After waiting throughout the first round and first 24 picks of the second, the Jacksonville Jaguars selected tight end Nate Boerkircher from Texas A&M with the 56th pick and, later, his teammate, defensive tackle Albert Regis at No. 81 during Day 2 of the 2026 NFL draft.

In this first part of the Jaguars' draft grade series, I will give my grades for both picks, basing the assessment of positional need, fit, and pick value.

C-

The pick came as a bit of a surprise, as tight end was not the biggest positional need for Jacksonville. However, Boerkircher isn't a typical tight end, serving as one of the best blocker at his position in the class.

Jaguars offensive coordinator Grant Udinski had high praise for Boerkircher's character and potential for growth following the pick.

"He's our type of guy," Udinski said. "On the field, he'll probably be labeled as a blocker because of his production at A&M, but I think he's more than that and has capabilities to continue to grow in our offense and unlock some of what Brenton (Strange) and some of our other tight ends and receivers can do."

Boerkircher had just 38 catches in five college seasons, with the majority of his production coming last year.

In his lone season in College Station, Boerkircher recorded 19 receptions for 198 yards and three touchdowns.

Rather than dominating as a pass catcher, Boerkircher does his damage on the line of scrimmage, serving as a moveable piece to set edges or pick up blitzers.

While Brenton Strange remains the top pass catcher in Jacksonville's tight end unit, Boerkircher adds beef up front with his 6-foot-6, 245-pound frame.

This seems like a luxury pick, which indicated the Jaguars weren't extremely high on any of the potential defensive edge/linebacker options at No. 56.

However, drafting a primary blocking tight end with the team's first selection may not prove the best value.

Boerkircher's lack of offensive production makes this pick a bit confusing, although Jacksonville has no shortage of talented pass-catchers.

B+

Just 25 picks after Boerkircher joined Jacksonville's ranks, the Jaguars selected his Aggies teammate, Albert Regis.

Regis brings impressive athletic traits for his 295-pound frame. He clocked a 4.88 40-yard dash time at the NFL combine in late February. 

He was extremely reliable throughout his seasons at Texas A&M, playing in at least 12 games each of the past three seasons.

Regis uses tactical hand positioning to reset the line of scrimmage, allowing him to push back on opposing centers and interior lineman.

After locking up Travon Walker on a four-year extension to play alongside Josh Hines-Allen on the edge, Regis will fill in on the inside with 11-year veteran Arik Armstead.

This pick filled a big need as Armstead is getting older and defensive line depth remains a pressing need. 

The rich get richer in this scenario, as Regis will strengthen a run defense that was the top-ranked unit in the NFL last season.

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