Jags’ Rookies Make the Case Against Quiet Draft Reputation
JACKSONVILLE — The Jacksonville Jaguars’ draft class has been far from a highly touted one, but at Wednesday’s joint practice with the Carolina Panthers, it couldn’t be seen why.
Many of the newcomers had standout days and exuded a level of confidence not all that common for rookies in their first NFL training camp. In a very productive day for the tight end unit as a whole, second-rounder Nate Boerkircher and fifth-rounder Tanner Koziol stood out.
Aside from rookie offensive lineman Emmanuel Pregnon, Jacksonville’s first-year tight end duo have the biggest opportunity to make an impact in their first seasons. After four limited seasons at Nebraska, Boerkircher comes off a solid year with the Texas A&M Aggies. The 6-foot-5, 245-pound tight end logged 19 receptions – more than triple his grabs in any other season (6) – for 198 yards and three touchdowns.
On Wednesday, quarterback Trevor Lawrence hit the second-rounder in the end zone, and he had another impressive grab later in the morning. He didn’t pick up many yards, but he showcased his physicality, making the catch through tight coverage.
Meanwhile, Koziol’s bread and butter is that, at 6-foot-7, he is easy to find and hard to bring down. His frame is a major advantage, especially as a red-zone target, and he is exceptional at making tough grabs.
“Just seeing those guys make plays is really cool, and I think it comes from as they get more and more comfortable with the system, and they can just go play, and that’s when their talents can show — is when they’re not thinking,” Lawrence said Wednesday.
Koziol is no stranger to getting comfortable quickly and making an immediate impact on a team. In his first collegiate season at Ball State, he recorded 35 receptions for 373 yards and seven touchdowns, and he remained a focal point of its offense for two more seasons before heading to Houston for his last year. There, he led all FBS tight ends with 74 receptions and ranked second among FBS tight ends in receiving yards (727), adding six touchdowns.
“Obviously for Tanner, being a quasi receiver in college was something that we were excited about seeing,” Coen said.
During 11-on-11 drills Wednesday, Koziol grabbed one in the end zone, and he caught another on the sideline, running through two Panthers and refusing to be brought down.
Coen seemed pleased with the work of the tight ends, but also noted where he sees them being able to grow.
“I think we need to clean up a couple things technique-wise and sustaining, getting outside of our frame a little bit, getting a little grabby,” he said.
Boerkircher is now second on the team’s unofficial depth chart and a capable backup for Brenton Strange, who will get the start, and Koziol will come in behind his fellow rookie.
Strange had a standout year in 2025, posting a career-high 46 receptions for 540 yards and three touchdowns. As he looks to increase his production this season, Boerkircher brings physicality and a strong blocking presence to back him up while Koziol adds another reliable target.
Aside from the tight ends, Pregnon also had a solid day, stepping up after injuries to the offensive line have made his role more important by the day. He played at left guard Wednesday while expected starter at the position Ezra Cleveland moved to right guard to make up for injuries to Patrick Mekari (back) and Wyatt Milum (undisclosed).
Especially with the Jaguars’ acquiring guard Daniel Faalele in a trade with the Giants yesterday, it is not set in stone where Pregnon, the No. 88 pick out of Oregon, will fit along the offensive line, but he held it down Wednesday. The group overall did not seem to be one of much concern during the joint practice despite the injuries, rarely allowing too much pressure on the quarterbacks or forcing them to use their legs.
To round out the key offensive additions, the rookie wide receivers also flashed. Though battling the depth of the wide receiver group for snaps, rookies CJ Williams and Josh Cameron also both showed growth and promise Wednesday.
Cameron pulled in a deep ball on the left sideline, and Williams grabbed one in the end zone while also emerging as a reliable target throughout the day. Both come off collegiate-best campaigns, with Williams logging 59 receptions for 749 yards and six touchdowns at Stanford and Cameron posting a 69-reception, 879-yard, nine-touchdown fifth season at Baylor.
Third-round selection Jalen Huskey also saw a lot of snaps Wednesday. Despite getting beat at safety once in 11-on-11 drills, he rebounded later with a pass breakup downfield.
Huskey spent the last two years with the Maryland Terrapins, where he logged 72 tackles and 58 solo tackles in 2025 with two passes defended. He is too far down the depth chart to expect to see too many snaps during the season, but the year will be a developmental one.
“I think all those guys are getting there every day,” Lawrence said. “It’s not the easiest system to learn, so it takes a little bit of time. But I love where those guys are heading. I think our tight end room is awesome, and really all of our offensive guys that have come in as rookies have done a good job.”
Category: Feature Sports News, Jacksonville Jaguars, NFL
