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Inside the Jaguars' decision to draft Nate Boerkircher
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- Inside the Jaguars' decision to draft Nate Boerkircher
The Jacksonville Jaguars stunned the league when they selected tight end Nate Boerkircher in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft, and though his rookie season hasn't even begun, that decision has been heavily criticized.
Now, in the second episode of "The Hunt," there is a little more insight into the Jaguars ' mindset.
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In a clip, viewers got to go inside the draft room just before deciding to move forward with Boerkircher at pick No. 56, with James Gladstone, Liam Coen, Grant Udinski, and Tony Boselli collectively agreeing that he was their best choice.
"Go with the guy I love, Big Nate," Gladstone began. "Shock the world, baby. Come on, now. Hottest player remaining is A&M 87."
Coen then agreed that he preferred Boerkircher when asked who he wanted to draft, which Udinski echoed, saying, "He's changing the offense."
"I did have a dream about him," Coen continued. "So it's like, we're not gonna go wrong."
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The clip is incredibly revealing; while the league felt like Boerkircher was taken too soon, the Jaguars viewed him as the best player on their board. That Boerkircher has seemingly been underrated only makes him an even better fit for the Jacksonville culture, which thrives on being disrespected and overlooked.
Coen had been open about the need to draft a strong blocking tight end, though he also acknowledged that Boerkircher could have more to offer than what appeared on the surface. In college, he had a great separation rate but was rarely targeted in the pass game, so while many draft analysts criticized his lack of pass-catching production, this suggests it was not a problem with his ability to make plays.
Accordingly, Boerkircher has performed better than the doubters expected so far. So much so that he's now being named an " instant impact " candidate. And if he does make an immediate impact in his rookie season, then it will only further prove that Gladstone, Coen & Co. knew exactly what they were doing on draft day.
This article originally appeared on Jaguars Wire: Behind the scenes look sheds light on Jaguars decision to pick Nate Boerkircher
