Even though the Jacksonville Jaguars had one of the best offenses in the NFL last season, they've made it clear that their running game still has room for improvement. This led them to make a handful of roster moves geared toward getting rid of "the stink." Aside from the addition of free agent Chris Rodriguez, the team's brass used a pair of draft picks on tight ends Nate Boerkircher and Tanner Koziol.
From the get-go, drafting Boerkircher turned out to be a controversial decision, not only because the Jags already have the ascending Brenton Strange in the mix. On top of that, the interior defensive line was seemingly a bigger need at the time. However, Jacksonville plans to run more 12 and 13 personnel sets (two and three tight ends) next season.
This is where Boerkircher will come in handy, as he'll allow the coaching staff to create mismatches without tipping their hand. Nevertheless, an NFL analyst remains unfazed and still raises doubts about his selection.
The Jaguars are still catching heat for the head-scratching Nate Boerkircher pick
Justin Melo of Sports Illustrated wrote that the change toward more 13 personnel sets led several teams to make shocking decisions in the NFL Draft. He was surprised that the Jaguars took Nate Boerkircher at No. 56, noting that they seemingly had more pressing needs than tight end at the time.
"The Jaguars already possessed a promising young tight end on the roster in Brenton Strange," Melo wrote. "They had larger needs with the 56th selection, like linebacker after watching defensive stalwart Devin Lloyd depart in free agency. Despite that, they drafted Boerkircher with the first pick of the draft (they lacked a first-round pick as a result of the Travis Hunter trade).
Melo continued, "Boerkircher spent six years in college and never recorded 200 yards in any single campaign. That may not bother Jacksonville, because he was drafted to handle the selfless duties while Strange dominates pass-catching opportunities."
There's no doubt that Boerkircher's underwhelming production at the collegiate level could be a cause for concern. Compounding the issue is that he's expected to be the No. 2 behind Brenton Strange. On the other hand, the Aurora, Colorado native has massive upside as a pass catcher even though he was an older prospect coming out of Texas A&M.
Last year, Boerkricher reeled in 19 receptions for 198 yards with three touchdowns. However, he had a separation rate of 86.4 percent, showing that he wasn't targeted nearly enough on the Aggies offense despite the fact that he was open.
It's also worth noting that the Jags raised eyebrows when they drafted Brenton Strange in 2023 despite the fact that Evan Engram was still around. Yet, the decision turned out to be in, so there's a reason to believe that Borkeircher will be just fine.
The Jaguars know what kind of impact Nate Boerkircher can have
Last year, the Jaguars witnessed firsthand just how useful 13 personnel sets are, showing no response to the Los Angeles Rams in a Week 7 blowout. Understandably, they now want to follow their blueprint.
Brenton Strange is an underrated pass-catcher, but he's also a heck of a blocker. Jacksonville will have the flexibility to deploy him in either role with Nate Boerkircher in the mix. And that's the thing: Last year, the Jags wanted to run two tight-end sets, but because they didn't have the personnel, they had to use a sixth offensive lineman, which immediately telegraphed their intention to run the football.
In hindsight, it's easy to understand why the Jaguars zeroed in on Nate Boerkircher. With him in the mix, their offense will have an element of surprise. Teams will be on their toes next season, as they'll have to guess what's coming to them.
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