Overnight, the Jacksonville Jaguars turned their tight end room from extremely top-heavy to surprisingly balanced. Don't get me wrong, Brenton Strange is still the top dog in his position group after signing what turned out to be a sweetheart deal to remain with the Jags for the foreseeable future. However, the coaching staff doesn't have to be as anxious as they were when Strange missed a few games last year.
One reason for this peace of mind is the arrival of Tanner Koziol, the franchise's fifth-round pick out of Houston. The 6-foot-7, 250-pound athlete lined up all over the field during his lone season as a Cougar. That gave him the opportunity to be covered by a ton of great athletes, and he won his matchups against more than a few.
On paper, Koziol should be walking into training camp as a leading competitor for Jacksonville's TE3 spot on the depth chart. That may not sound like a tantalizing position battle at first, but recent history shows us that receivers with reliable hands and a willingness to hold on to the ball in traffic are a coveted resource in Duval County.
Tanner Koziol's presence gives the Jaguars a great insurance policy
Last season, we saw that Trevor Lawrence played much better whenever he had a chance to throw to sure-handed receivers who could work all over the middle of the field. Brenton Strange's box scores don't amaze you at first, but his stint on injured reserve directly preceded the team's discouraging mid-season slump.
At the time of his injury, Strange was leading the Jaguars in receptions. The Nittany Lion's absence stifled the Jaguars' production during gotta-have-it downs and exposed how unreliable the rest of the receiving core was when it came to drops and chain-moving plays.
Jacksonville's trade for Jakobi Meyers gave the offense a savior in the slot who could catch everything that came his way. As we would come to find out, simply having a reliable pass catcher to bank on took Liam Coen's often-praised scheme to the next level.
With Koziol, Coen has another option who can take advantage of opposing defenses by getting loose on play-action passes and punishing linebackers who take his route running lightly. Of course, there's also Nate Boerkircher, the bruiser drafted in the second round to help the team avoid giving away what they're doing pre-snap.
The front office is optimistic about the Texas A&M standout's chances of developing his receiving skills, but Koziol's best highlights already make him look like a large wideout who's just a tad too slow to be on the outside full-time.
Clips showing off Koziol's play-making and body control portray a player who can win battles against most corners and bail his QB out whenever the pass rush gets too hot. He's unlikely to be a fearsome blocker in the run game, but he could certainly be an explosive target in multiple-TE sets that attack nickel backs and outside linebackers with large bodies and athletic mismatches.
Tanner Koziol's massive upside could help him turn into . . .
I know this could just be me jumping off the ledge, but I think Tanner Koziol was selected to be the Jaguars' budget version of Mike Evans. Tim Patrick never grew into the role Evans filled for Coen's offense in Tampa Bay, and Brian Thomas Jr. hasn't shown the fearlessness necessary to snag those tough, drive-extending catches in double and triple coverage like Evans did when the Buccaneers needed him the most.
At Houston, Koziol lined up wide a lot. His lack of separation after the catch exposed him to hits and tackles that should have forced more fumbles than the only one he coughed up back in 2023. His struggles to run after the catch could be a problem at the NFL level, but we have to remember that a tight end who caught 74 passes and six touchdowns at the Power 4 level was picked in the fifth round for a reason.
In any case, Jags fans who are enamored with the passing game should be more excited than anyone else to see Koziol go to work during his first training camp as a pro. He's got a bright future and should make a lot of noise if he performs well enough to earn a place on the final 53.
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