JACKSONVILLE – It’s all new, mostly fast – and absolutely a dream come true.
Nate Boerkircher is among 10 draft selections in Jaguars 2026 Rookie Minicamp at the Miller Electric Center this weekend – and when he spoke to the media on a gray Saturday afternoon, he described the first few of what he and the Jaguars hope are many NFL days.
The weekend is thrilling – and ultimately, important.
“It’s pretty stressful; it’s nice to have these guys to lean on for the first couple of days,” Boerkircher said.
Boerkircher, a second-round tight end from Texas A&M and the No. 56 overall selection in the 2026 NFL Draft, is among 28 Jaguars rookies – 10 draft selections and 18 undrafted free agents – participating in the three-day minicamp along with seven first-year veterans and two tryout players.
“I want to be able to acclimate as quickly as possible, and be on the same page,” said offensive guard Emmanuel Pregnon, a third-round selection from Oregon and the No. 88 selection overall. “I want to be on the same level as everybody. That way there’s no hiccups. There’s no anything.
“That way I can be an impact on the field now and help the team the best way I know I can.”
Head Coach Liam Coen, now in his second season with the Jaguars, has spoken this offseason of a different feel at times than last offseason – with veterans more acclimated than was the case a year ago. He said that should be a positive as rookies and veterans begin working with each other in the coming days.
“That was exactly what I mentioned to the vets on Thursday,” Coen said Saturday. “I said, ‘When these guys get in here on Monday and get integrated with you all, I need you all to set the standard and show these guys what our standards are of how to operate in meeting rooms, walkthroughs and practice because we need them.’ “
The Jaguars are currently in “Phase 2” of the offseason program, which is on-field individual work. Organized team activities that remain unpadded and voluntary – but that include seven-on-seven and 11-on-11 work – begin at the MEC May 26.
“We need the rookies to come along as fast as possible,” Coen said. “You saw it last year with the amount of rookies that played for us and made an impact and contribution. They’re competing with each other for spots, but we need every single guy.”
Said Pregnon, “I’m stoked to be with those vets and just learn from them. Coming in the room and being able to get in with those guys who have played the game for so long …. I just want to learn and soak up everything I possibly can so I can become as great as they are.”
Boerkircher calle the weekend a time to “bond, be with the rookies and get to know each other.”
“We’re a class,” he said. “We have to be tight. We’re all kind of experiencing the same thing in a way. It has been amazing. I’ve met a lot of great people already. I’ve learned a lot. It’s probably the most I’ve ever learned in a two-day span ever.
“We’ve had a chunk of the playbook – definitely not all of it. We have a lot more to learn. We’ve spent a lot of time installing it, making sure we get it right. We spend a lot of time studying, too.”