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The Jacksonville Jaguars selected tight end Nate Boerkircher with their first pick of the 2026 NFL Draft, and it's a selection that has been heavily criticized by many analysts.
Yet the tide may already have started to change. It's still early, but Boerkircher had an impressive showing during rookie minicamp, and it appears that analysts have begun to change their tune.
Writing for SI, Justin Melo named the most controversial picks of this year's draft, as well as why they might end up working out. Unsurprisingly, Boerkircher made his list.
Boerkircher was also named an instant impact candidate by ESPN, while analysts were forced to admit that his fit within the Jaguars' offense justified the selection.
Liam Coen and James Gladstone have spoken about the need for a strong blocking tight end, which no one denies that Boerkircher is capable of -- he was one of the top blocking tight ends in this year's draft class by PFF's metrics.
Yet there is also reason to believe he can be a reliable pass catcher as well, more so than during his college career. Boerkircher had a great separation rate but was not often targeted, which indicates that there is no issue with his abilities.
Ultimately, there is good reason to believe Boerkircher will do well. And if he does, the doubts and poor draft grades from analysts will have aged incredibly poorly.
This article originally appeared on Jaguars Wire: Why Jaguars will be proven right with Nate Boerkircher pick
Continue reading...
Yet the tide may already have started to change. It's still early, but Boerkircher had an impressive showing during rookie minicamp, and it appears that analysts have begun to change their tune.
Writing for SI, Justin Melo named the most controversial picks of this year's draft, as well as why they might end up working out. Unsurprisingly, Boerkircher made his list.
Boerkircher was also named an instant impact candidate by ESPN, while analysts were forced to admit that his fit within the Jaguars' offense justified the selection.
Liam Coen and James Gladstone have spoken about the need for a strong blocking tight end, which no one denies that Boerkircher is capable of -- he was one of the top blocking tight ends in this year's draft class by PFF's metrics.
Yet there is also reason to believe he can be a reliable pass catcher as well, more so than during his college career. Boerkircher had a great separation rate but was not often targeted, which indicates that there is no issue with his abilities.
Ultimately, there is good reason to believe Boerkircher will do well. And if he does, the doubts and poor draft grades from analysts will have aged incredibly poorly.
This article originally appeared on Jaguars Wire: Why Jaguars will be proven right with Nate Boerkircher pick
Continue reading...
