Jaguars take blocking TE Nate Boerkircher with their first pick in the 2026 NFL draft

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Nate Boerkircher’s top collegiate highlight was a one-on-one matchup against Travis Hunter.

Hunter, a Colorado cornerback/receiver at the time, got a firsthand look at Boerkircher’s blocking ability in 2023. Boerkircher pushed Hunter around for 15 yards before the future Heisman Trophy winner and second overall pick by Jacksonville last year ripped off his helmet.

Now they’re teammates.

The Jaguars used their first pick of the NFL draft to land the blocking tight end Friday night, grabbing him in the second round with the 54th overall selection.

“I’m excited to talk to him about that,” Boerkircher said.

The 6-foot-5, 245-pound Boerkircher played four seasons at Nebraska before transferring to Texas A&M. He started his college career as a walk-on and finished it with 38 receptions for 417 yards and four touchdowns. He had a career-high 19 catches last year.

The selection was an odd choice for a team in need of so much defensive help, most notably at linebacker and along the D-line.

Nonetheless, the Jaguars were looking for a tight end to play behind starter Brenton Strange. Strange is entering the final year of his rookie contract, but the team hopes to sign him to a long-term extension before the season.

The 25-year-old Boerkircher essentially gives Jacksonville a replacement for veteran Johnny Mundt, who was released in March after one season. The Jags also have Hunter Long and Quintin Morris on the roster as blocking tight ends, and Boerkircher gives them another body at a position that the Los Angeles Rams placed an emphasis on last season.

Jacksonville general manager James Gladstone and coach Liam Coen cut their teeth as part of the Rams organization, learning from GM Les Snead and coach Sean McVay.

The Jaguars also hope to run the ball better next season. They ranked 20th in the league in 2025, averaging 115.1 yards a game on the ground, and ranked 27th at 4.0 yards a carry. And that was with Travis Etienne, who left in free agency.

Boerkircher should be an immediate help in that area. He also believes he has upside as a pass-catcher.

“I got a lot better, especially my last year at A&M, winning in man,” he said. That’s something that I improved at a lot. I had a long way to go. I can keep improving in that area, and I have good hands and a big catch radius. I’m just a big body.”

Boerkircher had no top-30 visits and no indication Jacksonville was going to pick him in the second round. When the Jaguars called, the number came up as spam. He answered anyway after consulting with his agent and now gets a reunion with Hunter.

Jacksonville traded its first-round pick in 2026 to Cleveland last year to move up three spots and draft Hunter.

“He ended up ripping my helmet off,” Boerkircher recalled. “I just remember him being super cool about it, though. I remember blocking him a few plays later and we were bros again. I’m excited to meet him and figure all that out.”

The Jaguars added Boerkircher’s college teammate, nose tackle Albert Regis, in the third round. Regis’ daughter crawled to a Jaguars cup several times Friday morning in what the family considered an omen for his NFL destination. He also starred in the musical “Newsies” in high school and credits his tap-dancing skills for being quick on his feet and in the trenches.

Jacksonville also drafted guard Emmanuel Pregnon, who started 52 games in six years at Wyoming, USC and Oregon, and Maryland safety Jalen Huskey in the third round.

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