Jack Endries isn’t the flashiest tight end in this year's NFL draft class, but he might be one of the most dependable -- and dependable is always in fashion in Duval.

The Jacksonville Jaguars will make their first selection of the 2026 draft in the second round, with pick No. 56. The team owns 11 total picks, including four in the top 100.

Jaguars Roundtable is checking out a range of prospects in the Class of 2026 that might mesh with Jacksonville's current roster, coaching staff, and the team's X's and O's strategies.

Offensive position players will be a focal point for the Jags, and our draft profiles feature offensive linemen like Isaiah World out of Oregon and Penn State's Drew Shelton as well as running back prospects Le'Veon Moss from Texas A&M, Mike Washington Jr. out of Arkansas, and Washington's Jonah Coleman.  The Jaguars could also consider adding depth at tight end with Vanderbilt's Eli Stowers and at receiver with Southern Cal's Ja'Kobi Lane.  

Defenders profiled in prospect analyst Jeremy Ballreich's series include top-end linebackers the likes of Oklahoma's Kendal Daniels, Oregon's Bryce Boettcher, and Anthony Hill Jr. out of Texas, along with cornerbacks Keith Abney II out of Arizona State and D'Angelo Ponds out of Indiana, and Cincinnati nose tackle Dontay Corleone.

Here, our NFL draft analyst zeroes in on Texas tight end Jack Endries.

In his one year with the Longhorns, Endries quickly carved out a role in an offense loaded with blue‑chip talent, earning snaps the hard way, through toughness, consistency, and a willingness to do the dirty work.

Standing around 6‑foot-5 and 245 pounds, Endries brings the frame and demeanor of a classic in‑line tight end, but he’s far more than a glorified sixth offensive lineman. He’s a technician, a grinder, and a quietly effective receiving threat who understands leverage, timing, and how to make himself available to his quarterback.

A walk-on at Cal in 2022, the Danville, California, native started every game for the Golden Bears in 2023 and 2024, and led the team in receiving in 2024 as Fernando Mendoza’s top target.

Endries’ game starts with physicality. Texas trusted him in the trenches, and he rewarded that trust with a competitive edge that shows up on every rep. He fires off the ball with a sturdy base, keeps his hands tight, and fights to sustain blocks against bigger defensive ends.

He’s not a bulldozer, but he’s efficient; he wins with angles, hand placement, and relentless effort. In split‑zone and sift responsibilities, he’s one of the more reliable blockers in the Big 12, consistently sealing edges and creating clean lanes for the Longhorns’ backs.

As a receiver, Endries is more subtle than explosive. He’s not going to run away from safeties or dominate the seam with pure athleticism, but he’s a smart, fluid mover who understands how to work underneath and intermediate windows.

Texas used him heavily on play‑action boots, crossers, and stick concepts, where his timing and feel for space allowed him to become a steady chain‑mover. He’s a natural hands catcher -- no panic, no wasted motion. He extends away from his frame, secures the ball cleanly, and transitions upfield with surprising smoothness for a player built like a trench fighter.

One of Endries’ best traits is his reliability. He rarely breaks assignments, rarely loses his composure, and rarely puts the ball on the ground. He’s the type of tight end coaches trust on third‑and‑medium, in the red zone, or in heavy personnel packages where execution matters more than flash.

His football IQ is evident in how he adjusts routes based on coverage, how he chips before releasing, and how he positions his body to shield defenders at the catch point.

Athletically, he’s more functional than dynamic. He’s not a mismatch nightmare, and he won’t be the focal point of an NFL passing attack. But he’s a classic glue guy -- the tight end who makes the offense more stable, more versatile, and less readable.

His floor is high because his game is built on traits that translate: toughness, technique, intelligence, and consistency.

Where Endries really shines is in his projection as a long‑term TE2 with spot‑starter upside. He’s the type of player who can play 40 snaps without drawing attention, yet the offense looks cleaner with him on the field. He’s a coach’s dream: dependable, physical, and unselfish.

Endries fits best in a system that values tight ends as multipliers rather than stars—offenses that lean on play‑action, heavy personnel, and situational versatility. He’s tailor‑made for teams that want a tight end who can block well enough to stay on the field on early downs but still threaten defenses enough as a receiver to avoid becoming predictable.

He’s the type of player who elevates a run game, stabilizes a young quarterback, and gives offensive coordinators the freedom to disguise intentions.

In the right system, he becomes the steady heartbeat of the tight end room -- never the loudest, never the flashiest, but always the one doing the work that wins games.

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