Nate Boerkircher's Fit in Jaguars Offense Scheme Requires Key Adjustment

The Jacksonville Jaguars will look a bit different on offense next season, in part because of new second-round pick Nate Boerkircher.

Oct 11, 2025; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies tight end Nate Boerkircher (87) runs a route during the second half against the Florida Gators at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The Jacksonville Jaguars surprised a lot of people with their first selection of the 2026 NFL Draft, but is becoming clearer why they operated in such a manner.

The Jaguars selected Texas A&M tight end Nate Boerkircher at No. 56 overall, a pick that has since been widely panned because many had him evaluated as a Day 3 prospect due to a mix of his age and his lack of college production.

Dec 20, 2025; College Station, TX, USA; Texas A&M Aggies tight end Nate Boerkircher (87) lines up during the first half against the Miami Hurricanes at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

But in the days since the Jaguars selected Boerkircher, the Jaguars' brass has made it clear why they made him such an early focus. And while their logic may be sound, what can't be ignored is that it will take a key scheme adjustment to make Boerkircher worth the selection.

Key Adjustment

Simply put, the Jaguars were not anywhere near being a part of the 12 and 13 personnel fad last season. The Jaguars did see the Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks thrive against the Jaguars' defense last year by going with heavier personnel on offense, though, and it has been clear all offseason the Jaguars wanted to get with the times. That, above all else, is the reason behind to Boerkircher selection.

Aug 30, 2025; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies tight end Nate Boerkircher (87) pregame against the UTSA Roadrunners at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Sean Thomas-Imagn Images | Sean Thomas-Imagn Images

"Yeah, that was rooted in our own internal sentiment and understanding that the trend in the NFL was that heavier tight end sets was going to be something that got prioritized, and we felt certainly a heavier tight end run throughout the course of the back end of the second into the third, and typically that's a window where the wide receiver run is really occurring," Gladstone said on Friday. "I think that certainly showed itself. But he was the one we were hunting up, and we weren't going to allow that to ever be something that we risked."

Gladstone and the Jaguars were right about an in-line tight end run. There was a record nine tight ends selected within the first two days of the draft, and the Jaguars were in the middle of it. Blocking tight ends then were selected at No. 59, No. 61, No. 69, No. 73, No. 87, and No. 95. The Jaguars, of course, are the team that started the run. And they did so because of where they see the NFL and their offense going.

Oct 18, 2025; Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies tight end Nate Boerkircher (87) scores a touchdown in the second quarter against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images | Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

"As the trends across the NFL begin to show themselves, not only over the last season but the back half of the season and what we anticipate being big pieces to the puzzle over the course of this next season, I think that was a real reflection of the decisions that we made here tonight and the positions and players that we prioritized," Gladstone said.

But for the Jaguars to make the pick worth it, they will need to actually lean into the shift. That isn't to say the Jaguars should change their entire offense approach and become a 12 personnel team only. But the Jaguars must deploy heavier sets at a much higher clip than they did a year ago, when they ranked outside the top-20 in multiple tight end sets.

Dec 20, 2025; College Station, TX, USA; Texas A&M Aggies tight end Nate Boerkircher (87) blocks Miami Hurricanes defensive lineman Rueben Bain Jr. (4) during the game between the Aggies and the Hurricanes at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

For the Jaguars to try to recoup value on this pick, they will need to prove that 12 and 13 personnel isn't a trend. It has to be part of who they want to become moving forward.