With the Jacksonville Jaguars' first pick in the 2026 NFL draft, GM James Gladstone selected Texas A&M tight end Nate Boerkircher at 56th overall, which by many, was considered a head-scratching pick.
Now that the dust has settled on this year's draft, ESPN NFL insider Jeremy Fowler provided some insight into why the Jaguars selected Boerkircher.
On ESPN's pre-draft big board, Boerkircher was the 13th-ranked tight end in this class. So was this pick a major reach? Not exactly, according to Fowler.
"Realistically, Boerkircher entered the draft thinking he would go late in Day 2, early in Day 3 (so, let's say in the third or fourth rounds)," Fowler wrote. "But he was notified in the process that multiple teams listed him as their top blocking tight end. Boerkircher believed Denver was high on him and considered him a viable option early in the fourth round."
In Jaguars' fashion under Gladstone, no one truly knew how highly they rated Boerkircher -- not even Boerkircher who had no idea he was on Jacksonville's radar.
"In fact, Jacksonville brass spoke with Boerkircher's reps early in the draft week and asked about other players, not Boerkircher," Fowler added.
Adding Boerkircher to the offense gives Liam Coen the flexibility to lean more heavily into three tight-end sets, a potential growing trend around the NFL. He could also compete with Quintin Morris for the blocking-first role at the tight end position, seeing playing time with Brenton Strange when lined up in 12 personnel.
Although the bulk of Boerkircher's snaps came as a blocker, the Jaguars are bullish on his ability to impact the passing game as well, with Coen mentioning that he took advantage of the opportunities that came his way.
"For better or worse, Jacksonville is going to do this their way -- they are going to pick the players they want, perception be damned," one veteran NFL player agent told Fowler.
This article originally appeared on Jaguars Wire: 2026 NFL draft: Insider details Jaguars decision to pick Nate Boerkircher
