A coach's dream, a surprising pick. Discover why the Jaguars targeted tight end Nate Boerkircher against the odds.
After the Jacksonville Jaguars drafted tight end Nate Boerkircher from Texas A&M as the 56th pick, many analysts and media personnel immediately grilled the pick, questioning Boerkircher's lack of production and original draft standing.
However, following the pick, head coach Liam Coen and general manager James Gladstone gave their reasoning for making the pick, with Coen adding a bit extra.
"I did have a vision at night, so I guess it's a dream, that we were taking him [Boerkircher]" Coen said. "I don't remember where it was at or what pick or anything, I just remember that it was somebody we've had a lot of like for for a long time and then you saw that run of tight ends go, and so I'm kind of glad we did it."
Following Boerkircher's selection, tight end prospects began to fly off the board, with two taken in the remaining eight picks of the second round and an additional four selected in the third round.
Gladstone explained that their front office and decision makers had an "internal sentiment" that a run of "heavier" tight-ends would come in that late-second to early-third range and wanted to make sure they got their guy.
"He was the one we were hunting up and we weren't going to allow that [run] to ever be something that we risk," Gladstone said.
While Boerkircher's numbers don't jump off the page, he brings an instant impact as a blocker, using his 6-foot-5, 250-pound frame to create advantages in the run game.
Boerkircher had just 38 catches in five college seasons, with the majority of his production coming last year.
During his lone season in College Station, Boerkircher recorded 19 receptions for 198 yards and three touchdowns.
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."
Entering the draft, Boerkircher was seen as a late third-fourth round pick, which was part of the negativity surrounding the Jaguars picking him in the late second.
After his selection, I graded the pick as a C-, giving Jacksonville a bit of credit for sticking with their guns, and relying on their talented pass-catching unit, but realizing that this was indeed a bit of a reach.
While Boerkircher's selection may not have addressed the most-dire need for Jacksonville, Coen and Gladstone clearly had him circled as a primary target. It will be interesting to see how he develops and is ultimately utilized in his rookie campaign.
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