With the No. 164 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, the Jacksonville Jaguars selected Tanner Koziol, tight end, Houston.
Check out Big Cat Country’s draft home page for our extensive coverage.
Player
Background
- Name: Tanner Koziol
- Class: Fifth-year senior
- Age: 23 (turns 24 in January)
- Hometown: Bloomingdale, IL
- High school: Mt. Vernon
- Recruiting: 2 stars
- Consensus ranking: 153
- Instagram: @tannerkoziol
- X: @tannerkoziol88
Stats
| Receiving | Rushing | Scrimmage | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | Conf | Class | Pos | G | Rec | Yds | Y/R | TD | Y/G | Att | Yds | Y/A | TD | Y/G | Plays | Yds | Avg | TD | Awards |
| 2022 | Ball State | MAC | FR | TE | 12 | 35 | 373 | 10.7 | 7 | 31.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 35 | 373 | 10.7 | 7 | ||
| 2023 | Ball State | MAC | SO | TE | 12 | 34 | 295 | 8.7 | 3 | 24.6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 34 | 295 | 8.7 | 3 | ||
| 2024 | Ball State | MAC | JR | TE | 12 | 94 | 839 | 8.9 | 8 | 69.9 | 1 | 6 | 6.0 | 0 | 0.5 | 95 | 845 | 8.9 | 8 | |
| 2025* | Houston | Big 12 | SR | TE | 13 | 74 | 727 | 9.8 | 6 | 55.9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 74 | 727 | 9.8 | 6 | ||
| Career | 49 | 237 | 2234 | 9.4 | 24 | 45.6 | 1 | 6 | 6.0 | 0 | 0.1 | 238 | 2240 | 9.4 | 24 | |||||
| Ball State (3 Yrs) | 36 | 163 | 1507 | 9.2 | 18 | 41.9 | 1 | 6 | 6.0 | 0 | 0.2 | 164 | 1513 | 9.2 | 18 | |||||
| Houston (1 Yr) | 13 | 74 | 727 | 9.8 | 6 | 55.9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 74 | 727 | 9.8 | 6 | ||||||
Reports
From Lance Zierlein of NFL.com:
Long, angular pass-catching tight end with impressive production throughout his career. Koziol ’s monotonous route-running and average play speed lead to an excessive number of contested catches, but his soft hands and overall ball skills help to bring them in at an impressive rate.
He appears to lack the technique and toughness necessary to become a functional run blocker against pro competition. Koziol has a chance to become a TE3, but he needs to fine-tune his route-running and play with better short-area quickness to stick around as a catch-only option.
From Dane Brugler of The Athletic:
Koziol will be ranked higher by teams who put a premium on ball skills or are looking for a “big slot” weapon. He’ll be lower for teams looking for more of a true Y or well-rounded tight end.
From Nathan Cooper of Sports Info Solutions:
Koziol is a massive target who has the hands, 50/50-win skills, and mismatch potential to eventually become a starting-level player, but his massive struggles as a blocker currently limit him to a backup role.
From Daniel Harms of Bleacher Report:
Tanner Koziol creates mismatches due to his imposing size and ball skills. Koziol was a highly impactful transfer addition to Houston’s offense from Ball State, finishing in the top three among tight ends in receiving yards with 651. The big slot quickly became a safety valve for Houston’s quarterback, and even when he was covered, he was open.
Highlights
Jaguars fans, let us know your initial thoughts in the comments below!
