The Jacksonville Jaguars received plenty of criticism for selecting tight end Nate Boerkircher in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft. But halfway through his rookie season, he's already started to silence the critics.
In its latest rookie rankings, Pro Football Focus named Boerkircher the 15th-highest-graded rookie in the NFL through Week 9, awarding him an overall grade of 68.7. Boerkircher is the only tight end to appear among PFF's top 15 rookies, a list that includes players from across the league and requires a minimum of 180 offensive or defensive snaps to qualify.
It's a significant achievement for a player who was being derided as a bust before the season even started.
When the Jaguars selected Boerkircher with the 56th overall pick
in April, the decision was met with considerable skepticism. Jacksonville had already traded its first-round selection to Cleveland as part of the deal to acquire Travis Hunter in 2025, making Boerkircher the franchise's first selection in the 2026 draft.
The problem, according to numerous draft analysts, is that Boerkircher was ranked 163rd on the consensus big board, nearly 110 spots below where the Jaguars drafted him.
CBS Sports described the pick as "puzzling," "risky," and an "overcorrection," while Sporting News characterized it as a reach. SI.com's Justin Melo called it one of the most controversial picks of the draft. But Jaguars head coach Liam Coen and general manager James Gladstone remained confident in their decision to draft him. And through the first half of his rookie season, that confidence appears increasingly justified.
Although Boerkircher was primarily known for his blocking ability at Texas A&M, he has demonstrated that he can contribute in the passing game as well. Through eight games, Boerkircher has recorded nine receptions for 144 yards and two touchdowns, averaging an impressive 16 yards per reception, and his production has increased significantly in recent weeks.
Against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 8, Boerkircher caught a 31-yard touchdown pass from Trevor Lawrence in Jacksonville's 42-7 victory. He followed that performance with two receptions for 61 yards against the Baltimore Ravens, including a career-long 52-yard completion that helped set up Jacksonville's first touchdown in its 33-10 win.
PFF specifically highlighted Boerkircher's recent emergence as a receiving threat, pointing out that he racked up 92 yards on just three receptions across those two games.
Boerkircher's inclusion among PFF's highest-graded rookies doesn't necessarily settle the debate over whether Jacksonville could have selected him later in the draft. However, it does provide additional evidence that the Jaguars' evaluation of his abilities was more accurate than many critics initially believed.
He has already earned a meaningful role in Jacksonville's offense, contributing as a blocker while demonstrating considerably more receiving ability than his college statistics might have suggested. And with the Jaguars sitting at 6-2 and averaging 28.6 points per game, Boerkircher has become one of several young contributors helping Jacksonville establish itself as an AFC contender.
And now, with Boerkircher ranked among the NFL's 15 highest-graded rookies, the Jaguars have another reason to feel confident in a draft pick that few outside the organization initially supported.
This article originally appeared on Jaguars Wire: Jaguars' much-criticized draft pick now one of the top-graded rookies
