There's a specific type of tight end that NFL offenses have been hunting for a decade — the kind who can line up in the slot, flex out wide, run a clean seam route against a linebacker who has no business covering him, and haul in a contested ball over the middle without flinching. Jack Endries is that tight end. The 6'4", 244-pound Texas product quietly became one of the most compelling TE prospects in the 2026 class by doing something almost no one at his position manages: posting a 0% drop rate across 45 targets in SEC competition. That isn't a small-sample quirk — it's a calling card.
Endries earned his stripes at Cal first, where he led the entire team in receptions (56) and receiving yards (623) during the 2024 season — essentially carrying a receiving corps in a Power conference offense. Then he made the bold decision to transfer to Texas and compete in the SEC, playing as Arch Manning's primary tight end target. The production dipped in raw volume (33 catches, 346 yards, 3 TDs in 2025), but the efficiency markers told a different story: 60% contested-catch conversion, 1.07 yards per route run, and 4.9 yards after the catch across 414 pass-blocking snaps. Against Georgia, Alabama, and Arkansas cornerback rooms, Endries never dropped a catchable ball. That detail alone warrants a dynasty roster spot.
STRENGTHS
Endries' hands are the foundation everything else is built on, and they are legitimately elite. A 0% drop rate on 45 targets in SEC play is not a statistical accident — it's the product of consistent catching mechanics, reliable extension away from the body, and a competitive will to secure the football in traffic. Film from his Texas season (DoseOfDraft breakdown) shows him winning contested catches with body positioning and catch-point timing rather than brute athleticism, which is exactly the skill set that translates reliably to the NFL. His 60% contested-catch rate is a number most wide receivers would envy, let alone tight ends who routinely absorb contact from linebackers and safeties. This is his clear separator in the 2026 TE class.
Route running is where his football IQ comes into focus. Endries is not beating defenders with a 4.45 forty — he wins with timing, leverage understanding, and an ability to find soft spots in zone coverage that you simply can't coach. Film shows him working clean vertical seam routes at the 20-yard line with a smooth release off the line, generating legitimate downfield separation on intermediate crossing routes against SEC defensive backs. He understands how to use his 6'4" frame to create a catch window that shorter defenders can't challenge, and his positioning at the top of routes is consistent and deliberate. The 1.07 YPRR figure at Texas confirms he was generating real value every time he ran a route — not collecting garbage-time statistics.
The transfer journey itself is an underrated data point. Plenty of players thrive in a single system and shrink when the competition level rises. Endries moved from Cal to the SEC, operating in a new offensive system under Arch Manning with a roster full of capable weapons demanding targets, and he maintained his hands grade and competitive presence. That's a maturity and adaptability marker that translates directly to an NFL locker room where rookies are asked to absorb complex systems on the fly. His CBS Sports #3 TE ranking in summer scouting reflects a consensus that his production is earned, not manufactured.
CONCERNS
The blocking concern is real and the film doesn't hide it. At 244 pounds, Endries operates closer to a receiving specialist than an every-down in-line tight end when the run game demands physicality at the point of attack. Texas film shows him engaged and technically sound in blocking assignments, but he's not creating movement against SEC defensive ends or dominating linebackers at the second level. NFL teams investing a Day 2 pick in a tight end need at minimum a functional blocker who won't get exploited on 3rd-and-1 run packages — Endries currently grades as usable but not reliable in those scenarios. He'll need to add 8–10 pounds of functional strength before NFL teams feel comfortable deploying him as a full-snap in-line player.
His production arc also raises a mild flag worth acknowledging. Going from 56 receptions and 623 yards at Cal to 33 receptions and 346 yards at Texas — despite playing in what is theoretically a superior offensive system with a more talented quarterback — suggests target-share competition may have limited his opportunity more than scheme fit elevated it. Texas ran one of college football's deepest skill rosters, and Endries competed for targets against elite wideout talent. That context explains the volume dip, but dynasty managers should note that his ceiling is heavily scheme-dependent: in a pass-first NFL offense that leverages the TE seam as a primary concept, he's a potential TE1. In a power-run system asking him to in-line block 60% of the time, his weekly fantasy floor drops considerably.
SCOUT GRADES
Scout 1 sees a legitimate Day 2 tight end with a receiving profile that stands alone in this class. Route running grades at B+ with particular praise for his vertical seam viability and intermediate route comfort against zone coverages — traits that directly translate to NFL spread concepts. Hands earn an A-, anchored by the 0% drop rate and 60% contested-catch production. Athleticism grades B- (functional, not electric), blocking at C+ (the primary ceiling limiter at current weight), and scheme fit at A-. Scout 1 projects Endries as a Round 2 pick (picks 45–65) with a 74/100 overall score, comping him to Cole Kmet with Goedert-level ceiling upside in the right system.
Scout 2 arrives at a near-identical conclusion with a 73/100 grade and the same Round 2 projection window. The secondary evaluation emphasizes his football IQ and coverage-reading as the core of his receiving ability — a player who wins with timing and positioning over raw athleticism. Route running grades 7/10, hands 8/10, athleticism 6/10, blocking 6/10. Scout 2 comps his floor to Tyler Higbee-level production with a ceiling that opens up in a QB-friendly offense that trusts the tight end position. Both evaluations align clearly: elite hands, legitimate receiving tools, blocking limitations, scheme-dependent ceiling.
PROJECTION
For dynasty purposes, Endries is a buy-and-hold in the third to fourth round of 2026 rookie drafts, with upside that justifies reaching slightly if you need TE1 production in your future. The NFL landing spot will be the single biggest factor in his dynasty value trajectory — a Day 2 pick to the Chiefs, Eagles, Lions, or any 11-personnel-heavy passing offense could accelerate his timeline dramatically. Year 1 is likely a depth/TE2 role as he learns an NFL playbook and adds functional weight, but with a pass-first team, second-year production as a 60+ target option is a realistic ceiling, not an optimistic one.
By Year 3, the divergence in outcomes becomes clear. In the right offense with a QB who weaponizes the tight end seam — think a Travis Kelce–style deployment in 11 personnel as a flex/slot hybrid — Endries has the hands, IQ, and route diversity to become a genuine TE1 fantasy asset and a Pro Bowl-caliber contributor. In a run-first system that under-utilizes his pass-catching ability, he's a frustrating TE2 with tantalizing upside that never fully materializes. Monitor the draft landing spot in April 2026 as the clearest signal of which path he's headed down.
View Jack Endries's full player profile, measurables, and scouting breakdown →
🎬 All-22 Film Analysis Update
*Updated after All-22 film review by Scout1 and Scout2.*
Film Score: 73.5/100 (→ No change from base score of 73.5)
Composite Score: 74.5
Scout1 Assessment Jack Endries is a high-IQ, receiving-first tight end who has demonstrated elite hands and contested-catch reliability across two Power conferences. He led Cal in receiving in 2024 before transferring to Texas for the 2025 season, where he operated as a trusted target for what could become one of college football's most potent offenses with Arch Manning under center. The case for Endries is straightforward: a legitimate receiving weapon at the position with elite production markers — 0% drop rate...
Scout2 Assessment Jack Endries is a complete tight end prospect from Texas with legitimate receiving ability and reliable hands. The film shows a skilled route runner who wins with timing and positioning rather than elite athleticism. Solid day-one contributor in the right system.
*Film analysis is based on All-22 footage reviewed independently by two scouts. Scores reflect on-field evidence and may differ from pre-film model projections.*