2026 NFL Draft Late-Round Tight End Sleepers Featuring Jack Endries

Late-round tight ends like Jack Endries headline a sneaky 2026 NFL Draft sleeper group that could deliver unexpected fantasy football value.

Texas tight end Jack Endries (TE06) speaks to members of the media during the NFL Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. | Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images

Over the final six rounds of the 2025 NFL Draft, there were 14 tight ends drafted, with Harold Fannin (72/731/6 on 107 targets) being the best selection in the third round. Oronde Gadsden (49/664/3) proved to be a value in the fifth round by the Chargers, while helping fantasy teams midseason. Mason Taylor (44/369/1) and Terrance Ferguson (11/231/1) offered some playable games.

Don't forget to check out the top five tight end prospects. Here’s a look at the second group of five tight ends entering the 2026 NFL Draft:

Jack Endries, Texas

Endres has three seasons of experience between California and Texas. He peaked in 2024 (56/623/2), followed by the lowest output of his career (33/346/3) after transferring to play for the Longhorns. Endres finished his college career with 124 catches for 1.376 yards and seven touchdowns over 39 games. His best two showings (8/119 and 9/101) came midseason for the Golden Bears in 2024, when Fernando Mendoza was his quarterback.

The foundation of Endries’ skill set has upside in multiple areas, with his biggest needs being strength and a physical presence. He lacks an edge in route running, but brings sneaky speed when running longer routes upfield. Endries brings a basketball post style in his catches when facing some man coverage, while having the hands to win under duress. He gets to a winning area in many of his blocks, but adding more punch to his game would lead to more finishing power. With the ball in his hands, Endries will take what the defense gives him. Getting off the line of scrimmage can be a problem when challenged by physical coverage. He ran a 4.62 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine.

Nate Boerkircher, Texas A&M

Texas A&M Aggies tight end Nate Boerkircher (87) celebrates a first down against the Miami Hurricanes during first quarter of the first round game of the CFP National Playoff at Kyle Field. | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

Boerkircher’s receiving resume between Nebraska (19/219/1 – four seasons) and the Aggies (19/198/3 over 13 games) won’t draw much attention from many NFL teams. He makes up for his lack of stats by attacking in his blocks with fight. His route running and expectation in the passing game will be minimal, but he catches his chances and creates wins vs. single coverage. He gets off the ball quickly, helping his value to stay on the field on run plays. Boerkircher has room to add more bulk and strength (6’5” and 245 lbs.).

Joe Royer, Cincinnati

The Buckeyes barely used Royer over three seasons, leading to only four catches for 24 yards and no touchdowns over 14 games. A transfer to Cincinnati in 2024 resulted in him developing into a much better receiving option (50/521/3). In his final season in college, the Bearcats used him less (29 catches), but allowed him to make more plays downfield (14.3 yards per catch – 10.4 in 2024), with an uptick in scoring (4). Royer flashed in six games with Cincinnati (5/89, 7/66, 8/84, 2/104, 2/83, and 5/63/1).

His route running has a reasonable starting foundation for the NFL, with Royer’s best opportunity to catch the ball coming over the short areas of the field. He gets off the ball with pace and a plan, while showing the talent to be physical in tight quarters and after the catch. The foundation of his blocking needs development and better vision. His game should improve at the next level as Royer gets stronger and adds more to his frame.

Justin Joly, NC State

NC State tight end Justin Joly (TE09) during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Joly gave Connecticut and the Wolfpack competitive stats from the tight end position over four seasons (166/1,978/15). He set a career high in catches (56) over 12 games in 2023 for the Huskies while peaking in receiving yards (661 – 2024) and touchdowns (7 – 2025) over the following two seasons with North Carolina State. Joly’s one impact game (6/101/2) came against Pittsburgh last season. He caught five passes or more in 12 of his 49 career games.

For an NFL team looking for a sneaky upside pass catcher who doesn’t check the size box at tight end (6’3” and 240 lbs.), Joly should stand out in the second tier level at tight end in this draft class. His speed is below expectations for a big wideout and not an edge for the tight end position, putting him in the plodding category with the ball in his hands. Joly makes up for this shortfall with a high floor in his route running and feel for getting open. With more experience and coaching, he should improve even more. He’ll win in tight quarters, thanks to his hands and ability to high-ball catches. Joly projects to be a liability in blocking, while needing to fine-tune the release of the top of his routes.

Eli Raridon, Notre Dame

After three quiet seasons (0/0, 5/51/1, 11/90/2) at Notre Dame, Raridon made the most of his opportunity last year. He caught 32 passes for 482 yards over 12 games, but failed to score. His best success came in four games (5/97, 4/85, 7/109, and 6/67).

Raridon is a blocking tight end who will be even better with a little more bulk (6’6” and 245 lbs.). He ran a 4.62 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, but his initial quickness is below par. His value to the passing game has a low ceiling, and Raridon has two right knee ACL injuries on his resume (2021 and 2022). When overlooked, he can surprise, but his scoring and targets should be minimal in the NFL.