JACKSONVILLE – They're already tough and they're just getting tougher.

That was what NFL and Jaguars Media Analyst Bucky Brooks saw as the theme to the Jaguars' 2026 NFL Draft – a steady infusion of mental and physical toughness to an already tough, competitive roster.

That's the "Duval DNA" – and Brooks said it ran through draft weekend.

"They're clearly trying to be a more physical football team," Brooks said.

Brooks during this week's Huddle Up podcast discussed multiple aspects of the Jaguars' 2026 NFL Draft class. Among the topics:

The selections of Texas A&M tight end Nate Boerkircher in Round 2 and Houston tight end Tanner Koziol in Round 5, selections that marked the first time in franchise history the team has taken two tights in one draft and ones that marked a new wrinkle for the team's offense.

Jaguars General Manager James Gladstone during the draft cited the team playing more two- and three-tight end offensive packages moving forward.

"The reason the multiple tight-end scheme is so difficult and challenging [for defenses] is when you have two tight ends on the field from a defense standpoint, you immediately have to make a decision," Brooks said. " 'Are we going to put bigs on the field? Are we going to play our nickel?'

"If you put the little guys on the field [on defense], then teams with two tight ends are going to run you off the field. If you have the bigs on the field, if one of your tight ends is basically like a jumbo slot receiver, now I have a mismatch in space where we can throw and target and do whatever."

Brooks said the multiple tight-end formations also enable offenses "formational versatility."

"You can line up with both tight ends on the opposite side to our receivers and it's a balanced formation," he said. "You can use one of those tight ends as a quasi-fullback and line up in traditional two back sets with the tight end as the fullback. You can put them both on the same side and create a trips formation.

"There is so much that you can do and so much that the defense has to account for when you have two really good tight ends on the field."

Brooks also discussed:

• Third-round guard Emmanuel Pregnon, the No. 88 overall selection from Oregon: "Pregnon is a guy that's going jump right in the mix at guard. He is physical, he has an attitude about him, he has some toughness that is going to extend through throughout the rest of that offensive line."
• How the Jaguars' tight ends could look early in 2026: "Boerkircher has to come in and be impactful right away. My take would be he would be the traditional 'Y' tight end … think hand-in-the-dirt traditional attached to the tackle. [Tight end] Brenton Strange will be the move guy, let's move around, let's see if we can create different things for him. Koziol has to come in and see if he can crack the rotation and do it. [Tight end] Quintin Morris is there. It will be a very competitive situation. You can never have too many big tight ends on the field."
• On drafting players with "Jaguars DNA:" "This team came into the draft with a clear focus on attacking a few areas. Even though you can't necessarily address all your needs, you certainly can change the dynamic and the tenet of your team by bringing in the right stuff. And let's go back a year ago when Gladstone and those guys talked about changing the culture and they talked about, 'We want people to be who they are and if we bring in the right guys, it flips when you bring in the worker bees and right now we have a collection of worker bees that want to go after it and they wan to play the right way."
• The physical nature of the Jaguars' draft class: "Looking at the draft and looking at the acquisitions and listening to [Head Coach] Liam [Coen], there is no doubt that they want to be a rough-and-rugged football team. They have to be because the division is full of rough-and-tumble football teams where it's going to be a battle. This is the Jaguars acknowledging, 'Oh yeah, we know what it is. We're OK playing any style of ball wherever it is.' These additions certainly help in a major way."