NFL Rookie Notebook: Falcons may have found a draft steal as Jaguars' gamble comes into focus

The start of the 2026 NFL season is just weeks away, and several rookie storylines are already beginning to take shape. Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Zachariah Branch is quickly validating the belief that he was one of the biggest steals of the draft after an impressive offseason, while Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Nate Boerkircher is showing why the Jaguars may have valued him much higher than the rest of the league. In this week's NFL Rookie Notebook, we take a closer look at those storylines, along with several other notable developments from around the league.

Zachariah Branch is already turning heads in Atlanta

Going back to last August, NFL Mocks consistently argued that Georgia wide receiver Zachariah Branch was one of the most underrated prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft. That belief never changed, which is why we projected him to the Atlanta Falcons as early as November. The Falcons ultimately selected him in the third round, and after a standout offseason, that prediction is already looking like a good one.

What made Branch such an intriguing prospect, and why Atlanta landed one of the steals of the draft, is his ability to create explosive plays with the ball in his hands. At 5-foot-9 and 177 pounds, Branch ran a 4.35-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine and pairs elite speed with outstanding elusiveness and contact balance. He forced 20 missed tackles last season while setting a Georgia single-season record with 81 receptions, earning Second-Team All-SEC honors. He also led the SEC in receptions and topped all FBS receivers with an outstanding 87.1 percent catch rate when targeted. Those traits have drawn comparisons to Tyreek Hill and make him a perfect weapon on screens, quick passes, and any play designed to get him into space.

Branch has already begun turning heads in Atlanta. According to The Athletic's Josh Kendall, "Branch was as noticeable as any player on the field throughout OTAs and minicamp." That should come as no surprise given his explosive skill set, and it puts him in position to carve out a significant role as a rookie.

His skill set also fills a major need for Atlanta. While Drake London has established himself as the Falcons' No. 1 receiver, the team enters the season searching for a reliable No. 2 option. Branch has the explosiveness and versatility to become that player while giving the offense another dynamic playmaker capable of creating big plays after the catch.

Special teams should be another area where Branch makes an immediate impact. He is the favorite to open the season as Atlanta's starting punt and kick returner, a role that fits his résumé perfectly. At USC, he became the first true freshman in school history to earn All-American honors after winning the Jet Award as the nation's top return specialist, returning both a punt and a kickoff for touchdowns.

Expect Branch to outperform the typical third-round rookie. He has the talent to finish third on the Falcons in receptions behind Drake London and Kyle Pitts while recording at least 50 catches for 600 yards and three touchdowns. Add in his value as a return specialist, where he has a legitimate chance to return a kick for a touchdown, and don't be surprised if he earns Pro Bowl consideration as one of the NFL's top return men.

Why Nate Boerkircher could silence his critics

One of the most criticized selections in the 2026 NFL Draft was the Jacksonville Jaguars taking Texas A&M tight end Nate Boerkircher with the 56th overall pick. Bleacher Report was among those questioning the selection, writing, "The Jacksonville Jaguars spent their initial draft pick of the 2026 class on an overaged, blocking tight end who produced next-to-nothing as a receiver."

While there is no doubt the Jaguars drafted Boerkircher much earlier than I would have, there are several reasons why this pick could still work out. For starters, he is one of the best blocking tight ends in the class. He plays with excellent technique, consistently finishes his blocks, and brings the physicality needed to help improve Jacksonville's running game. That is important for a Jaguars offense that finished with the fifth-lowest explosive run rate in the NFL last season, according to TruMedia. Jacksonville used multiple tight ends on just 24.9 percent of its offensive snaps last year, tied for 23rd in the league, but that number could increase under head coach Liam Coen, whose offensive background comes from Sean McVay's system, which has consistently featured multiple-tight end personnel.

Boerkircher was also an underused receiver throughout his college career, never being targeted more than 22 times in a season. However, when the ball came his way, he was surprisingly productive. He caught 79 percent of his career targets, including 19 of 22 passes during his final season. According to PFF, he also caught three of his four targets in tight coverage and dropped just two passes over his five-year career. While he may never become a vertical threat, he has shown he can be a dependable option underneath and in the intermediate passing game.

Looking back a couple of months after the draft, two things still stand out. The Jaguars undoubtedly reached for Boerkircher at No. 56 overall, but they also drafted a player who fits exactly what they want to become offensively. If Jacksonville leans more heavily on multiple-tight end formations and emphasizes a physical rushing attack, Boerkircher could prove to be much more valuable than many draft analysts initially believed.

NFL rookie news and notes

• The Chicago Bears have signed third-round pick Sam Roush, who was my sleeper at the tight end position leading up to the 2026 NFL Draft. While Chicago already has two starting-caliber tight ends in Colston Loveland and Cole Kmet, the addition of Roush should lead to a significant increase in 13 personnel this season. With three athletic tight ends on the field at the same time, the Bears can create advantages in both the running and passing games. Their size and blocking ability should help open running lanes by forcing defenses to match heavier personnel, while their athleticism creates difficult matchup problems through the air. Roush may not put up huge numbers as a rookie, but his versatility gives Chicago another weapon and makes the offense much more difficult to defend.

• The Washington Commanders lost Chris Rodriguez Jr. to the Jacksonville Jaguars this offseason and are hoping sixth-round pick Kaytron Allen can help fill that void. Allen leaves Penn State as the program's all-time leading rusher and is coming off the best season of his career, rushing for 1,303 yards and 15 touchdowns while averaging 6.2 yards per carry. He also forced 57 missed tackles and totaled 792 yards after contact, showcasing the physical running style that made him one of the toughest backs to bring down in the 2026 NFL Draft. While Allen lacks elite breakaway speed, he runs with outstanding patience, gets behind his pads, generates power through contact, and consistently keeps his legs moving. Those traits make him a natural complement to Jacory Croskey-Merritt and give Washington a reliable power back capable of handling the tough yards.

• A first-round pick who could begin the season on the bench is former Texas A&M wide receiver KC Concepcion, whom the Cleveland Browns selected with the 24th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Concepcion and Isaiah Bond are expected to compete for the Browns' starting slot receiver job. Bond flashed big-play ability last season by averaging 18.8 yards per reception, but he caught just 18 of his 42 targets. Concepcion offers the higher ceiling because of his ability to create yards after the catch and make difficult receptions in traffic. The biggest question is whether he can prove to the coaching staff that his hands are reliable after being charged with seven drops during his final season at Texas A&M.

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