California Golden Bears tight end Jack Endries reacts after scoring a touchdown against the Pittsburgh Panthers. Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Texas Longhorns Tight End Jack Endries Named To John Mackey Award Watch List

Originally posted on Texas Longhorns on SI
By JD Andress | Last updated Aug 8, 2025 4:00 PM ET

Before the spring football practices kicked off, Steve Sarkisian and his staff knew they would need to add someone to their tight end room. While they already had the talent, they lacked experience.

The Texas Longhorns went into the portal hoping to add a veteran player and walked away with the number one tight end acquisition from the portal, Jack Endries.

Having been named to the John Mackey watch list, Endries will have high expectations in the Forty Acres, maintaining the production at the tight end position that Sarkisian's offense is used to producing.

Adding To Pre-Season Accolades

Endries is no stranger to the John Mackey watch list, as he was named to it last season while he was at Cal. He would start all 26 games in his two seasons there, and led the Golden Bears in receiving yards last season with 623 on 56 receptions in 2024.

He earned third-team all-ACC last season, averaging 47.9 receiving yards a game. His freshman year, he was first-team from College Football Network, second-team from the athletic, and honorable mention from College Football News. He was also Cal's 2023 Burlsworth Trophy nominee, which is presented to football's most outstanding player who started their season as a walk-on.

Now in the Forty Acres, this was Endries' second preseason watchlist, after being selected to the Biletnikoff Award, and was named preseason All-SEC third-team by the media in July.

Endries hopes to become the fourth straight Longhorn to be named a semifinalist, joining Gunnar Helm last season and Ja'Tavion Sanders in 2022 and 2023. No player from Forty Acres has won the award, but with the production that Sarkisian's offense produces from the tight end position and Endries' skill set, this could be the year a player in the burnt orange breaks through.

Garnering Expectations

Endries has been given the second-best odds by one betting website to win the John Mackey award, behind only tight end RJ Maryland from SMU.

Endries will have big shoes to fill, replacing Gunnar Helm, who the Tennessee Titans selected in the 2025 NFL Draft, but tight ends coach Jeff Banks has already been singing praises of the transfer.

“Jack Endries gives us a proven pass receiver and then he gives us a physical blocker in the box that’s not necessarily the biggest guy. That’s what we were looking for in the transfer portal. A guy that could mesh with our team and fit our offense. Then you see him vertically get past defenders, and you’re like ‘sweet, we’ve got a big time pass receiver that can block.”

The Texas Longhorns will begin their season on Aug. 30 at 11 a.m. CT in Columbus, Ohio, against reigning national champions the Ohio State Buckeyes.

This article first appeared on Texas Longhorns on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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