but it also said that he would be a "depth option with versatile blocking value."

Not the most inspiring projection if you were a fan wondering how their favorite team would replace an All-Pro linebacker and address a startling lack of pass rush that still persists despite Jacksonville's great start. That being said, Liam Coen's ability to call whatever he wants without tipping his hand to the defense has done wonders for the Jaguars' ability to limit turnovers and keep possessions alive.

This rep against the New England Patriots tells me everything I need to know about the dreams Coen was having about Boerkircher before draft night. If you look at the carnage closely, the rookie blocker teams up with Breton Strange to obliterate the opposing defensive end and force Carlton Davis to take on Bhayshul Tuten all by himself:

Having a tight end who can match up well against full-sized defensive linemen is a ridiculous competitive advantage at any level of the sport. As the Texas A&M Aggie develops, we might even get to see him work against EDGEs without any help.

If he can pull that off, no one will be complaining about where he was drafted anymore.

Nate Boerkircher's hot start shows that his draft value a moot point

A pick's value doesn't matter once the season starts, and the film Boerkircher has produced so far shows that he's a really good football player. I'd even walk out on a limb and say that the Jags are better off having him than not (dangerous, I know).

In theory, grinding out a few more first downs every week should limit the number of opportunities opposing offenses have to take advantage of the Jaguars' weaknesses on defense. With Coen being an offensive head coach who's preparing to lose his defensive coordinator to a head coaching opportunity fairly soon, controlling the ball and chewing up the clock could be his risk mitigation plan moving forward.

Thus far, his strategy is working, as the Jags are ranked fifth in rushing success rate. ESPN's Mina Kimes recently reminded her followers that Jacksonville's rushing attack couldn't supplement the passing game that made the team look like a contender last season. Boerkircher's arrival directly addresses that issue and should help the offense lay down the law on running downs come December.

This week, Boerkircher will get the chance to go up against a Cincinnati Bengals defense that has gotten some new pieces to work with over the last two offseasons. I don't think his run blocking will win or lose the game single-handedly, but his ability to give the running backs some daylight during a low-scoring affair could make a huge difference.

Boerkircher's early impact is a huge win for James Gladstone. As the season progresses, Jacksonville's punishing outside run game might even make him look like a genius.

If that happens, we'll just have to brace ourselves for some crazy stuff when the Jaguars are on the clock in 2027.

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