Jack Endries, TE, Texas Longhorns: 2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report plus pro comp
The Longhorns tight end makes his case to be one of the top ranked TEs in the class.
Ian Harper
Texas Longhorns tight end Jack Endries. / Jordan Prather-Imagn Images
The receiving tight end prototype has seen a resurgence in recent years at the NFL level, and one player with considerable receiving success in college who could make an early impact at the next level is Texas Longhorns' Jack Endries.
Coming from Monte Vista High School in California, Endries became an immediate starter for the California Golden Bears, starting all 26 games in his first two years. His strong two seasons led to a Freshman All-American nod in 2023 and a place on the John Mackey Award Watchlist in 2024. He entered the transfer portal to head south to Texas for his junior season, putting together another strong campaign before declaring for the 2026 NFL Draft.
Keeps his hands close to his chest and strikes when moving laterally quickly as a blocker
Uses his arm length well to establish contact, and he will rarely get fully evaded by defenders
He times his pushes well and knows how to use outside blocking to make defenders force themselves out of the play
Solid hand placement, works below pads and drives up through the head-on defender
Good tuck-and-go receiver, secures the ball and immediately beelines upfield
Able to re-establish his hands quickly multiple times, can keep himself engaged with defenders, and stick on the block
Gets to his spots quickly on sit-down routes
Gets out of his breaks well on downfield routes, solid awareness of zones to maximize open space around him
Works into the defender’s chest well with his arms, and uses his upper half well to generate blocking momentum when clearing out lanes
Incredibly strong hands, reels in everything, and can be a perfect safety blanket
Weaknesses:
Settles down as a screen blocker, but doesn’t have the quickness and rotational fluidity to work laterally and intercept defenders
Plays high as a pull blocker, will engage successfully, but doesn’t do much to drive defenders out of the rushing lanes
Drifts upfield too often when blocking for screens, and defenders can rip past him
Too often either breaks down into his base or stays too high as a blocker; rushers can manipulate him and work around him
Doesn’t have the size or strength to be an effective shock blocker when moving across the line
Slower mover through routes, stop-and-go movement skills are lacking, and route cuts are more rounded
Jerky on horizontal cuts, lets his body drag at times, and lets defenders work back into the play
Not enough power to drive defenders backward on initial contact
Lacks the quickness to survive on the edge as a blocker for a considerable amount of time
Gets too cautious when running routes in traffic, will slow himself down, and make himself vulnerable to route contact
NFL Outlook:
Endries has one of the best traits a tight end can offer, in that he simply refuses to drop passes. He isn’t the greatest athlete, but he can work across multiple alignments and threatens the defense vertically with solid releases and zone awareness. Blocking can be an issue for him, and he might struggle if given consistent playing time immediately as an in-line TE, but his reception ability and success at times when blocking in motion project him to be a decent TE at worst, with the potential to work into a low-end starter role.
NFL Player Comparison:
Tyler Higbee is one player who shares traits with Endries, albeit likely being more of a receiving threat than the Longhorns' product will become. Standard body type TEs, strengths with their receiving technique, and an ability to stretch the field at times, and finding success as a motion blocker when working as a block-first alignment. Higbee was a Day 3 pick who found a consistent role in the Los Angeles Rams' offense, and Endries could work his way into becoming a mainstay in a franchise's offensive scheme.
Prospect Grade:
Mid 4th Round
Ian Harper
Ian is a Contributor to FanSided’s NFL Draft site, NFL Mocks, and a Sports Communication and Media Major at Rowan University. He covers all aspects of the NFL Draft, including player profiles, positional breakdowns, overall news, and more. He has been scouting and covering the NFL Draft independently for 3 years, with an Instagram profile (@UnderTheRadarScouting) amassing over 5k followers and hundreds of connections to CFB/NFL players, scouts, coaches, agents, and player personnel. He has also spent time with LastWordOnSports and OnSI, covering the NFL Draft and College Football. x
